well I have come to the conclusion pansi that

AFL PLayers do tell lies..
.................


Let's get down to brass tacks: the only thing that keeps players in check is the threat of being banned from taking to the field. All other avenues have been closed off:


Clubs and coaches. Ostensibly the players' employer, they are powerless to sanction or ban top players. Mick Malthouse very openly admitted as much during the Tarrant/Johnson affair: "The fact that Chris and Ben are crucial to the on-field success of Collingwood has influenced my decision. Had they been youngsters on the fringe of selection, I might have thought a playing ban was in order."
Police. Charged with investigating crime and bringing about prosecutions, some cases have highlighted the incompetence (or worse) of certain detectives when investigating their heroes. Even Victoria's top detective, Assistant Commissioner Simon Overland, couldn't rule out that some police "wouldn't be intimidated or wouldn't have other reasons for perhaps not pursuing allegations against high-profile people as vigorously as they might".
Courts. Despite the dozens of charges faced by footballers documented on these pages, footballers end up in diversionary programs, making lame promises to obey the law in future, coping paltry fines, receiving soft sentencing, failing to record convictions - even encouragement for breaking the law! - and just about anything to avoid inconveniencing a player.
Public Opinion. They say that shame is the most powerful emotion and is responsible in large part for civilisation. The powerful AFL union and the league have successfully used the courts to prevent players from being named and shamed for their drug test results. Other cases show that, despite the media attention, there is a widespread absence of condemnation from the public and concomitant lack of shame.

Sponsors. Commercial realities being as they are, sponsors are reluctant to withdraw their sponsorship in the face of player misbehaviour. Even government officials come out in support of drug-addled disgraces like Ben Cousins.
These systemic failures to address misbehaviour and criminality have seen the players assume themselves (quite rightly) to be untouchable. As a result, the problems have got worse. Perversely, the one person who seems to understand the problem is whipped Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse:


Malthouse said it must be up to the league to make sure clubs do the right thing in dealing with players who have stepped out of line.

He said otherwise, a top-ranked player who misbehaved would always get off too lightly.

"Clubs will make decisions to play those blokes, whereas the AFL hopefully if they won't differentiate between the 44th player and the first player and they will make that decision for the good of the game whereas quite often, let's face it, we make that decision for the good of the club," Malthouse said.

Malthouse reiterated that the AFL had a responsibility to ensure misbehaving players were properly dealt with and the image of the game is protected. (ABC, 12/4/2007)


The AFL as a whole - particularly through its Tribunal - has held the line. But only things that mattered to the league. For example, players betting on matches threatens precious gambling revenue. So that's dealt with. Swearing on telly or criticising umpires gets dealt with. Serious matters like rape, drugs and bashings ... well, they more or less leave that alone. While there are provisions for "bringing the game into disrepute", criminality and other shameful activities don't do that. So how can the league be trusted to "step up" and take responsibility for enforcing player discipline?

The upshot is that the only time that players can be relied on to behave with any decency is for the few hours that they're on the field. Sure, there's a bit of rough-and-tumble and when things get out of hand the Tribunal will fine the players. (Often, the fines for "unduly rough play" are far more than court-imposed fines for dishing out a serious head-kicking in a car park.) The Tribunal also bans players - the one penalty that really bites.

The recent case involving West Coast's Adam

so why wouldnt AFL players tell lies??

codswal wrote on Dec 28^th, 2010 at 6:52pm:




And that groupies who chase the AFL players also tell lies.
But we all knew this didn't we.
SO why do we excuse the girls lies but not anyone elses?

Forget the actions of the troubled teenage girl - it is time to shift the focus of this case back onto the conduct of the professional adult male role models (and their supporters) in relation to her...

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2010 at 10:14am:


If these professionals, who were employed in a position of trust and authority over minors, did exchange phone numbers at the school football clinic and/or remember her from that day, then they may not only be in breach of contract but also guilty of child protection violations and/or the crime of carnal knowledge...

Miss Anne Dryst wrote on Dec 28^th, 2010 at 8:06pm:

aussiefree2ride wrote on Dec 28^th, 2010 at 9:08pm:



Oh, fer smack's sake, AF2R: the dubious (and arguably unlawful) conduct of the professional adult males has always been the central issue in this saga - the attacks on the troubled and sexually active school girl have been the convenient distraction from the outset!

She has become a prominent scapegoat as well as a downtrodden doormat and discarded sex object...

Equitist wrote on Dec 28^th, 2010 at 9:13pm:




You've got it completely wrong equitist.
The issue is about the lying skank and how she is seeking personal media attention.
The means to her trade are the AFL players, none of whom have committed any offence I might add!

Perhaps it's time to re-think allowing them to promote their sport in schools, not just because they slept with a school-girl from a school they had held a sports-clinic at just weeks before, but because their behaviour is not worthy of role modelling, due to numerous incidents involving other teams players (not only sexual) which have drawn considerable undesirable attention to the code itself in recent years.

Are footballers behaving worse now than they were say 20 years ago, or do you think it's that it did happen back then, it's just the media didn't focus on it as much then as they do now?

I guess what I'm asking is, do you think there's been a moral-decline/shift in the players attitudes and AFL itself?

Or as a society, are we just targeting these poor dumb guys for our own amusement, are condoning a skank school-girl culture of footballer wooters,  scattering the seeds of feminism in these school-girls come suddenly vexed-kittens under-panties, just waiting for these players to give in to temptation?

I think it works both ways, though think this particular incident is more concerning given professionally speaking,  they shouldn't have been mixing it with schoolgirls, (mixing business with pleasure)..as it stood to reflect poorly on the game and AFL itself.
Let me say this, female perception matters, as 46% of supporters are indeed woman, (ironic hu)  ...furthermore, woman are who mostly shuttle their kids to and from football training after-school and on weekends...we always see mums getting in on the act, screaming from the sidelines (often worse than the fathers once they get going) involving themselves heavily  in club activities. Be it cutting oranges, washing guernseys, transporting other peoples kids to and from the bigger non-local games or walking the streets selling chocolates fund-raising...mums (woman) are very hands on, and are right there from the start.
So if woman, 'mums' start losing heart and respect for the code, then guess what?

A little Johnny might be inclined to take up piano class, soccer, cricket, dance class instead, rather than be seen promoting a testosterone charged sport known for it's all too frequent public scandals and barbarianism.

G Footy Role Model program    

Involves AFL and VFL players visiting schools and relating to their experiences and the lessons they have learnt as they progressed through school, sport and beyond.

The program centres on “Life Skills and How to Achieve in your Chosen Field,” with topics covered including:
-Goal setting
-Attitude
-Self Image
-Consequences of actions
-Dealing with setbacks


How ironic!

Bit like sending a pyromaniac to caution children about the dangers of starting fires at school.

This is pretty much the feeling among most parents I know and have spoken to about this particular incident.

Ok, footballers are renowned for their sexual indiscretions in hotel rooms with loose woman, but when it involves school-girls from high-schools they have visited as 'said' positive role models, this is a whole new ballgame.

It makes parents nervous about the code itself, and pisses them off.