Phil Gould says Craig Fitzgibbon’s emotional reaction during the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ win mirrors Gould’s own response in the same moment. Multiple outlets report that Gould, reflecting on the controversy around Fitzgibbon’s behaviour, links the intensity of the reaction to what he describes as a similar instinct he had at an earlier time. The articles present Fitzgibbon’s fury as a response to circumstances occurring during the match, rather than a standalone incident, and position Gould’s comments as clarification of why such emotion might surface in high-stakes game situations. While the reporting focuses on Gould’s explanation, it does not suggest the reaction changes the outcome of the match. Overall, the sources agree on the central point: Gould characterises Fitzgibbon’s conduct as comparable to his own and frames it as an authentic response during the Rabbitohs’ winning performance. The coverage is consistent across Brisbane Times, The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, which all attribute the remarks to Gould and describe the same comparison.