The resonations of Jack Trengove’s refusal to alter the way he attacks the football and players of his cohort has thoroughly impressed many, whilst AFL officials have been quick to label him stupid. Punks are alive and well in our game!
Punks can be defined as individuals who use their individual style to differentiate themselves by refusing to conform to society’s majority.
There is little doubt that AFL subculture is a society in itself, where social norms are different to the working man’s day-to-day reality.
Due to intense media and club scrutiny surrounding the actions of players, we have seen Hamish Hartlet fined for privately having drinks with friends after a game and nothing made of Jarred Waite’s assault on Luke McGuane’s nether-regions during a game.
These are not the consequences of the real world.
Within the AFL bubble, punk culture is not illustrated in the holistic styles of clothing, music or art but rather through appearances, politics and most dominantly, through playing styles.
Players distinguish themselves from the preponderance who abides by all of football’s norms.
These of course, are the players we love.
Trengove’s brief comments about not changing the way he tackles should be raising alarms at AFL headquarters, because it demonstrates the weakening grasp of AFL tyranny.
Players often bring personal values into the game and it is the job of our tribunals to fine and suspend individuals who project these values against those of the AFL.
Bringing the game into disrepute, they call it.
At a time when the line between attacking an umpire through the media, cannot be distinguished from being downright pissed off, the AFL’s Orwellian policies supress free speech to the point Nick Maxwell claimed players were victimised by the media.
Uncommon in the AFL, are players with political motives. Often openly speaking about philanthropic issues, Heritier (Harry) O’Brien uses his position as an AFL footballer to discuss issues outside of football, often on Twitter.
Easily admissible is Jeff Kennett’s work raising depression awareness through his BeyondBlue initiative. Had it not been for the other 90 per cent of rubbish which comes out of his mouth, Kennett may be a much more respected member of the AFL community.
The AFL’s stance on social media, Twitter especially, is bringing an end to all concepts of freedom of expression.
These personal mediums of communication have quickly been seized by the AFL and clubs who monitor tweets, scrutinise where they feel a player has misbehaved.
How does this differ from Room 101?
We often admire players like Joel Selwood and Nick Riewoldt for disregarding their own safety when playing the game to win a contest. This is how they play the game and despite all warnings from medical staff, they refuse to change their playing styles to conform to authority.
We love this.
This is the essence of punk culture in the AFL and it will not be long before Jack Trengove joins this list.
Other players are known to go so hard at the contest, which, not even repeated sanctions by the ‘Match Review Panel’ will alter their aggression.
Campbell Brown and Steven Baker are both players who have frequent encounters with the panel but these players are not bad people. They’re not angry people.
They just go hard and their clubs’ supporters appreciate the passion they exert on the field.
It may be frustrating to watch at times, but these are the acts which shape their character.
It would be remised of me not to give some mention to the tattoo culture, obnoxious haircuts and worldly expressions of facial hair, but these aesthetics really have no merit, nor do they stand for anything.
Ben Cousin’s tattoo could be the exception, but that’s a huge stretch.
The AFL’s need for control across all aspects, both on-field and off, are quickly forming all the characteristics of a nanny state.
Whilst policies are in place to protect the values of the game, the severe consequences within the AFL judiciary are steadily impeding on the rights of players in the greater context of freedom and liberty.
Breaking away from the tyranny of AFL norms, the refreshing alternative of on-field football punks beckons the idea that individual thought still exists within the tyrannical dictatorship we know as the AFL.
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