Brendan Fevola of Brisbane looks on after a loss in the AFL Round 12 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne. Slattery Images
On the back of a certain nude photo scandal and yet another Brendan Fevola incident, not to mention countless other big stories last year, it’s easy right now to attack the AFL and other bodies that oversee players for “not doing enough”. Surely they can do more to educate and guide players, you may say.
But there are two simple truths that don’t get much of a mention whenever a big story breaks.
Firstly, it’s that the players are indeed given plenty of education and guidance and warnings and advice. And secondly, before you start thinking indiscretions are all just the fault of the player involved, it’s that there are many, many potential pitfalls not just for AFL footballers, but for young men in general.
I spent Monday at the AFL Players Association induction, a camp which wrapped up yesterday and involved all the first-time draftees from every club.
While a lot of media reporting on the day focussed on the AFLPA schooling the new boys on the dangers of social media, in truth the focus was on the myriad of other issues that can confront players. Like drugs, alcohol and even road safety.
Nathan Thompson got on stage to talk about his battle with depression. Mark Eustice talked about his post-career battle with drug use.
Thompson delivered one of the more memorable quotes of the day when he said, “The only way you can control what people say about you is with your actions.”
The education continued on the second day of the camp, run largely by the AFL, where there were sessions on anti-doping, illicit drugs and gambling, and respect and responsibility.
There was a lot for the kids to take in, but it’s important to keep in mind this was just one event. When you factor in all that the AFL, individual clubs and AFLPA staff that visit every club do, it’s obvious that the game does not rest on its laurels when it comes to the welfare of its players.
It’s easy to blame an entire code for the misdemeanours of a select few of its players. But maybe it isn’t always fair to do so.
Likewise, it’s easy to put all the blame on the players, or join the “footballers need to grow up” crowd. But maybe this isn’t so wise, either.
Issues with gambling, drugs, alcohol and the like catch out many young men, but for whatever reason, our standards for AFL footballers are higher. It’s almost as if the fact they are in the so-called “public eye” means they should be perfect, upstanding citizens 100 per cent of the time. Which is crazy.
That’s not to say players don’t need to take responsibility for their own actions. Or that the clubs, the league or even the AFLPA shouldn’t be held accountable.
It’s just that sometimes, more appreciation of what is being done and a greater understanding of the risks that exist are needed. The urge to heap all the blame on either the code or the player, meanwhile, doesn’t seem so smart.
Ziggy the God
Roar Rookie
Lets face it, the AFL is excellent when it comes to throwing up the 'Education Smokescreen', so that they can wash their hands when things inevitably go wrong. Then we have the AFL media, and hacks like the DiFabrizio rolling out the company line like clockwork. That Iraqi Information Minister had nothing on these guys.
Parkridge Panther
Guest
Well said Sammy. What worries me is how the AFL try to sweep things under the carpet and fails do deal with the problems. Joel Monaghan, Canberra Raiders, did one silly thing (albeit disgusting to many) but even though it was only simulated (play acting he was immedialtly sacked and de regiseted from the NRL. Here in Brisbane we have Fevolva always in the news for all the wrong reasons and Lions players assaulting women and the action from the AFL is to protect the players. St Kilda is a case where there is a culture of abuse towards women and the AFL standsbye and allows this to happen. All football codes have their incidents, some minor and some serious. The mesaure of a club and a code is how they approach the issues and resolve issues and prevent the same issue arising again. It appears that the AFL have a code of tolerance and protection of its players as to be the paramount criterion.
ac
Guest
I think 2011 should be the year where we have no Code Wars. Please. Cant all codes co exist. I know the AFL is aggresive in its attitude but thats not the players or the fans for sure. All codes have a right to do what they can to make their stamp on the market available.
Koops
Guest
If you actually believe that legal holes are created on purpose, you really have a cynical, world weary look on the world. there is plenty of good, plenty by sporting bodies and players.
karlos
Guest
A very good reason to be looking up details of which code is doing what (bad and good) is to know what the hell you are talking about on here. Amazon is obviously flying blind, yet wants to talk with authority. As for the AFL code of conduct, it appears things are pretty hazy if on one hand anyone under 18 is a child, yet a child of 16 can consent to sex. I am not advocating putting the age up for sex (God, I was a 16 year old boy once), but like most legal content, it leaves holes everywhere. The holes are created purposely. That is how lawyers etc make money.
