On Anzac Day, Scott Pendlebury was booed by Essendon fans while being awarded his Anzac Day medal.
This came only three days after Geelong champion Gary Ablett was booed whenever he touched the ball during his team’s victory over Hawthorn on Easter Monday.
This booing has prompted the AFL’s football operations manager Steve Hocking to consider implementing a “boo ban” at AFL games.
Whilst I commend Hocking for taking such a strong stance against booing, I fear he is overlooking a far more sinister and insidious blight on our game: cheering.
Cheering has been a part of our game since its inception, but because it is considered such a ‘normal’ part of game day, fans, players and coaching staff alike have always cheered freely, without consequence, and with reckless disregard of the negative impact it is having on others.
But as the game has grown and crowds have increased, cheering has become louder and more frequent. Now, much like a swelling tumour, the cheering that occurs at games has reached a point where it can no longer be ignored.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Cheering some players more than others empowers those being cheered and alienates and excludes those who are not privileged with same treatment.
Even worse, crowds have used cheering to ridicule, denounce, deride and flat out bully individuals and players for years now.
For example, when Essendon forward Joe Daniher kicked a massive goal from outside the 50-metre arc after the half-time siren on Anzac Day, the Essendon crowd erupted in rapturous applause.
Take a moment to think about the effect this unmitigated cheering would have had on Daniher’s direct opponent, Darcy Moore.
It is also not uncommon to see fans of the same team high-fiving each other in front of opposition fans and players.
Copious microaggressions such as these have infested our game, on and off the field.
This sort of antisocial behaviour was evident throughout the Anzac Day clash, from both fan bases, and it is something that happens week in and week out.
It’s time the AFL did something about it.
As for David King’s comment about “calling a spade a spade” in reference to the poor performance of the umpires, I found this to be very insensitive towards the spade community.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
If you want to watch sport in an environment where everyone has to voice the same opinion and never express any disapproval they are taking immigrants to North Korea. Enjoy your thought control. Remember, do not express any disapproval at any time or for any reason.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Like Adam i copped plenty on and off the field, Adam was one of the originals that starting the staging and diving for soft frees which attracted a lot of booing which did become contagious.
Danny
Guest
thats not correct there was a lot of outrage at the treatment of Goodes booing will always be a part of the game doesn't mean we all have to boo or like it and there are times when its less appropriate ...Goodes in my view was racially targeted and booing a medal winer as happened on Anzac Day is pretty pathetic IMO
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
I say boo to booing.
User
Roar Rookie
I'm not wrong or right Joe my opinion is that Ablett/Pendlebury situation has caused greater outraged than the Goodes situation, plenty of evidence out to back me up.
User
Roar Rookie
No one did Joe , no one was as outraged about Goodes as what we've seen in the last two weeks, bringing up the idea of precedent isn't embarrassing strange you find it so. I'm happy with the points I've made.
Joe
Guest
Yes because only teenagers use sarcasm! You said this: "no one cared until the recipient of the booing was 2 upper middle class white guys" Do I really need to explain how the Goodes saga contradicts that point? Are you incapable of admitting that you're wrong?
Joe
Guest
Your point was that no one cared about the booing until it was two upper-middle class white guys, completely ignoring the Goodes saga and then using a game from 1992 as evidence. Come on mate, sometimes you've just got to admit what you're saying wasn't well thought out. Trust me, it's a lot less embarrassing then attempting to bring up legal precedent as if that's going to save your point.
User
Roar Rookie
Very teenage like sarcasm Joe, where did I state no media etc mentioned the Goodes booing? Nowhere did your job for you.
User
Roar Rookie
Still relevant, precedents from 50 years ago are brought up in legal debate
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Lachie is coming to play against the old team in a couple of weeks time, i am not a booer but i bet at least 20,000 will and i do not care, adds to the atmosphere. Does he deserve booing ? probably ! He broke a contract and a few hearts but i doubt he will lose any sleep over it. The do gooders will probably scream bullies.
Joe
Guest
I'm very interested in Gioele Drinkwater's take on the Goodes saga...
Joe
Guest
This comment liked only by the group thinkers praised in the comment itself, in case anyone didn't notice.
Joe
Guest
Did you seriously just bring up an incident from more than a quarter of a century ago to back up your point? Seriously?
Joe
Guest
Oh definitely Matt, nobody ever said anything about the Goodes booing, it was a total non-story and absolutely no one in Australia noticed. Totally!
Joe
Guest
They booed louder as Pendles thanked the crowd, in the post-match medal ceremony on Anzac Day. Bucks was absolutely right to call it out, it blows my mind anyone would think what he said was disgraceful. That's the biggest nonsense I've read on this site all year.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Melbourne fans will be booing there own players again soon, they certainly have in the past, remember that.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
All good Matches. I am not a religious man in even the slightest way but respect the right of others to be.
User
Roar Rookie
Fairly true no one cared, 1992 the Geelong crowd gave wce some huge bios while collecting there medals but alas no one cared
Matches
Roar Rookie
My mistake Peter - Got you two c'wood guys mixed up