http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/why-do-afl-nrl-flagwavers-denigrate-soccer-at-every-opportunity-fox-sports-football-commentator-simon-hill-asks/story-e6frf423-1226073107942

Well, wasn't that a super night's entertainment at Etihad Stadium? Top-quality football, two committed sides, a vibrant atmosphere, and some real stars of the future on show.

At least, that’s the game I thought I had attended along with 28,000 others - until I read one of the following days AFL-centric Melbourne papers.

To my horror, I discovered I must have been dreaming.

Apparently, I had been among a hate-filled seething mass, intent on causing trouble, stirring up ethnic tensions and wrecking the stadium; it’s a good job the roof was closed because clearly the sky was falling in. Wow, the things you miss!

In the battle of the Australian football codes, all's fair in love and war. But if it's a war against football ... maybe it's time the fraternity returned fire.
Now it’s true that there were flares, and I’m not condoning the few idiots who saw fit to throw them near the pitch. But that’s exactly what they were; a few idiots among a colourful, noisy, well-behaved majority.



I’m sure fans of SANFL club Central Districts would agree; after all, some of them regularly let off flares, an action described in glowing terms in one of SANFL’s own publications as “celebratory”. (Go towards the end of page 4, if you are at all interested.) There’s even You Tube footage of them doing it at the 2008 SANFL grand final.

We should also condemn the moron who saw fit to drape a “Free Mladic” banner from the stands on Tuesday night. It was taken down by stewards inside five minutes. But then, so was a banner saying “Nauru detention just isn’t cricket” at the MCG back in 2003. Political messages have no place in sport.

And neither does racism.

Perhaps that’s why the paper in question, along with a Melbourne radio station (both of whom have form in sticking the boot into football), were so keen to deflect the public wrath towards what they call "soccer" given the AFL’s recent racial vilification issues involving supporters of their game, and players Lance Franklin and Majak Daw.

It was really interesting reading the public responses to the two - extremely inflammatory - topics.

The events (such as they were) at Etihad attracted some of the following remarks: “Get rid of this ridiculous ethnic bigotry” ... “This is Australia, leave your problems where you immigrated (sic) from” ... “Soccer is rubbish with people that are full of hate following it" ...

Now, let’s consider some of the responses to the AFL racial vilification scandal in the same publication a couple of days earlier: “Aboriginals should have a thicker skin. So you get called names, so what?” ... “Can’t say this to this person, can’t say that to that person, all because you might upset somebody" ... “So, one person making stupid comments makes the sporting code racist does it?” ...

Spot the difference?

For the record, Football Federation Australia has confirmed that fans arrested at Etihad will be barred from all future international and domestic games. No questions asked.

The Aussie Rules fan who racially abused Majak Daw? He’s welcome back at games as of next season, so long as he undertakes a “re-education” program and says "sorry".

The rabble-rousers love to pick up on specific incidents to try to paint football in a poor light, but the facts of the matter are these: The A-League has the lowest number of fan ejections pro rata of any of the four football codes, while your average AFL blockbuster sees around 50 fans thrown out for drunkenness, a dozen for swearing and offensive behaviour, plus a couple for violent assaults.

In the battle of the Australian football codes, all’s fair in love and war.

But if it’s a war against football, (and in some cases it clearly is), then maybe it's time the fraternity returned fire.

Because they are f#cking frightened insular Bogans that is why

Well I consider the effnicks of European background with such attitude Bogans’ as well f@ck them also

Boys I have been growing up in this land for some fifty years and these f%ckers are seeing a real threat from the world game

Keep up the good fight and good will prevail


Edited by conm: 10/6/2011 10:29:32 PM

It was really interesting reading the public responses to the two - extremely inflammatory - topics.

The events (such as they were) at Etihad attracted some of the following remarks: “Get rid of this ridiculous ethnic bigotry” ... “This is Australia, leave your problems where you immigrated (sic) from” ...

Now, let’s consider some of the responses to the AFL racial vilification scandal in the same publication a couple of days earlier: “Aboriginals (ethnics) should have a thicker skin. So you get called names, so what?” ... “Can’t say this to this person, can’t say that to that person, all because you might upset somebody" ... “So, one person making stupid comments makes the sporting code racist does it?” ...

Too many people are using the racist card nowadays. People need to harden up a bit.

yeah i reckon......people just dont get the aussie humour

Its the world of being PC afterall.
In the end, the tag is used too often, and usually is subjectively used to further an agenda.

Its because of fear. The AFL and NRL are afraid that the rising popularity of Football in Australia will put their sport in a postion they dont want to be.

Boys I have been growing up in this land for some fifty years and these f%ckers are seeing a real threat from the world game

Keep up the good fight and good will prevail


Edited by conm: 10/6/2011 10:29:32 PM

The ol' sleeping giant eh? :lol:

The other codes do it 'cos they know sockah people will bite. At times we are so far up our own arses (euro sockah snobbery) we deserve an occasional kick in the groin.