db swannie
Guest
AF wrote which incidents the nasty NRL players have been involved in. I couldn’t care less. Oh yes yo do ..you tried to use the tired old NRL assualt allegation line.,But as it has been shown it backfires now ...seems the NRL boys are learning their lessons Yet the AFL is chugging merrily along at the rate of Four incidents to one. & nothing will change if their is no punishment to breaching AFL policy. As for Hush money...i never said it hasnt been paid in the NRL .i said there is no proof it has.. (it possibly has ,but you cant go round accusing them of doing it without proof) Please tell me what question you have asked twice. & as for the st Kilda thing...I see nothing bogus about a policy that reltaes to UN 18s. As for living in an idealised world ..not me mate ..i leave that for AFL fans .. Im a realist... i know my code has had some & still has braindead idiots involved in lots of incidents ,major & minor...but they are going in the right direction with trying to minimise the amount of incidents. The AFL seems to be chugging along nicely with incidents at the rate of four to one when compared with RL. So i will use those facts when debating players behaviour (which is the standard line thrown out by AFL fans)& if you dont like those facts ..then stop ignoring that your code has problems ,that seem to be getting worse .So if you are going to use the bad nrl boys behaviour argument,be prepared to be enlightened ..no matter how much it shatters the insular victorian AFL players are angels bubble. Young sports stars are going to get into trouble with big egos lots of money,etc.You will never stop them being stupid,but you can try to help them & if that doesnt work punish them... Dont tell the pubic you have policies/classes/COC to teach them respect etc,when you are not prepared to go through with punishment..
amazonfan
Roar Guru
db swannie, I'm sure you could come up with numerous AFL incidents if you googled it. I could do the same thing with NRL. However the difference between me and you is that I don't go onto Wikipedia for the sole purpose of determining which incidents the nasty NRL players have been involved in. I couldn't care less. I don't like NRL, but at the same time I don't go around trying to gather information on all the incidents that players are involved with. You have a very idealized view of NRL, as shown by you horror that anyone could think any NRL club would pay hush money. In fact, you are the last person to tell anyone else that they are burying their head in the sand. Oh, and before you accuse me of deflecting, maybe you can stop avoiding the question I asked you twice. Perhaps you could also stop bringing up the same tired stuff about the St Kilda situation even when it has been proven to be bogus!
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Dingo You really need to keep up to speed.Maybe it has a lot to do with the Melbourne media,that consdiers any efforts the rl does to alleviate idiocy,not newsworthy.But atrocities by a few are. The rugby league have been taking prevenatative action,ever since the introduction of the under 20 comp. They have courses ranging on many subjects(one including the treatment of women).I suggest you have a chat with professor Catherine Lumby ,who is involved with these educational aspects. I happen to agree with you that some with slip through the net,due to youth and the temptations that come at that age level. The reason rl people,have got involved in the subject matter of the thread,is to get the message through that rugby league is hated by some ,due to the perceptions at times by an overzealouds media.This gives the impression that other codes are blameless andcleanskins by comparison.The Sydney media and the Offsiders are exmaples of this emphasis. When incidents involved a rl player,the AFL people set up camp in the Roar. The subject is why hate a code due to the antics of a few. The point therefore e is relevant to all codes,despite the protests of a few.. Embarrassed! Yes by the actions of a few rl players.By the media that blows things at times out of proportion.By a media that treats actions of some in other codes,as not being newsworthy
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
So if you get your face on the front page of the Daily Telegraph for being drunk (nothing more),and you happen to be a run of the mill first grade player(enter Brett Seymour of the Sharks) every little incident apparently doesn''t get reported.if you relieve yourself in a laneway at night (hadly a hanging offence) you get nice media coverage.Mason,Cronk et al. You come on board and state every little incident is not covered. The aliens have landed at Roswell.
db swannie
Guest
As for scandals, I already addressed it in my previous answer. BS,,you did the usual deflection NRL assualt thing . Facing reality is hard when you live in an insular Victorian bubble.but i will help.... Last yr the AFL had 50 incidents.... Last yr the NRL had 12 incidents. So far in 2011 the AFL has had 5 incidents So far in 2010 the NRL has had 0 incidents... Seems one code is trying to tackle player behaviour & is making good progress ... & yes i would say going by those figures theAFL are leaving the NRL in the dust when it comes to bad behaviour. You can check for yourself or you can deflect & go back to burying your head in the sand. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_rules_football_incidents
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Except the AFL obviously believes they don't have a case to answer. I brought up Cousins as an example of how the AFL isn't afraid to punish players it feels has broken the rules, as should be obvious from my post. Oh, and I'm not ignoring anything; you just don't like my answer. As for scandals, I already addressed it in my previous answer. "Now pull your head out of the sand & see what happens in the real world.." Perhaps you should take your own advice. You see that plenty of young men sleep with 16-year olds. Furthermore, considering that you refuse to believe that NRL clubs have given hush money, you shouldn't talking about pulling one pulling one's head out of the sand and seeing what happens in the real world.
db swannie
Guest
Amazon fan.. you are still avoiding the fact (correct me if im wrong )That when a player signs on with the AFL he also signs a contract & part of that contract is to abide by the COC . Yet when he breaches it there is no penalty... & you see nothing wrong with that. Then what is the use of having the policy at all? As for Female friendly ..By not enforcing their own policy regarding an Under 18 female,they are very hypocritical when they continually bleat on about respect for woman ETC. & what has Cousins got to do with the part of the policy i quoted..It has to do with a person under 18.. & you can ignore it all you want ..but it is there in black & white.& the players breached that part of the COC. that AFL is much more female/family friendly than the NRL. If you did some research instead of listening to the Vlad propaganda ministry you would find out that there is very little difference between the codes (Female fans %) A;so if you think the NRL hasnt fallen along way behind the AFL in scandals .. go & check wiki for last yr..THREE times as many as the NRL.(WE are no angels but at least Gallop has the balls to punish players) & you finished last yr with a bang & kept the great form going into the new YR Now pull your head out of the sand & see what happens in the real world..
