Mike Sheahan vs Port Adelaide Power
Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 1:22 pmPunish Port in draft
Comment by Mike Sheahan
June 6, 2006
IF the altercation at Adelaide Airport on Saturday afternoon had occurred in a pub late at night, every observer would have said a loudmouth got his comeuppance.
Calling a bloke a d***head without provocation is aggressive; accepting an invitation to repeat it face to face is stupidly aggressive or just stupid. It's a case of the latter when the target of the abuse is an elite sportsman: 27, 199cm and the best part of 100kg.
Dean Brogan's problem is his tormentor wasn't in a pub late at night, he was at an airport in the middle of the day.
The Port Adelaide ruckman made a poor decision when he planted one bang on the nose of antagonist Dale Mortimer, drawing both blood and national media attention.
As much as we sympathise with Brogan, he is in trouble, apart from what results in the civil jurisdiction.
He was representing Port Adelaide, the AFL and football at the time, in a time when there is increasing focus on, and cynicism about, the off-field behaviour of sportsmen.
The AFL must get involved this time. It has to send an explicit message to players and officials that they have responsibilities.
Responsibilities greater than those facing the rest of us, for they are public figures whose misdemeanours embarrass both themselves and the game.
The more times bozos read about players (and coaches) reacting to taunts, the more the players are going to be taunted.
Sad but true.
What if a similar situation were to occur at another airport next weekend and the troublemaker has fists to match his mouth?
What if the next Brogan has his nose broken on the eve of an important game?
Worse, what if a footballer snots a bloke who calls him a d***head and the bloke lands on his head and dies?
The David Hookes case is a tragic reminder of what can go wrong when ego overpowers common sense.
The AFL is awaiting the outcome of police inquiries before deciding what action, if any, to take in the Brogan case. It seems certain to get involved, as it did after off-field misdemeanours involving former Adelaide star Tony Modra and former Carlton premiership player Fraser Brown in 1994.
The most likely penalty for Brogan, if the allegation is substantiated, is a suspension of one to two games.
After all, he would have copped up to three games for a similar indiscretion during a game. Then again, he would have been too disciplined to do such a thing on the field.
Which raises another possibility for the AFL: punish the club. Deny Port an early selection in the next national draft.
Footballers are superbly disciplined on the field because they know any lapses will adversely impact on the team; they will respond similarly off the field if they know they will incur the wrath of the club for any breaches.
Port's response that Brogan's behaviour was "disappointing" wasn't good enough and should convince the AFL that clubs can't be left to sanction their own.
Comment by Mike Sheahan
June 6, 2006
IF the altercation at Adelaide Airport on Saturday afternoon had occurred in a pub late at night, every observer would have said a loudmouth got his comeuppance.
Calling a bloke a d***head without provocation is aggressive; accepting an invitation to repeat it face to face is stupidly aggressive or just stupid. It's a case of the latter when the target of the abuse is an elite sportsman: 27, 199cm and the best part of 100kg.
Dean Brogan's problem is his tormentor wasn't in a pub late at night, he was at an airport in the middle of the day.
The Port Adelaide ruckman made a poor decision when he planted one bang on the nose of antagonist Dale Mortimer, drawing both blood and national media attention.
As much as we sympathise with Brogan, he is in trouble, apart from what results in the civil jurisdiction.
He was representing Port Adelaide, the AFL and football at the time, in a time when there is increasing focus on, and cynicism about, the off-field behaviour of sportsmen.
The AFL must get involved this time. It has to send an explicit message to players and officials that they have responsibilities.
Responsibilities greater than those facing the rest of us, for they are public figures whose misdemeanours embarrass both themselves and the game.
The more times bozos read about players (and coaches) reacting to taunts, the more the players are going to be taunted.
Sad but true.
What if a similar situation were to occur at another airport next weekend and the troublemaker has fists to match his mouth?
What if the next Brogan has his nose broken on the eve of an important game?
Worse, what if a footballer snots a bloke who calls him a d***head and the bloke lands on his head and dies?
The David Hookes case is a tragic reminder of what can go wrong when ego overpowers common sense.
The AFL is awaiting the outcome of police inquiries before deciding what action, if any, to take in the Brogan case. It seems certain to get involved, as it did after off-field misdemeanours involving former Adelaide star Tony Modra and former Carlton premiership player Fraser Brown in 1994.
The most likely penalty for Brogan, if the allegation is substantiated, is a suspension of one to two games.
After all, he would have copped up to three games for a similar indiscretion during a game. Then again, he would have been too disciplined to do such a thing on the field.
Which raises another possibility for the AFL: punish the club. Deny Port an early selection in the next national draft.
Footballers are superbly disciplined on the field because they know any lapses will adversely impact on the team; they will respond similarly off the field if they know they will incur the wrath of the club for any breaches.
Port's response that Brogan's behaviour was "disappointing" wasn't good enough and should convince the AFL that clubs can't be left to sanction their own.