The ol' sleeping giant eh? :lol:

The other codes do it 'cos they know sockah people will bite. At times we are so far up our own arses (euro sockah snobbery) we deserve an occasional kick in the groin.

I honestly don't see what they would have to fear. The AFL have signed the biggest television deal in the history of this country, expansion seems to be going alright for them, crowds over the last few years have reached their all time high. Things seem to be going fairly well for them. (I wouldn't really know whats going on in the NRL world) Especially seeing in this country we're a summer sport, I don't think the AFL care about what we do at all, as long as it doesn't affect their plans, eg- ground sharing etc.

it is not fear. it is jealousy. they know they are number one here and always will be but they also know that afl or nrl or even union is not the greatest game on the planet. thats what irks them.

Its certainly time to do something

The ol' sleeping giant eh? :lol:

The other codes do it 'cos they know sockah people will bite. At times we are so far up our own arses (euro sockah snobbery) we deserve an occasional kick in the groin.

like what girt?if we do something proactive we will be painted as hooligans !

How big football grows within this country is entirely within the hands of its fans.

Remember that next time only 4,000 of Melbourne's 18,000 members decide to go to the game.

For years I've been trying to get you to do something-something more tangible than words on the web.

The easiest thing to do is to get all your mates to A-league matches and no longer go to AFL matches. There is no need to answer back on forums etc, that is what they (AFL people) want as it does not look good on football fans complaining all the time.

Get people to A-league, get them interested and become real fans. Support your team, vocally, colorfully, and by numbers.

That is what you should be doing if you want football to grow in Australia and is what will scare the other football codes the most.

My contribution goes a long way back.

At amateur, semi pro, NSL and A-L levels.

Throughout this time there's been one constant......would-be fans never walked the walk, and so-called fans changed their minds like the weather. It's not in joe average aussies culture to fall in love with the game called sockah.

I wish you luck in your endeavours to bring about change.

I'm talking about since year 1 of the A League
Bitterness can't rule your life forever surely.Put that mind of yours towards the challenge,you love the game too much

I know a LOT of NRL fans and none of them are "jealous". Most of them couldn't care less and are casual football followers (eg. will watch the A-League final and the Socceroos etc). I personally think football fans use the jealousy tag to feel more important.

On the other hand, I will say a lot of NRL fans absolutely despise the AFL. Perhaps that is a reflection of a bit of jealousy. If the AFL was watched by a few hundred people and a dog, I doubt they would despise it or have any particular feelings towards it.

Love Simon Hill

Best commentator we have and he always stands up for the game.

Simon HIll to replace Ben Buckley!

I think alot of Australians feel insecure about their own culture and are hostile to anything foreign (in their minds)

Tip.

Channel your energies into making an effort to attend HAL games, as opposed to wasting time/effort demanding respect from others.

Until strayan sockah gets its house in order we will continue to be the whipping boys of strayan sport.

Too many so-called sockah fans pre-occupied with how they are viewed by others.

Tip.

Channel your energies into making an effort to attend HAL games, as opposed to wasting time/effort demanding respect from others.

Until strayan sockah gets its house in order we will continue to be the whipping boys of strayan sport.

Too many so-called sockah fans pre-occupied with how they are viewed by others.

Tip.

Channel your energies into making an effort to attend HAL games, as opposed to wasting time/effort demanding respect from others.

Until strayan sockah gets its house in order we will continue to be the whipping boys of strayan sport.

Too many so-called sockah fans pre-occupied with how they are viewed by others.

Tip.

Channel your energies into making an effort to attend HAL games, as opposed to wasting time/effort demanding respect from others.

Until strayan sockah gets its house in order we will continue to be the whipping boys of strayan sport.

Too many so-called sockah fans pre-occupied with how they are viewed by others.

Sorry, don't agree. Well, not entirely. I've hardly missed a home game (SFC) since the HAL's inception, but am very aware of the concerted anti-football media bias that exists, in the print media particularly. The HAL obviously needs to do a whole lot better at connecting with football fans and general sports fans - that goes without saying. But Socceroo games are well attended, and the print media still heaps shyte on them. So yes, football definitely needs a strategy.

cant believe I am going to do this to one of your posts but....

+1

Forget about AFL, NRL, etc. and worry about getting yourself and all your mates to A-league and Socceroos Matches. Anyone who attends a football match and experiences the product for themselves can make up their own mind about these journalists.

The biggest thing holding football back in this country are the tens of thousands of so-called football fans who never attend A-league matches, NOT the dozen or so journalists who only write a handful of articles a year on "soccer".

Its the people who like football but don't attend matches that you should be focusing your energy on. That would be far more beneficial to Australian football than anything else.

It's clear as day that the AFL (and NRL, although to a somewhat lesser degree) - centric media is part of the "anti-soccer" strategy by those codes. It is definitely time football returned fire. In fact, I think it's high time we got onto the front foot. What have we got to lose? Over half the newspaper publications bury football as deep as they can, avoid positive stories, highlight the negatives, and generally go our of the their way to stick the boot into football.

