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Clarkson crisis turns AFL fans feral

Roar Guru
26th April, 2015
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Roar Guru
26th April, 2015
26
1848 Reads

AFL supporters on social media are giving the AFL a bad reputation as much as the Alastair Clarkson footage itself.

The amount of comments supporting Clarkson for his actions is horrendous. There is no doubt that either party were in the wrong. However, unfortunately comments on social media posts about the massive story are way out of line.

We, as an AFL loving community, need to take a long hard look at ourselves if there are comments along the lines of “Clarkson should’ve hit him harder.” And “the bloke got what he deserved.”

If someone was provoked a street over outside a club along Hindley? Does that give that person a right to hit someone in the throat?

What Clarkson did is unacceptable along with the actions of the fans that pestered him. AFL coaches are an important asset to our game and deserve the upmost respect.

The situation was extremely avoidable.

In hindsight obviously Clarkson should have taken a vehicle back to his hotel. Clarkson rightfully walked over the footbridge once the crowd has cleared as you would hope Australians are smart enough to give the guy some personal space.

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Hawthorn officials also would have been well aware of the risks walking across the footbridge back to the hotel as they have walked the same path in previous trips to Adelaide.

Another question raised from the altercation is: where was hotel security? If Clarkson was about to walk into his hotel there should have been security able to step in and smooth things out.

I cannot think of an instance where I have walked into a hotel especially on a weekend and not seen as least one security guard on patrol in the lobby.

Clarkson’s actions were extreme. Violence is not the answer to any action of provocation, in fact for those busy bees on social media advocating Clarkson’s actions, assault is illegal.

A person who commits assault and is found guilty for a basic offence in South Australia can face a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.

Clarkson may have not made a blow to the head but it was awfully close. ‘King hits’ better known as ‘coward punches’ are all too common in Australia. Such charities like the Sammy D Foundation have been founded due to the acts of cowards, and violent images of a high profiled AFL coach do not help the cause.

The man who antagonised and then played the victim needs to take a long hard long look in the mirror too. He got what he was looking for, his fifteen seconds of fame saying once he’d been hit, “got that on film brother.” then sends the footage to countless media outlets.

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Alcohol once again reared its ugly head.

Clarkson claims he turned down the group’s request for photographs three times and then felt threatened, fearing for his safety as they made their way to the hotel.

No person should be put in a situation where they are worrying about their own safety but Clarkson did have alternative actions instead of pushing the perpetrator in the throat.

Confidence should be with the AFL, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide to take the right course of action respectively.

The actions and attitude of AFL fans on social media has to change otherwise the sport will look like a game for barbarians and bogans.

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