Geelong has a lot to answer for. Not only are they proving to be one of the most successful teams in history, a course of action they took last year seems to have started a worrying trend. The trend disturbs me on a number of levels, none moreso than the terms that accompany it such as, “leadership group”, “player empowerment”, “core values” and that old chestnut, “culture”. Even more worrying is that I have to employ quotation marks when using those terms. Let me explain - about the trend, not the quotation marks.
Prior to the commencement of the 2007 season, Geelong’s leadership group took the hardline approach with Steve Johnson. He was suspended for five matches for a collection of preseason indiscretions. He returned in Round 6. Geelong, which had played patchy footy to that point, thumped Richmond by 26 goals and has since gone on a run that has seen it win 37 of its last 39 games, a premiership and Steve Johnson a Norm Smith medal. Perhaps with this in mind, clubs now seem to be falling over themselves to suspend players who don’t “toe the line” and in the process poison the club’s “culture”.
Let’s have a look at the number of players who have been suspended this year by their own clubs. Richmond (or perhaps it was Kane himself seeing that he is captain) gave a week to Kane Johnson for public urination. Port Adelaide suspended Peter Burgoyne for turning up to training in an “unfit manner”. Adelaide dropped Graham Johncock after some (unspecified) off field issues. Essendon disciplined Andrew Lovett by giving him two weeks on the sidelines for “breaking team rules”. Sydney suspended Barry Hall (on top of a tribunal suspension) for, I think, being slightly crazy. The Kangaroos took exception to Shannon Grant’s behaviour at a golf day (again unspecified) and suspended him for a week. Melbourne omitted Aaron Davey for missing a recovery session. Then of course, last week, Collingwood decided that Alan Didak, Heath Shaw and Rhyce Shaw “don’t deserve to wear the jumper” because of their off field shenanigans (which, if you read last week’s blog, were eerily similar to mine). There was even talk after a Darwin game that Jason Akermanis might be suspended by the Bulldogs for doing a handstand!
Add to that last year’s long term suspension of Ben Cousins at West Coast for, well, for being Ben Cousins and Jeff Farmer copping six weeks from the Dockers leadership group (yes, they do have one as well believe it or not) for punching a bouncer and that leaves precious few clubs who haven’t meted out some punishment to a member of the playing group at some stage. Makes you wonder why we bother with a tribunal system. Seems as if the clubs are far harsher on their players than the match review panel would ever be.
Interestingly, most of the clubs taking action have achieved, at the very least some short term success. The Kangaroos have won their last five, Adelaide have won three straight since “Stiffygate” and Collingwood won against the odds on the weekend. Will this just give clubs and those all powerful “leadership groups” the confidence to start suspending players for increasingly trivial and frivolous matters?
I hope not, but maybe we can help by being proactive members of the crowd. Next time you go to a game make sure you tell your boys to pull their socks up. And I’m not talking metaphorically. Socks around the ankles may just be the next suspendable offence.
Now let’s take a look at what happened in round 19:
Melbourne spent last week rallying the troops, raising more than $2 million in their debt reduction drive. Unfortunately Geelong weren’t so charitable on Friday night thumping them by 117 points.
Brisbane tried to put the Hawks (and fans) to sleep in the first half in Launceston, scoring just one goal and restricting Hawthorn to three. Refreshed after the nap, the Hawks kicked 13 goals to four in the second half to win by 69 points.
Carlton’s Andrew Walker accused Port players of fighting amongst themselves during its 66 point loss to the Blues. From all reports, their attacks on each other were more ferocious than their attack on the ball.
Collingwood responded after a week of turmoil with a resounding 14 point win against the Saints. Likely to suspend more players this week.
The Dockers blew a late last quarter lead yet again, this time against Sydney. Mark Harvey then tried to tell us how much heart his team has, and that the players never give in. I think he forgot to add “except during the last ten minutes of a game”.
North Melbourne once again won a game (v Western Bulldogs) that no one expected them to win. I think I know the best way to beat the Kangaroos, make them favourites and talk up their chances. So here goes, I think they are a genuine premiership threat. Now watch them lose the next three games.
Richmond fans rejoiced after their side’s insipid 63 point loss against Adelaide. A win would have placed Richmond in ninth spot on the ladder.
I’m not sure what West Coast are thinking, another win meaning they are now two games clear of last spot. Don’t they realise they are making a mockery of the national draft by seemingly trying to avoid the number one draft pick?