Sam Newman has somewhat backed down from recent controversial remarks urging spectators at this year's AFL finals series to boo Welcome to Country ceremony.

On the most recent You Cannot Be Serious podcast alongside former Hawthorn legend Don Scott this week, Newman openly admitted he would not follow his own advice on Saturday in the biggest game of the year.

"I wouldn't boo at the grand final – it was just a flippant throwaway line," he said.

"But I disagree with the Welcome to Country at the grand final."

The outspoken media figure that co-hosted the AFL version of The Footy Show over 25 years wanted noise to drown out the Indigenous acknowledgement that involved an Elder's words from the local mob of that Country.

But Newman's calls fell on deaf ears and were silenced days later at both preliminary finals in Brisbane and Melbourne after footy fans listened and applauded in response.

He doubled down even further after his suggestion was ridiculed over concerns that the pre-game ritual did not "unite us" and that people in attendance should instead sing 'I am Australian' over the top of the ceremony.

"I said last week that we should boo the Welcome to Country – it was an extravagant statement," Newman said.

"(The acknowledgement has) gone overboard and the social elites are only trying to plicate their own white prejudice by feeling virtuous that they keep going on and on with this."

The softening response and the withdrawal that booing was appropriate came after his tarnished profile had damaged his reputation beyond repair.

That came after a petition had been circulated against the 300-game Geelong star that demands he should be thrown out of the AFL Hall of Fame, an honour that Newman personally holds dearly.

No AFL great has had their name expunged from the AFL's most prestigious company in its 27-year existence.

Outgoing AFL boss Gill McLachlan did not back away in his final days in charge, criticising Newman harshly for his out-of-touch stance.

"This is why I criticised the AFL – it's just become a minefield of nonsense; they've got to pull it back," Newman said.

"(It's) not uniting us – that is my point.

"Standing on the MCG on grand final day and saying, 'you're welcome to the country, and we give you permission to play on the ground', that's not uniting us.

Under additional media spotlight, Newman also refused to directly answer whether he was a racist or not.

But the 77-year-old has made his views clear on the upcoming referendum against the Voice to Parliament.

"Kevin Rudd, when he was the prime minister, he apologised for what's gone on – why wasn't that enough?" Newman added.

"There's 10-11 Indigenous (federal) politicians for two-and-a-half to three per cent of the Indigenous population.

"Why do we need the Voice if there's 11 people representing yours or our people?"