How much is enough?

[Adelaide Hawk]

I realise that AFL is a fiercely competitive sporting stage and players need to be able to endure intimidatory tactics from the opposition. Today, it was obvious to me that it was a pre-match tactic by Fremantle to upset Fraser Gehrig as much as possible hoping he would snap, and he did.

It's all too easy to suggest that Gehrig is a professional, that he should be able to handle himself better than he did today, but I believe the tactics deployed by Fremantle today should come under AFL scrutiny. First of all there was Josh Carr, a player who is never far away from any act of antagonism. If Carr played footy back in the 70s he would never have seen a game out, he would have been stitched up.

We didn't see what Carr did but we saw Gehrig turn 180 degrees, totally furious, and drop Carr on the spot. Then we repeatedly saw Grover standing eyeball to eyeball with Gehrig, his back to the play, having a lot to say and pointing to his head as if to infer Gehrig was a lunatic. On other occasions, Grover and Mundy were taking on Gehrig, pushing and shoving him, resulting in Gehrig losing his temper and having to take on both players. The cameras picked all this up, but all the umpires ever saw were Gehrig's retaliations.

I have long held the belief that when they are not in play, no player ahould have the right to intimidate another, either verbally or physically. I used to play full forward under a one umpire system. It was simple then (no extra umpire, no television), if a full back laid one hand on me I'd warn him he had 3 seconds to get his hand off me or I would deck him.

The football arena is an AFL player's workplace. Imagine if I was trying to get a day's work done with one of my competitors sitting next to me, pushing and poking me, calling me names, etc. It's just not on. I have on occasion believed Gehrig's temper is a little too short, but today I thought he had reason to react in the way he did. Everyone reaches a stage where enough is enough, we can't keep taking crap, there comes a time when we feel as if we need to defend ourselves. It's time for the AFL to determine what are fair and unfair practices in the workplace.

[spell_check]

I most certainly agree. Everyone else can make your (Gehrigs') day hell but the minute you stand up for yourself, you get the book thrown at you. Disgrace.

[duncs7]

i didnt see all the stuff u mentioned, i saw Gehrig looking like a psyco killer cracking someone and molesting him while he was on the ground. Whatever the cause he is a bad image for the game. His violent ways and that skin tight guernsey. As a backman i have been guilty of the odd niggle and jumper punch but when u are told to do it, u just do it.

[Mr66]

Gehring is going to use provocation as a defense. Apparently during the game he lifts his jumper
to show the umpire some marks on his torso. Interesting.

[drebin]

To stop that sort of tactic - pick a player who is not a first team pick normally and send him out to "fix the problem" There is no send off rule in the AFL and if the right people write the cheques does it matter the fine or the suspension if the bloke is not a normal first team choice?

[Adelaide Hawk]

i didnt see all the stuff u mentioned, i saw Gehrig looking like a psyco killer cracking someone and molesting him while he was on the ground. Whatever the cause he is a bad image for the game. His violent ways and that skin tight guernsey. As a backman i have been guilty of the odd niggle and jumper punch but when u are told to do it, u just do it.

Believe me, it happened, I saw it.

I'm not suggesting that Gehring is in any way a defenceless person in all of this. It's just that I've noticed that teams are giving it to him every week. Remove the provocation and you remove a lot of Gehrig's anger. The guys that were taking him on wouldn't have dared do it years ago because Gehrig would have turned them into pulp the moment the umpire's back was turned.

I just remembered a funny incident in a game I was playing. Our FF at the time kept having his jumper held by the FB when he was attempting to lead. At one time before leading, the FB grabbed his jumper, the FF pulled the jumper over his head and led bare chested. When the umpire wanted to know what was going on, our player said, "Well, he wants the bloody jumper so much I thought I'd give it to him". The umpire got the message

As for skin tight guernseys ... Paul Bagshaw used to wear a lace-up jumper, and in no way did that set a poor image for the game

[Brad]

I think the big problem with Fraser is that he is not 100% fit and his form is terrible causing frustrations! What he did today didn't look good at all and Im kinda thinking he should have gone through and retired like he was talking about at the end of 2005, if hes heart isn't in the game don't bother.

[sydney-dog]

I nthink this has been Mark Harvey's influence on the club.

Last week against the crows, freo came out trying to throw their weight around.

