Comments on: Bad boys need to become men (edited)

By: Concerned

Concerned — Tue, 01 May 2007 04:10:56 +0000

I dont like Willy Mason either because he is a sexist swearing pig and i think he should start acting like a role model as footy players are role models to young boys and teenagers……………………….. Its disgraceful…

By: I HATE WILLIE

I HATE WILLIE — Tue, 01 May 2007 04:04:12 +0000

Do you know who i think is the best footy player? Josh Miller from the Canberra Raiders he is just so great!!!!!! Go Josh Miller!!!!!!!!!!

P.S I HATE WILLIE MASON

By: Five

Five — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 10:09:13 +0000

Ah, it was Monkhorst. My bad.

By: Tony.T

Tony.T — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:13:18 +0000

Apart from a few games in 2002 when Headland was able to run forward of the play to capitalise on his Brisbane teammates’ hard work, I wouldn’t put him within sledging distance of the phrase “high-performing”.

Damien Monkhorst of Collingwood was the person who sledged Michael Long.

Spider Everitt of StKilda sledged Scott Chisolm of Melbourne.

By: Five

Five — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:40:13 +0000

No, you’re totally right Gringo, it doesn’t. And Headland has a demonstrably bad record at the tribunal. The subsequent defamation was also over the top. However, in ordinary circumstances Headland would have been punished severely (because there are measures to prevent that). People look down on violent thugs. Clearly Selwood, and the players and administrators who backed him, conveyed an attitude that people also look down on, yet they pretended it was no big deal.

I’ll say it again, in slightly different words. Such sledging reveals an attitude towards women that is unacceptable to most thinking, feeling human beings. That’s why I’m preoccupied with it.

Maybe there should be something in the rules about keeping things nice – in fact, some have suggested that umpires could award free kicks for gratuitous or sexist and racist insults.

By: gringo

gringo — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:15:27 +0000

Hey … hold on.

Why is everyone, and I mean everyone from the bloggers to the MSM football â€œexpertsâ€ focussing on Selwood’s conduct here?

I am not saying the comment is not offensive. It was specifically meant to be offensive. I am not saying it is nice, but there isn’t anything in the rules about saying things that are not nice, unless it is about someone’s skin colour.

The bit I cannot understand is how everyone seems to treat Headland’s response as being reasonable. He was insulted and lost control, reacting in a violent manner that I thought was unacceptable in our society.

Headland, his father and most the media have then justified his behaviour by defaming Selwood as everything from a paedophile to a misogynist. An article (in the Herald Sun, I think) was suggesting that he be added to a paedophile list. What about Des Headland being listed as a violent offender?

Everyone is mindlessly following the media herd on this, harping on and on about Selwood because he is an Eagle, and they are so bad (or “evil” if you actually listen to Robert Walls). What about Des Headlandâ€™s violent response and his inability to control himself?

Selwood was rude and offensive. But that doesn’t justify the violent response of Headland, or the subsequent defamation and vilification. Just gets my blood boiling â€¦

By: Club Troppo » Missing Link

Club Troppo » Missing Link — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:24:04 +0000

[...] Scott Wickstein muses about Weagles player Adam Sellwood’s (alleged) sledging of Des Headland, the (alleged) subject being Headland’s 6 year old daughter. Five at Sidelined also focuses on the Sellwood/Headland affair. 77. KP: The AFL Tribunal hardly distinguished itself IMO by not making either player give evidence in the other’s hearing, thus giving itself elbow room to avoid doing anything to either player. They seem to be as serious about this stamping out this sort of conduct as the Weagles are about stopping drug-taking among players. [↩] [...]

By: Five

Five — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 11:32:10 +0000

I agree – I think the fact that he insulted any female of any age is cause enough for retribution.

By: Mungo Amanda

Mungo Amanda — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 10:41:44 +0000

From the report of Selwood’s clearing by the commission:

But Selwood said he had not knowingly referred to Headland’s daughter in his comments.

Ah, so he only sexually denigrated a grown woman. That’s alright!

Look, I know this stuff goes on and am probably quite happy not to hear never about it. But there is a “is seen to be” aspect here — bad luck if its unfair and everyone does it. Penalty must be imposed.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:04:24 +0000

Well said Five.

I read the story today about Selwood and was dumbfounded that it could happen and angry as a father, that someone would stoop so low.

Both the AFL and NRL need to start decisive taking action against these players. I’m getting fed up with how they pussyfoot around the players.

The old adage that no player is bigger than the game is being cast aside in the most repulsive manner.