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Oh, please. "Hey did i write the COC policy for the AFL…NO .but i will criticise it when it is not enforced…especially after all the feelgood,female/family friendly crap that they go on with" What does this have to do with the 'feelgood,female/family friendly crap'? Regardless of what you think of this, I would still argue (and I'm not alone) that AFL is much more female/family friendly than the NRL. "You like all fans dont like to accept the facts…" Yet, when I point out facts, it takes forever for you to accept them. You are not exactly in a position to talk about facts. "The AFL has a policy.. It was breached by players. No action was taken…" It clearly was not breached by the players. Considering that the AFL deregistered Ben Cousins, one of the biggest stars of his generation, do you really think they wouldn't take action if they felt there was cause? "I ask the question ..How is that steering young players in the right direction?" Right according to whom? You? What makes you think that what you think is the right direction is objectively the right direction? However, let's say, for the sake of argument, that this is not the right direction. Punishing the players will not steer them in the right direction. You want the players to be punished, you are probably not alone, but don't talk about steering them in the right direction as if you care. "& i get told my motivation is clear.." It is indeed. "Your avoidance of the issue is very clear.." Avoidance of what issue? What issue am I avoiding? BTW, I asked a question, which you didn't answer. You seemed to be avoiding it. "BTW, if you think a message should be sent to young players, how about sending a message to girls?" "& yes i have motivation…i am sick oh hearing how badly behaved NRL players are,when your code is leaving us in the dust." Exactly, you are using this just to bash the AFL. However, considering how many NRL players get accused of assault, among other things, to say that the AFL is leaving the NRL in the dust is nonsense. "You keep burying your head on the sand…you are not alone you have plenty of company.." We're burying our head in the sand? Yet you think that the NRL is cleaner than the AFL? Right. Here's the thing. If an AFL player does something terrible, I will be the first to condemn them. I simply don't believe that sleeping with 16 year-olds is that terrible.
db swannie
Guest
Amazon fan. you wrote I don’t need to read it again. Your motivation is clear to me. You would find any reason to criticise the AFL. Hey did i write the COC policy for the AFL...NO .but i will criticise it when it is not enforced...especially after all the feelgood,female/family friendly crap that they go on with You like all fans dont like to accept the facts... The AFL has a policy.. It was breached by players. No action was taken... I ask the question ..How is that steering young players in the right direction? & i get told my motivation is clear.. Your avoidance of the issue is very clear.. & yes i have motivation...i am sick oh hearing how badly behaved NRL players are,when your code is leaving us in the dust. You keep burying your head on the sand...you are not alone you have plenty of company..
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I don't need to read it again. Your motivation is clear to me. You would find any reason to criticise the AFL.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
It's the biggest conspiracy theory since Christ walked on water.
Koops
Guest
Rob, you may have worked it out, does not matter what is said, or who does what, the 3rd coming of christ may happen at the MCG during footy season and all AFL players may be venerated as saints, but DB swannie will put his negative spin on. I think it's obvious he only looks for the negatives in a particular code, i wonder if he has any skeletons in his closet ?. Moral outrage, please !! give me a break.
Rob McLean
Guest
Both of those stories you referred to were front page stories. That's how you know about them. Massively covered. Brisbane moved the player involved in the London incident on. He was given a second chance and was then moved on by the next club. Those stories were not buried. It is a myth that these stories get buried. If you think that NRL is unfairly targeted, it could be due to your location. Also, the fact that many of national media reporting on these issues are based in Sydney could have a major impact. Those services are playing to their major market - which is on the East Coast of Australia, NSW and Queensland. Because, living in South Australia, AFL issues are reported actively and provocatively. NRL issues get some, minimal airplay.
Clipper
Guest
Redb, I just wanted to highlight how hard it is to emphasise how, generally speaking, League is very working class without sounding a bit pretentious or snobby.
Rob McLean
Guest
The media does look after the top end of town and that's a reason why scandals are put on the front page: scandal sells. - St Kilda schoolgirl - Didak with shooter - Cousins drugs - Gary Ablett Snr and drug related death of young girl - Nathan Bock assaulting his girlfriend - Byron Pickett and various car accidents - Wayne Carey and various indiscretions from squeezing a woman's breasts, to sleeping with a team-mates wife, to trashing an Adelaide hotel room. All were splashed across the front pages and where relevant were highly viewed on line stories. From my point of view, all a footballer has to do in Adelaide, at least, is sneeze in the wrong direction and it's front page news. For crying out loud, a dust up between Mark Ricciuto and Josh Carr in a pub car park was front page news for weeks. While the feud between Tyson Edwards and Andrew McLeod gets plenty of media airing. You only have to look at the front page treatment of Brendan Fevola's NYE indiscretion to show that the media loves nothing more than putting a footballer on trial on the front page. Does this suggest protectionism?