For those who may not be aware I gave up on the AFL in July of this year in the fallout to the Adam Goodes racism saga. I felt that my underlying beliefs and ideologies had grown too far apart with what was being branded as the typical AFL fan.
Those who know me know that football is my life, however. I have two key roles with amateur football here in Western Australia and assist with a WAFL club in the state league.
When I made that decision to give up on the AFL a funny thing happened, I grew within myself and challenged the environment I was in at a grassroots level to be better. I did not feel I could make a difference at the highest level, but I was ideally placed to make a difference at the grassroots.
With my focuses changed and my determination channelled, my role in assisting umpires in local football received widespread praise. I felt like I had made a difference and made the game better for players and fans. It was a nice achievement but not what I was most proud of in 2015.
For that prideful moment, it was challenging the accepted norm of football clubs allowing their players, members and supporters to behave and act in a manner unbefitting any social environment. To get away with things that should not and would not be accepted in any other area of our daily lives.
While the focus in the AFL landscape was on crowd behaviour in the back half of 2015, I had to face the reality that I was living in a football world which made AFL crowds look timid. I had quit the AFL because of my beliefs and ideologies, yet the truth was that this was challenged more by behaviour at grassroots level.
Threatening behaviour, abusive language and unruly crowds were what I kept seeing across the 2015 season and it was time to change it. Focus was always on the negative, it was time to focus on the positive.
In some cases it was a direct conversation towards an offending party, in others it was a quiet chat to a key member away from the emotion of the game. I even implored league administration that the behaviour needed improving and perhaps that fines and suspensions were the one way to hit home.
Ironically though, the best method happened to be by expressing my thoughts on paper. It seemed to hit home the loudest and challenged people to want to create a better environment for everyone involved in football.
Over finals across the state and nation there were a number of incidents reported and unreported of inappropriate crowd and player behaviour. All that I had witnessed over the year, fighting, swearing and threats, could also be seen at grassroots grounds across the nation. Not where I was though. Not in the league which I had challenged across the year to be better. We had all gotten better. We were better. Prideful moment, you betcha.
I always liked to think that I had a different perspective on football and even the world in general. I liked to believe that having this unique perspective and by using my words and subsequent actions I could challenge accepted norms.
I remember writing a piece right here on The Roar in the aftermath to the Adam Goodes saga and the majority of replies were in that abusive and threatening tone that has become the underlying culture of AFL football and its fans. It was disappointing.
Yet those disappointing comments are not what have stuck with me. It were the handful of very generous and heartfelt comments from people who accepted my views and believed that I could make a difference, that we deserved to be better.
So I made a difference at grassroots level. Now, I want to make a difference at AFL level.
I learnt at the grassroots level that words followed by actions can work. The Roar is an amazing forum to be able to use words to reach a mainstream audience. A perfect place to challenge all AFL fans to be better, to give the best environment a sporting contest can give.
Do I expect this piece to receive praise and immediately change the AFL landscape or AFL fans into becoming more tolerant and accepting of an embracing environment? Heck no. But this is a start point.
We are better than what we are. Just like this off-season, where AFL clubs and players are trying to improve, this off-season every AFL fan should be up to the challenge to improve themselves. Come back in 2016 ready to go and ready to make a difference.
EddyJ
Guest
Here we go again... Haven't we already had all these discussions about booing and racism, etc. etc. etc. about 87 times over the past couple of months. It was all resolved, game, set and match. Clearly the racists were at fault and were wrong with their booing behaviour. And have also decided they are not going to shop at David Jones anymore.
EddyJ
Guest
I'd actually like to see the AFL crowds behave more like the tennis crowds, with the video referee shouting out 'quiet please' over the loudspeakers whenever the noise gets a bit too rowdy. We need to borrow more from other sports – maybe some soccer-style singing would also go down well.
David
Guest
Righti then geniuses .. It seems you attack the semantic and nit the issue ... Gee, you have a big brain !!! Booing in any sport is a dirt act and any response to justify is equally clandestine. Try thinking about others and not your own puerile, mini universe, to consider that what you perceive as being 'OK' is not. And Rick, I'm not sure which version if English you speak.. Must be hillbilly !!!
dave
Guest
Next time your at the ground and the opposition has been tackled i suggest you turn to your friend and say"my that chap seems to be taking a rather long time to dispose of the ball"but say it very quietly maybe even whisper it so as not to offend anyone.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Seriously...that was painful to read. Your English is horrific! "Don’t boo at all… It’s poor sportsmanship and demonstrates that you have no respect the f consideration for the amount work and commitment that professional athletes exert to perform." I don't think you understand what 'sportsmanship' means if you're relating this to fans and booing. "These players are not robots that you insert batteries into for your pleasure!" This sounds like a setup guide for an electric dil4o gone wrong! "Oh, by the way … If booing is driven by racial prejudice it can be perceived to be as vilification!" If the booing isn't driven by racial prejudice then you are stereotyping, which can be equally harmful. Both you and the author would be best thinking about that before posting such pearls of wisdom.
David
Guest
You lot, excluding the woollies are know missing the crux of issue. It's not about you... It's about treating everyone equally and respectfully! Don't boo at all... It's poor sportsmanship and demonstrates that you have no respect the f consideration for the amount work and commitment that professional athletes exert to perform. The fact that it's entertainment us a distant second. These players are not robots that you insert batteries into for your pleasure! Oh, by the way ... If booing is driven by racial prejudice it can be perceived to be as vilification!
