Mick, just for the record, I was brought up playing rugby league and union. Have never played Aussie Rules but have grown to like the game.
I still actually have a soft spot for league, but the unwillingness of the game to move forward by coming down on cheap shots is slowly turning me right off the game.
There is an ill based belief amongst some administrators and the league media, that any tendency to crack down on foul play, will spoil the 'toughness' of the game. That is a totally false assumption and a dangerous premise on which to try to move the game forward. There is an obvious reluctance to deal with cheap shots in case this somehow results in diluting the toughness of the game.
What the game and administrators seem to want to ignore, is the impact that this is having on the game at the junior level, and the impact that it has on the self esteem of those that play the game at the highest level.
You can't it both ways. If you want to administer a game that is quite happy to see players being knocked unconscious, (and simply write it off as " that sometimes happens in our game" or "it was unintentional") rather than put the onus on the tackler to avoid contact with the head, then don't expect a game to attract self respecting gentlemen who know how to conduct themselves in public etc.
League has virtually 'chosen' to portray itself as a haven for the dumb and principle bereft. Until it makes a decision to lift itself by demanding more respect 'for' it's players, rather than 'from' its players, it will continue to dig itself deeper and deeper into a grotty hole.
League lovers would have us believe that the game is full of skilful individuals, but when it comes to a cheap shot that hits someone squarely on the chin, they would have us believe that the player is so uncoordinated that he doesn't even have the reflexes or hand eye coordination to prevent it happening.
The truth is, yes, thuggery is encouraged because the game fears that without it, it will have nothing left. Personally, I think the game would be much better served by trying another mindset and trying to rebuild a game which is based on good, fair, hard as nails play which shows more respect for its players.
So well done AFL for your ongoing resolve to protect your players from cheap shots and unnecessary thuggery.
