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Why Adam Goodes doesn't deserve to retire to boos

Roar Rookie
28th July, 2015
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Roar Rookie
28th July, 2015
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All this week the Adam Goodes booing debate has raged on and on. It’s racist, it’s not racist, I have the right to boo, it’s part of sport – and so on and so on.

Now the “it’s part of sport” argument – which former Brisbane and Bulldogs player Jason Akermanis said is just part of the theatre – is a fair point. Every crowd has booed players from other clubs for one reason or another at some point.

The argument is lost, however, when you look at the long list of players who have done far, far worse than Goodes has ever been accused of doing on or off the field.

Ben Cousins was cheered by Eagles supporters upon his return to the field after his public leave due to drug problems, he was booed the next game by Bulldogs supporters in his return game.

Eventually his drug problems ended his time at West Coast and landed him at Richmond where he finished his career. He was cheered loudly and proudly and with much respect in his last career game for Richmond, despite only being at the club for a grand total of 32 games.

Goodes spoke out this week about his fear of being booed into retirement. The question needs to be asked does he deserve that when Cousins according to footy crowds didn’t? This despite Cousins’ drug use being a far greater issue than Goodes’ standing up against racism.

You can also add Goodes’ former Sydney teammate Barry Hall to the mix. A player who despite highlighted events of on-field violence in his career was eventually cheered off in his last game.

Again I find it hard to believe his ‘crimes’ are lesser than Goodes, whatever Goodes ‘crimes’ are.

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Chris Judd had a interesting on-field record, from eye gouging and chicken-wing tackles to the famous “pressure point incident”. Yet he is another payer who just this year was cheered into retirement – certainly not booed.

I’m not judging any player I listed here, but there are a great number of payers I can list who committed far worse deeds than Goodes has ever committed on or off field.

So the question needs to asked, if all these players deserved to retire without the boos then doesn’t Adam Goodes?

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