In my first few years of working, I called anyone in a suit "sir". I didn't stand up to my boss until the fifth year. Imagine if he had been a legend of AFL like James Hird.
Another concept from those days is having one's hand on it.
If supporters, journos, ASADA and WADA think that a young man is going stand up to a legend of the game and club while his mates are lining up for their jabs, they are being self-indulgent. Nor would defence force rookies walk funny.