Same Game Burton got reported and got matches, Burton's response on the freo player came after 5 or 10 minutes of harrassment, and a freo player taking a drive 5 minutes earlier.

The bottom line is good players don't get sucked in

[Magpiespower]

I'm all for opposition players revving up the big G-Train.

There's nothing funnier than when he blows his stack.

Yesterday was a classic.

Dermie, Dennis and Dwayne had a field day in the commentary box.

Russell's comment was priceless: "But they're teasing him!"

[Blue Boy]

I just remembered a funny incident in a game I was playing. Our FF at the time kept having his jumper held by the FB when he was attempting to lead. At one time before leading, the FB grabbed his jumper, the FF pulled the jumper over his head and led bare chested. When the umpire wanted to know what was going on, our player said, "Well, he wants the bloody jumper so much I thought I'd give it to him". The umpire got the message

Have done the same thing and believe me no one wants to see me with my guernsey off.

I like the good old one on one battle - but if a bloke is cheatin he will be warned and then well off comes the guernsey if he does it again.

For what its worth you gotta feel soory for the G Train yesterday

[Mr66]

Latest! All charges against Gehrig dropped. Hooray, more carnage ensues!

[doggies4eva]

This is professional sport. These blokes are paid big money to perform. They have to deal with attempts of physical and emotional intimidation used against them as a tactic. If the other teams think they can throw a player off his game by niggling then they will. Some overseas codes regularly review injuries of the opposition and target those players - similar things happen at SANFL level (ie Steinburner's shoulder was "tested out" by the opposition). There are umpires out there to protect players if these tactics go too far. I don't think that it will ever stop - mental toughness is part of sport and the higher the level the more mentally tough you need to be.

[blink]

It will never stop, like d4e said, your opponents will always try to get an edge over you, and in Fraz's case, that occurs by revving him up. The best thing he can do is to feed off of that and not let it out through physical agression, but hurt them on the scoreboard by leading hard, taking marks and kicking goals, which is what he is paid to do.

Must admit though was pretty funny to watch him go off his rocker!!

[JK]

To stop that sort of tactic - pick a player who is not a first team pick normally and send him out to "fix the problem" There is no send off rule in the AFL and if the right people write the cheques does it matter the fine or the suspension if the bloke is not a normal first team choice?

I've thought similarly before intrepid lieutenant Frank, but unfortunately it would cost a club potentially 22 players a year (if it ocurred every week) which with lists of about 38 causes a pretty obvious problem ... This is the problem with the AFL, they make initial changes (ie Trial by video), then change their intent to increase the image and get around the loopholes clubs were exposing (hence video evidence becoming a component of all tribunal hearings) ... To the point whereby the only way to continually rectify new issues they have created is further rule changes, hence the change from the game most of us knew and loved in the 70's, 80's and part of the 90's .. Eventually they will reach a point where there are no changes left to make to fix loopholes which will still (and will ALWAYS to one degree or another) exist ...

[MatteeG]

Have to butt* in here- for years Fraser Gehrig was as soft as they come in terms of agression at the man. Now he is fat and finally believes he is intimidating. He'd be more effective if he crashed a few more packs then simply trying to "get even" with a few players.

Another reason St. Kilda WONT win the flag this year.

[Rik E Boy]

Spot on G. BTW, the Roos will beat your lot this week

regards,

REB

[doggies4eva]

To stop that sort of tactic - pick a player who is not a first team pick normally and send him out to "fix the problem" There is no send off rule in the AFL and if the right people write the cheques does it matter the fine or the suspension if the bloke is not a normal first team choice?

I've thought similarly before intrepid lieutenant Frank, but unfortunately it would cost a club potentially 22 players a year (if it ocurred every week) which with lists of about 38 causes a pretty obvious problem ... This is the problem with the AFL, they make initial changes (ie Trial by video), then change their intent to increase the image and get around the loopholes clubs were exposing (hence video evidence becoming a component of all tribunal hearings) ... To the point whereby the only way to continually rectify new issues they have created is further rule changes, hence the change from the game most of us knew and loved in the 70's, 80's and part of the 90's .. Eventually they will reach a point where there are no changes left to make to fix loopholes which will still (and will ALWAYS to one degree or another) exist ...

I reckon these tactics usually backfire. I've seen a few teams fired up by a blantant attack on one of their team-mates and go on to win a game convincingly that was in the in the balance.