The heroes are all of us, represented by one loud-mouthed, but apparently not foul-mouthed Collingwood fan, and a Carlton fan known as Frankie. The villains, as always, were the AFL and Gillon McLachlan.
So let’s get a vague understanding of the whirlwind of contractions the collective AFL fanbase have enforced upon the rest of us in the last couple of weeks.
First, a loud Carlton supporter got removed from a match for calling an umpire a “bald-headed flog”.
To be extremely clear, he obviously said it rather loudly, or at least clearly, as the umpire in question was easily able to identify him.
Almost the entire AFL public took the side of the fan. It’s all part of the pantomime, we should be allowed the criticise umpires, they need to have a thick skin, and so on.
Then a Collingwood fan took to social media and radio to explain he had been threatened with removal from a game for being “too loud”. Subsequently, people claiming to have witnessed the incident took to social media to explain contradictory versions of events.
One said he had done nothing wrong, another disagreed. The majority heard what they wanted to hear and sided with the corresponding fan. But the damage was done – “Now we can’t ever support our team,” I hear you scream indignantly.
Then, on Saturday night, Channel Seven showed images of security walking up and down stairs at Marvel Stadium. And repeatedly showed the same footage of a Carlton fan supposedly being removed. There was no context for why and suddenly the narrative changed: we fans feel intimidated.
I’ll try to assess the collective opinion of the AFL fan: we should be allowed to say whatever we want to umpires and they should harden up. But we should not have to deal with the existence of security guards, because that is intimidating.
At the end of Saturday night’s game, a fight broke out in the crowd. Browse social media on this topic, and the majority think this was also the AFL’s fault – that security should have been stopping fights, rather than intimidating the crowd.
Of course, if we take our anti-AFL hat off for just a moment, we would realise it is impossible to know what is going on at a stadium that holds 50,000 people at all times.
So, put on more staff? No, there are too many, and that’s intimidating. Go back to the old amount? No, there were fights before they increased the number, and they need to be stopped. Okay, so have staff try to monitor crowd behaviour, to manage potential tension? No, we have to be allowed to barrack.
(Photo by Graham Denholm/AFL Media/Getty Images)
So, what can be done? Nothing, it would seem…
Having been to a lot of football matches, I can recognise a potential fight well before it occurs.
Standing room at GMHBA Stadium is a prime example. Two people will be trading banter throughout the course of a match, it slowly gets more aggressive, until eventually someone gets angry, and a fight breaks out.
However, when staff come over and have a quick word, or just place themselves in the area, the tension calms, and fights are less likely.
That is crowd management. It happens all the time.
What the collective fan psyche has created now is the perception that the presence of security staff is unnecessarily, wrong, or intimidating.
Whether we realise it or not, just about everything the AFL does is in the interest of fans. Yes, I mean that. If that was not true, it would not be the most popular sport in the country, by a distance.
Gillon McLachlan did not apologise because he should have, he apologised because the majority of AFL fans thought he should, based on their contradictory beliefs and a total misunderstanding of recent events.
The AFL were doing everything in their power to make going to the footy safe and enjoyable, but we all missed the point. So they apologised, to make us feel like they care about us, when their actions in the first place demonstrated exactly that.
It is absolutely mind-boggling none of us recognise this. Well, most of us anyway.
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
This doesn't seem to be a problem outside Melbourne. Adelaide Oval is the only home ground with a hill. It's an old-fashioned 1980's area & fans drink a lot & are loud - but few fights & arrests have occurred there, IIRC. In my brief visits to Perth Stadium, SCG, Gold Coast & the Gabba I don't remember security strolling the aisles.
Cat
Roar Guru
An ‘incident’ may have come to light three weeks ago (and it happened several weeks before it actually cam to light) but there was very little actual outrage. The hand wringing only really started this week.
You'll Never Hawk Alone
Roar Pro
Can you specify some of those? I'd love to discuss them with you. I'd counter you at this stage by saying the saga wouldn't have existed in the first place if it weren't for wild assumptions from us fans who weren't involved. But I would like to hear your perspective
Grand-Dag
Guest
Agree with main premise of the article that Gil apologised to dampen the furor. If nothing had been done or said and more fights took place the AFL's butt would have been kicked even harder. Very little has been done but it has raised the awareness of most fans that overt hatred will not be tolerated, so some moderation may come of the discussion. The goose who does create unease should be hosed down somewhat, and that happens occasionally by security but more often by the crowd around them. So, until it becomes as drastic as the Roman Coliseum, where "Death was the only Victor" lets just enjoy our footy and keep our extreme emotions in check - you naughty boys!
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
Well written.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
I agree peculiar and lots of layers, sums it up perfectly but respect his opinion. Your spot on Bell about Gill he would not give direct answers far to much spin. he should be a pollie he is not a good CEO his communication skills are not good.
IAP
Guest
You’ve completely missed the point, and your article is based on premises that based based on wild assumptions. This is turning into the Goodes saga all over again.
Bell31
Guest
I've found this whole topic a bit peculiar. There's a few layers to it. Firstly, as often appears to be the case, the afl and especially gil, engage in PR spin, rather than say something like 'we are ramping up security because of physical incidents at matches between fans', leaving things open to interpretation and then doesn't directly address questions when pressed. He needs to take a leaf out of his response to the goodes saga - he acknowledges now he was too nuanced in his response at the time but now, some years later, it still looks like PR spin when he comes out and reflects on his behaviour - he could engage in a fair bit more authenticity. As for fans response, I think fundamentally, it's not complex - if you're being verbally abusive to anyone at the footy, it's fair game that the behaviour gets sanctioned. Using the 'it's disrupting my enjoyment' is a cover-up for not taking responsibility for behaviour. Racially oriented comments at the footy were more the norm back in the 80s -not so much now. Being verbally abusive falls into a similar category, whilst often less flagrant abuse. Likewise, barracking too loudly,if you're disrupting the enjoyment of anyone near you, it's reasonable to be asked to tone it down. I do barrack loudly but I was asked to tone it down, I'd have no issues with that. These are not complex issues, even if means people needing to reflect on their behaviour. I just wish the afl had been more authentic, less knee-jerk and intelligent in how they went about addressing these types of issues especially since I would add that as a general rule, going to the afl is MUCH tamer than it was back in the 1980s --- try being in standing room at Victoria park - lol
You'll Never Hawk Alone
Roar Pro
I was arguing the outrage was based upon misinformation, and contractors stances. He should never have had to apologise. And yes, they do everything in the interest of fans. Fans hate the congestion so they change the rules. Then they get criticised for changing the rules. Theres no winning
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Yep, it’s just another opportunity for plebs to have a whinge and moan about how hard done by they are.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Excuse me check the facts.......... like Gill you have been living under a rock.
Cat
Roar Guru
There hasn’t been three weeks of faux outrage. That is manipulating the facts to suit your narrative.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Your quote- '' Just about everything the AFL does is in the interest of fans, yes i mean that'' I have not seen much evidence of that ! Just the latest, it took the CEO three weeks to respond to the recent debacle. It took Fox sports and other media outlets to continue to call him to respond and talk to the fans. His response '' i only heard of it in the last couple of days'' Money is the AFL's number one priority, not the fans.
User
Roar Rookie
Good article, agree thoroughly.