The way I see it, the code that looks to dominate all others is AFL, so step 1 should be football and rugby league forming an unofficial alliance. Surely enough common sense could be found for an alliance like that to start. Keep the AFL out at all cost. Step 2 should be a concerted attack against AFL through the media, phone ins, internet, whatever it takes. It's a very dirty little war going on, and it needs to be won.

I don't understand why people don't see this - football and rugby league can coexist happily, while aussie rules, the Coles/Woolworths of Australian sport, is hellbent on derailing all other sport, which they see as their direct competitors.

cant believe I am going to do this to one of your posts but....

+1

Every time a football writer complains about the coverage, it just brings it more into the spotlight.

Just ignore the anti-football brigade and their voice gets smaller. Its nowhere near as bad as it used to be in this country and will eventually in time fade away.

With just a couple of changes, it sounds strikingly familiar to common suggestions and comments on this forum. Football fans are no f****** better. Hell, just last week in a thread.....




http://au.fourfourtwo.com/forums/default.aspx?g=posts&t=54351

Now read the thread prior to the Au/Serb game for another dose of the garbage said by the radio listeners, as mentioned by Hill in the article, but this time by football supporters. http://au.fourfourtwo.com/forums/default.aspx?g=posts&t=54873

Let the enormous hypocrisy continue.

My contribution goes a long way back.

At amateur, semi pro, NSL and A-L levels.

Throughout this time there's been one constant......would-be fans never walked the walk, and so-called fans changed their minds like the weather. It's not in joe average aussies culture to fall in love with the game called sockah.

I wish you luck in your endeavours to bring about change.

I may not be interpreting the article entirely correctly, but I think you miss the point slightly. I mean, the point is, it cuts across the board - It's a societal thing, not just a sporting code thing. And your, I suppose, putting some of our fellow FFT folks' fervour in check just reflects that and I mean, I don't think Simon Hill is not recognising that either. I think he's highlighting that it's not limited to Soccer and that it happens in the other codes too. So THAT'S the hypocrisy there.

He highlighted nothing of the sort. He called other codes hypocrites and accused them of actions and attitudes commonly used in football by football supporters, as can be seen in this forum.

Many from other sports and the general public are hypocrites and needed drowning at birth, just as many football supporters don't wear halos in a sport claiming to be more inclusive and multi cultural than any other, when in reality it's bloody rife with bigotry from multiple directions. And no, i haven't missed the point, even slightly.

The negative press this week was in regards to flares and a banner supporting an alleged conductor of genocide. Correct?

Wouldn't or shouldn't the first battle plan primarily be to prevent a minority of football attendees from gifting the tabloids the fuel to feed the fire? They are after all, co-conspirators in bringing the game into disrepute.

The shame about this is that the negativity spouted off by newspapers is absorbed without question by the AFL supporters. Its all too easy to slam football because its not AFL and its been publically struggling to get off the ground. It seems so pathetic, petty and childish. I support the Adelaide Crows (through the mrs. family), the Crusaders and Warriors (being born in NZ) so these disputes really annoy me.

What annoys me most the earning potential that this country lose when the crash and bash codes had a crack at the timing of the world cup. Seeing the supporter groups that travelled to Sotuh Africa (England, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and Argentina I noticed most) were in their thousands. In such economic times, how on earth did we not throw our weight together to boost our economy? Surely the potential income for everyone would have been enough but no, it seems the narrow-minded AFL have ruined it for everyone. South African football has never been stronger (since the WC) and maybe thats what they were afraid of. Football is a global game with massive potential. Although I support the Crows in the AFL I know the limits of their reach and its significantly lower than that of football. It just needs an injection of life but the other codes like to kick it while its down which is an awful shame.

Great work by Simon Hill.I've never liked AFL but to be honest i hate the sport with passion since the world cup bid and even more so now.

Of interest I noticed ABC sport radio in Adelaide ( 5an ) talking somewhat extensively about the women’s foodyball competition somewhere or other and how marvellously it was progressing and to tell you the truth I have never ever heard any talk about women’s foodyball (I did not know that it existed) on 5an radio

My question is this “has this most recent radio publicity of the local women’s foodyball anything to do with the publicity (miniscul though it is) our girls are achieving while over there in Germany at the minute

Of interest I noticed ABC sport radio in Adelaide ( 5an ) talking somewhat extensively about the women’s foodyball competition somewhere or other and how marvellously it was progressing and to tell you the truth I have never ever heard any talk about women’s foodyball (I did not know that it existed) on 5an radio

My question is this “has this most recent radio publicity of the local women’s foodyball anything to do with the publicity (miniscul though it is) our girls are achieving while over there in Germany at the minute

Interesting to note that the Adelaide home game was only half full yesty.And before the Geelong-Hawthorn match predictions of 80k were going into overdrive-its ended up 63k but didn't look that many