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
The most disappointing part of 2015 for me was the rapid development of armchair mindreaders who apparently knew what everyone was doing and why they were doing it - or they just unilaterally decided it for them.
dave
Guest
yes i am a bogan and when i invite someone to see their first footy my selling point is.you get to see what players are doing all over the ground haha thats a load of bs You get to yell! you come to the ground to yell ball! and boo the opposition at any time they touch the ball(actually thats not right only the good players get booed) .And the crowd sledges, If someone is stupid and crude the majority look away continue to enjoy the game and then complain about the dh after the match. The guys that have the the clever sledges everyone also looks away but they also have a bit of a smirk on their face. Thats footy at the ground always has been always will be. get rid of that stuff and il just stay home and watch it on tv.
Abg
Guest
Amidst defamatory social media and misguided fans wailing belligerent spite, uplifting moments was the motion passed in NSW Parliament that McGuire is a Boofhead, players and coaches unwavering support and calls for respect, the Tiges banner inspiring as was the shared Cats banner - contrary to some didn't detract Selwood's milestone and a win to boot. Fear mongering from incredulous blogger and Hawks fan Panahi warned fans will stay away for being criticised by the AFL (say what, fans object to own appalling behaviour, excluding of course r-ists!) saw Skilled sold out, first time in 2 years. Sure Selwood coaxed a few extras but the crowd came out in numbers to also support another champion - that game followed the previous week of unanimous support and a turning point that challenged McGuire, Brereton, Matthews, Dunstall, Lloyd, Warne, the two Sams, shock jocks, Hawks, Pies & Bombers fans and non Vic fans who now found it a novelty to board the boo train 2015 to casually discredit and demonise the player with baseless lies. More fool you if you boo cause of free kicks, cause he apparently destroyed a girl's life, got an award, didn't brief Ed before a goal celebration or whatever lame reasons we've heard a thousand times - it's simply what ex players and media poured down your red-necks and you gorged on it. Now it's so far gone and the truth is muddied and misconstrued, even average Joe in the street who doesn't know what footy is, shares in your disrespect, but he doesn't know why. In contrast one club's banner when others led a message of unity and respect indulged in simply their member number and congratulated supporters for being a member. Interesting take to pat yourselves on the back and distance your fans involvement in the sorry mess but then the same club pioneered the booing that predates season 2015, so hardly surprising.
Stewie
Guest
And some of those reasons are racist. And a lot more of the reasons don't really hold up that well. Discuss :P
dave
Guest
Yeah It was actually the prelim haha. I think the author was trying to start another Goodes thread my comment was just trying to deflect it away from that. I thought 2015 was good,apart from the prelim.
WhereIsGene
Guest
You sound like a disgruntled Sydney fan Cameron. Did you fall off the bandwagon because Goodes was being booed or because it became apparent the Swans wouldn't win the flag this year? Fans will boo players they don't like, for reasons they choose. If you find this unalterable truth offensive maybe you should choose another sport - perhaps women's netball would be more your thing.
Alf
Guest
Great article, yes it's probably time the Aussie rules fans stop being racist booing bogans and start acting more like tennis fans. Silence during gameplay followed by warm applause after a goal is scored.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Geese, did my comment really get deleted? Why? Because it differed from the fable we were meant to accept?
Me Too
Guest
Messiah complex 'right in front of me'!
Me Too
Guest
So your most disappointing moment was one player communicating to the opposition that only idiots would inject themselves? Me thinks your most disappointing moment was actually watching Hawthorn dominate another grand final.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I'm sure the AFL are very relieved that they've got the Cameron Palmer demographic back on board. Only thing standing in the way of a truly successful integrated national competition.
David
Guest
As an Aussie rules fan growing up in the 80's in country QLD (a rare breed indeed) I was always bemused at the antics of the angry boundary spectators. I still am to this day. The vitriolic behaviour is akin to the superficial generalised view most have of the fanaticism of religious based zealots. As a society, we do not condone that faith based xenophobic rationale, so why is it ok for sports fans to be similar. It disgusts me that a normal person thinks that they can have some form of ownership of the club or player that opposes their own 'belief' and degenerate into antisocial behaviour in public . I coached juniors in both cricket and footy and above all else, we guide the kids to have fun, respect each other and to grow from the participation. We also ask the parents to foster this as well. Don't get me wrong , I am as vocal as anyone at a match in front of the tv, but, the sport we love is played by people, not pawns... And should not be subject to the objectification that many spectators and fans create. Wake up Australia!!!!!
DB
Guest
Agree with the sentiment, but wow! You certainly have tickets on yourself.
dave
Guest
2015 for me the most disappointing moment was watching sam mitchell pretend to inject himself in the arm. At the time I thought It was great i laughed the dons deserved a bit of sledging for their antics. Later I realise Its just not a good look for all the kids watching to see an idol pretend to inject himself. 2nd was when hodge could have killed wingard and only got 2 weeks and during them 2 weeks he got done for drunk driving and still managed to play finals. These guys won the cup. Thats the only message the kids will see.