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Melbourne Demons youngster Clayton Oliver will undoubtedly be involved in many headlines this week following his heated exchange with a Carlton supporter at the MCG – and as a footy fan, I couldn’t be happier.
Oliver was close to the fence during the second quarter of yesterday’s Melbourne versus Carlton game when he appeared to snap back at a fan for something said in the crowd in the second quarter of the Demons’ eight-point win.
Demons coach Simon Goodwin said after the Demons eight-point win that he would talk to his young star.
“I don’t have all the information about what that looks like – once again, a young player learning a behaviour,” he said.
“I will have a look at it and chat to Clayton.
“Clearly, Clayton isn’t going to react to something unnecessarily, so let’s wait and get all the information on the table before we start criticising people.”
As with any recent ‘issue’, there was an outcry from social media.
“Clayton Oliver is going to have a challenging career if he bites back every time someone critiques him on social media or over the fence,” one wrote.
“Someone tell Clayton Oliver to stop being a child,” said another.
But seriously, if we want to make this an issue, we all need to stop acting like children.
For all those who aren’t adamant followers of the AFL, Oliver has been somewhat of a lightning rod for criticism in recent weeks, including a public spat with former Australian Test batsman Damien Martyn.
(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
Now, if Oliver was having a go at every punter in the stands, that would be too much. But anyone with half a brain would assume this isn’t the only words of wisdom he got that game.
And guess what, he has a right to retaliate.
For far too long we have excused some horrible things yelled at professional athletes because ‘it’s part of the game.’
But every time one has decided to respond, we act in shock. They’ve broken the fourth wall between athlete and punter.
Whether we like it or not, some punters spew some horrific vitriol at their fellow human beings, supposedly safe from a return serve from their place among the thousands in the crowd.
And for too long, just like on the internet, some people think anonymity in the stands is free licence to say things they would be too scared to say to any of these athletes in person.
If you’re ‘brave’ enough to yell abuse or crack a joke at the players on the field, you have no right to be offended when they offer a serve back.
But as with all storms in a teacup, some in the media will demand an apology for the terrible crime of a human response.
That in itself is a bit rich coming from some who moan that footballers aren’t the characters they used to be, but I digress.
Most people in themselves won’t care because they don’t yell obscenities at sporting events – but the ones that do will start to feel a quaking in their boots.
They may have to stop hitting their favourite punching bags when they realise some of them aren’t afraid to knock them back.
We as punters have the ability to contact staff to evict these rabble rousers for their idiotic taunts but it’s almost as if we demand players ‘just tune it out’ or ‘don’t let it get to you.’
But they are human, they have brain snaps or lapses in judgement like any of us.
We will undoubtedly learn more from this exchange in the coming days and maybe weeks and I may have egg on my face when it comes to Oliver in particular.
But for future reference for the people who still don’t seem to get it, if don’t want a footballer to have a go at you, don’t yell things you wouldn’t say directly to their face.
You know, like you do with almost every other person in the world.
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