Booing of Adam Goodes by fans of Melbourne clubs

[Triple B]

Every Hawks/Swans game I've been to in Melbourne on the other hand...*shudders*. The grand final was vitriolic, aggressive and frankly a little scary. The mob-mentality there is strong.

I stood outside Gate 4 after the GF waiting for friends who were in different areas of the ground so we could all meet up and head to the Rising Sun to drown our sorrows. I had morons attack me on at least half a dozen occasions in what was almost a carbon copy of the Port fans attack on Clarkson a few weeks ago, yelling in my face about stealing Buddy and just being feral. Like Clarko who just wanted to get to his hotel, my only crime was to still be wearing my colours. Pathetic...

[RogueSwan]

I truly don't believe this. Facebook! AFL Indigenous round and Lisa's jumper is in the photographs of all the clubs, and the sicko's are still trolling Adam through this. Can't we do anything????

I know it is infuriating but isn't the general rule that it is better not to feed the trolls?

[Primmy]

And the next thing I r4ead is that Hawthorn 'fans' boo Goodsey because he is a dirty player........................................
beggars belief.

[dimelb]

As Frankie Howerd almost said in Up Pompeii: Twitter ye not.

[mcs]

I stood outside Gate 4 after the GF waiting for friends who were in different areas of the ground so we could all meet up and head to the Rising Sun to drown our sorrows. I had morons attack me on at least half a dozen occasions in what was almost a carbon copy of the Port fans attack on Clarkson a few weeks ago, yelling in my face about stealing Buddy and just being feral. Like Clarko who just wanted to get to his hotel, my only crime was to still be wearing my colours. Pathetic...

With the exception of one loser (who left early) last Saturday night, the Wees and Poos fans around me were pretty good overall. But the GF experience last year was absolutely awful. I had similar issues on the way out of the ground - only on the basis of the colours being worn. They have (even if it is a small part of the fan base) a pretty feral element within their fans.

The terrible feelings of that day were made so much worse by those gloating 'fans' that went out of their way to make it even more miserable. Only a GF victory can lead to some sort of redemption from that day - but I'd like to think Swans fans would celebrate the achievements of their team, rather than seek to pile misery on their opponents.

[Plugger46]

Spot on Triple B and mcs. They're absolutely awful, no doubt. My GF experience with them was also a shocker.

Worst thing, if you react and give them what they undoubtedly deserve you're looked upon as a poor-loser. Certainly in a no-win situation.

Having said all that, it was a bit different at the MCG on Saturday night. Most of the Swans crowd (myself included) in our area seemed stung by the GF loss and were quite vocal early. That set the tone. Obviously it helped that we were kicking goals.

I first encountered their behaviour at the 2001 EF and they've just got worse since. They've got plenty of good supporters too and that shouldn't be forgotten.

[Puppy Eyes]

The annoying thing about this debate is that people say 'well, no one's booing Jetta/Burgoyne/Rioli/Franklin/any other indigenous player, and thus how can the Adam Goodes booing be racist?' Just because you don't hate a race doesn't mean you can't be racist. Not every sexist out there in the world is a misogynist. The distinction is critical.

Related to his apparent 'bullying' of a 13 year old girl, and the weight of her general culpability given that she's only a child, let me assure you that kids are capable of being just as racist, and just as hurtful as the next person. Do I hold them accountable to the same extent as adults? Certainly not, but don't absolve all of them of the consciousness of their actions either.

Many first encounters with racism are experienced out on the playground. She called Adam Goodes an ape and maybe him calling out the incident stopped kids her age from casually directing that sort of phrase to a much more vulnerable target.

We spent time self-reflecting as a nation after that day, and that can only be a better thing for society regardless of whether it was a comfortable experience or not. To demonise Adam Goodes for how he handled that incident says a lot about somebody's character in my opinion.

Spot on. You ask many people why they hate Tony Abbott so much and the reason is not because he's a Catholic, but because of the type of Catholic that he is. People hate Goodes not because he's Aboriginal, but because of the type of Aboriginal that he is.

[Plugger46]

The terrible feelings of that day were made so much worse by those gloating 'fans' that went out of their way to make it even more miserable. Only a GF victory can lead to some sort of redemption from that day - but I'd like to think Swans fans would celebrate the achievements of their team, rather than seek to pile misery on their opponents.

Exactly. I can't recall having anything to do with a West Coast or Hawthorn supporter in 2005 and 2012. Far too happy to delight in someone's misery.

[aardvark]

Interesting article.....

Why Hawthorn supporters boo Adam Goodes: a story of class and prejudice - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[dimelb]

Interesting article.....

Why Hawthorn supporters boo Adam Goodes: a story of class and prejudice - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Interesting, but I don't buy it. The Hawks supporters may well include the middle-to-upper classes, but I'd be astonished if they were the ones booing. That would be like the MCC Members joining in the Mexican Wave.

I think the culprits are much more likely to be the group mentioned on this thread several times, namely the cashed-up Bogans, for reasons many have given.

[liz]

Spot on. You ask many people why they hate Tony Abbott so much and the reason is not because he's a Catholic, but because of the type of Catholic that he is. People hate Goodes not because he's Aboriginal, but because of the type of Aboriginal that he is.

Huh? People "hate" Abbott because he's a particular "type" of Catholic?????????? Before I read this post, I had no knowledge of Abbott's religious practices or beliefs. I care nothing for them. I dislike Abbott (hate is too strong a word) for his politics and his smugness.

Exactly what "type" of Aboriginal is Goodes that is relevance to others' views towards him?

[bodgie]

Abbotts catholicism, his friendship with George Pell, and his background at Riverview college along with Hockey and Joyce are important influences in his decision making.

Goodes as a political activist or leader (racism is a a significant political issue as well as a day to day social thing) probably gets up some peoples noses that go to the footy. I don't agree with that it should result in booing, but its happening.

[Ludwig]

Tony Abbott is like the Paul Chambers of politics.


"OMG, I didn't know it was that serious."

[chalbilto]

I thought that RWO is a football forum dealing with the Sydney Swans. If I wanted views of a political nature I certainly wouldn't be looking at a football forum. Please let's keep the views football related. Frankly I don't care one iota of your political persuasion or opinions.

[Adelaide Swan]

Well said mate.

- - - Updated - - -

CEO Gillon McLachlan says booing has no place in the AFL

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has condemned the booing of Adam Goodes, adamant that kind behaviour should be eradicated from the game.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/ceo-gillon-mclachlan-says-booing-has-no-place-in-the-afl/story-fndv8ujy-1227375000755