I’m a Glenn Archer Fan. I mean, who isn’t? The Kangaroo champion, the shinboner of the century, epitomisers everything that is great about AFL.
Tough, uncompromising and sincerely passionate, he’s the kind of man you’d want to run out beside you, whether it was a grand final or pre-season warm up match.
He speaks often with grace about how much footy has given him and the person he has become because of the sport, but one wonders what he’d think about the game at the minute as administrators try and take out the physical aspect which made men like Archer legends.
This week Nick Maxwell was suspended after his hit on West Coast youngster Patrick McGinnity left the Eagle with a broken jaw. Maxwell, the new Collingwood skipper, appointed for the very qualities Archer defined, will miss four games and most likely the start of the season for a bump delivered with precision.
No arm was lifted. His feet didn’t leave the ground, just as he was taught on the muddy windswept grounds of Ballarat. He did what was expected of him. And he didn’t give an inch.
Michael Voss, Bomber Thompson, Alastair Clarkson and Mark Harvey will be remembered for a similar robust approach to the game.
Like Maxwell and Jonathon Brown of today, and Leigh Mathews, Brereton, and in fact every single player who ran out for the ’89 grand final before them, they made their name as rugged, ferocious and brutally tough men who were going to stand their ground no matter what.
Yet here they are all in charge of teams, surely trying to install a similar toughness into their playing groups, allowing the AFL to rip the heart out of the game.
I am well aware of the need for zero tolerance in our game in terms of violence. There is no room for acts such as Barry Hall’s roundhouse last year. Though creating attention, it does nothing to project our game in a positive fashion to the many youngsters with an array of sporting options before them.
The emergence of the athletic footballer has improved our game, but there must be a place for the hard men. Maxwell, Josh Carr and Paul Champion, to a certain degree, all bring people through the gate because of their refusal to take a backward step.
And their supporters love them for it.
Coaches, fans and the Player’s Association must put pressure on the AFL to leave the rules alone and allow the tough men to back their instincts.
Shane Falco
Guest
Spot on article dave, you should write for the Herald Sun after the crap they carry on with.
Redb
Guest
On the weekend I saw an excellent bump by a Melb player on a Hawk that allowed a goal to go through it was well timed and not overly aggresive. the bump is not dead it's just been badly executed from time to time. Anyone who thinks the AFL is going soft ought to get down to the boundary line and watch a contest close up when the ball is "in contest" - it is fierce. Redb
Dave O'Neill
Guest
Sorry guys about the out of date article, i worte this before Maxwell got off on appeal, just took some time to get up on here. Not sure winging princesses mate, or your english, what does just do hit the head mean.
phat-boi
Guest
suck it up all you winging princessesss. just do hit the head. if you do u deserve to get rubbed out. how hard is that?
HBM
Guest
I find it so hypocritical that the AFL would ten years ago produce two DVDs entitled "Biffs, Bumps, and Brawlers" whilst simultaneously working to dilute the physical aspects of the game. We're not all soccer mums (some of us aren't female at all) wanting to protect little boys from being knocked over. We want to see players with courage, knowing that they are placing their bodies on the line when they venture onto the park. Pity we don't have a few more ice hockey rinks around the place to take the heat off AFL hits.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I for one like the gladiatorial aspect of football, of all types. If there is one thing that drew me to AFL before really watching it at all, was the big collisions. Are we becoming so soft as a society that sports built for tough, fit men, is now reduced to grabs because they are concerned that mothers won't want their precious little Billy playing and getting hurt? Why don't they just turn it into Gaellic footy where there are no tackles? Sad state of affairs. Fact of footy: People get hurt in collisions. I am not condoning violence, or off the ball shit, but I hate people changing the rules to take out the impact parts that make the game great to watch because in once case, someone was hurt, by what was probably illegal anyway. Leave in the contact contest. This is how you get characters that do bring in fans. Skill alone is not what inspires people I don't think.
Michael C
Guest
The thing that seemed to frustrate Arch the most in his last season or two was that he would always go for the ball, including diving full length with courage to trap the ball - - opposition players would them simply try to smother him so he couldn't get it out - - they then drew the free kick (whether their tackle{s} were legal or not!!). That was a removal of the benefit of the doubt from the player attacking the ball. Arch was not one to hesitate or seek to enter the contest second and 'sweat' on his opponent. Arch was about getting there first, or getting there hardest to win the contest. re the bump - - a good one can still be laid, Leigh Harding last night delivered a nice hip and shoulder - - reality though is that there are very, very few instances that really call for one. It used to be more the domain of the less athletic player trying to take out a bloke who otherwise was going to run him off his feet!!!