Rnd 9 Match Day Thread. Hawthorn V Sydney. MCG. 19.50 pm.

[dimelb]

The match review panel didn't charge Mitchell saying that it wasn't a striking motion and that he pushed Hanners with an open hand.

Sinclair was fined for engaging in rough conduct against Mitchell. If I recall correctly wasn't Sinclair retaliating against the Twerp?

MRP got it wrong again. Should have been reward for Sinclair.

[aardvark]

I'm liking Sinclair more and more. We should take up a collection to pay his fine.

[Doctor]

There is definitely "a certain amount of civility and downright decency". For the most part, in over 50 years of attending the footy in Melbourne and Geelong, I've rarely had a problem. The racism directed at Adam Goodes was probably the worst thing I have seen, but it was pretty much across all clubs. Hawthorn does have that self-entitled, private school, Hooray Henry element, but most of them are OK. Collingwood and Richmond are a bit of an exception, but mostly that's just a class thing. Bogans will be bogans. Essendon and Carlton supporters used to have that "we're entitled to get every free and win every game" attitude, but they've been chastened a bit by the experience of the last decade (and not before time). Geelong people are just odd. Last week I saw a Swans supporter leaving the Richmond game spitting vitriol at our players, at maximum volume, and punching the walls as he went. So every team has got them.

There will always be the odd idiot here and there, but on the whole, footy supporters are just footy supporters.

Having taken up the Premiership Club offer and attended the game via the AFL Members' area, I would have to back this up. I had several very decent and reasonable conversations with Hawthorn supporters at various stages throughout the game without incident or idiocy. I heard one minor verbal stoush between one of theirs and one of ours but our supporter was as much to blame as theirs. In past experience I've found Hawks fans to be everything we say about them here but it all does depend on who you bump into I think.

[graemed]

Rnd 9 Match Day Thread. Hawthorn V Sydney. MCG. 19.50 pm.

Having taken up the Premiership Club offer and attended the game via the AFL Members' area, I would have to back this up. I had several very decent and reasonable conversations with Hawthorn supporters at various stages throughout the game without incident or idiocy. I heard one minor verbal stoush between one of theirs and one of ours but our supporter was as much to blame as theirs. In past experience I've found Hawks fans to be everything we say about them here but it all does depend on who you bump into I think.

It was 2012 and if you recall the weather the night before the GF was bitter and raining. I was in the MCC members queue and it was about 3 am. I shared my place with a St Kilda supporter and his Hawthorn mate neither of whom I knew.

Come 8 am and the rush begins and the giant who was the Hawks supporter told us to follow in his wake. We had a fine night and day together discussing great players over the years from all 3 teams and somehow remained friendly throughout the match.

Track forward 2 years and a similar situation on GF day with me on my own in the MCC members again but this time the supporters either side are much younger and much more aggressive. There is real hate there and the vitriol and attitude is deep and sustained. Apart from the footy that day it was an altogether distasteful experience.

I regularly sit in the Noble Stand and have done for many, many years since AFL came to stay in Sydney. I often reel at the lack of respect and in some cases ignorance of the "Swans Faithful". Quite often directed at our own team.

We are all driven and we are all flawed, it comes with the territory when you join a tribe.

[Swansongster]

Docklands. Always Docklands. Don't buy into the naming rights crap. Kardinia Park, Carrara, Subiaco Oval, That Strange Little Orange Ground, Manuka. WE will call them what WE want. We will not be dictated to by corporate interests.

I agree whole-heartedly. I seem to recall the ABC refer to TSLOG as Showgrounds. And, don't forget York Park.

[Swansongster]

Like your post. Agree "footy supporters are just footy supporters".
(Some mouth-off when they're on top - then whinge when they're not.)

I agree with this. I've seen ugly Swans supporters including on Friday night when one was rightfully removed by security from just behind me for incessant foul language.

That said, I remember the aforementioned 2014 games involving Essendon and the Hawks fans on GF day. Stunningly appalling fan behaviour.

Based on my personal experience, I'd rate them as follows (from worst to best):

* Hawthorn
* Essendon
* Collingwood
* North Melbourne
* Carlton
* St Kilda
* Geelong
* Richmond
* Footscray
* Melbourne

I'd slot Crows and Port fans (in Adelaide) between Essendon and Collingwood. haven't been to Perth or SQ for a footy game so can't comment but I had some good friendly banter with WCE fans and liked their passion at 2005-06 grand finals.

[Sandridge]

Based on my personal experience, I'd rate them as follows (from worst to best):

* Hawthorn
* Essendon
* Collingwood
* North Melbourne
* Carlton
* St Kilda
* Geelong
* Richmond
* Footscray
* Melbourne


Certainly agree that Melbourne fans are the best opposition supporters. Went to the MCG when we played them last year and didn't hear any booing of Goodesy at all.
I used to think that St.Kilda fans were very ordinary but, for something to do, took my son to see Saints v GWS at Etihad a few weeks ago. Sat in the cheap seats on Level 3 and were surrounded by Saints fans. Was very pleasantly surprised by their behaviour and demeanour. Lots of family groups who were vocal but in a positive way and they helped make it an enjoyable day out.

[Mel_C]

If you mean the Mitchell hit on Hanners, they did pay a free - but then paid advantage when there was clearly no advantage, and nailed Laidler for HTB off one step. The umpiring was poor for most of the evening but we had our fair share of shockers that went our way.

No that wasn't what the free was paid for. It was HTB against Puopolo. The Hanners incident happened later in the game and there was no free. Funny how Mitchell, Hodge and Lewis get away with their sniping during the game.

There were bad umpiring decisions missed for both sides but it seems only the hawks ones have been highlighted in the media...(both tv and newspaper). No mention of Tippett being decapitated in the goal square which would have been a certain goal, or Buddy being tripped, or Hanners not being paid a mark.

[AnnieH]

No that wasn't what the free was paid for. It was HTB against Puopolo. The Hanners incident happened later in the game and there was no free. Funny how Mitchell, Hodge and Lewis get away with their sniping during the game.

There were bad umpiring decisions missed for both sides but it seems only the hawks ones have been highlighted in the media...(both tv and newspaper). No mention of Tippett being decapitated in the goal square which would have been a certain goal, or Buddy being tripped, or Hanners not being paid a mark.

Or the two swans who should have been penalised for tripping.
We also got three really, really soft 50s.
It all evens out in the end.

[S.S. Bleeder]

I see why the WCE supporters used to call him Sinclair Almost. He just couldn't hold a mark.

[mcs]

Or the two swans who should have been penalised for tripping.
We also got three really, really soft 50s.
It all evens out in the end.

There was nothing soft about that 50 against Cyyyyrrriiillll - he got warned 3 times at least by the Umpire for getting over the mark and continued to do so.

As for the supporters comments, it really does matter who you run in to. Case in point is the Crows - usually I've found them to be pretty tame, latte sipping types - but then this year at the Adelaide oval on the way out run into a raucous bunch that were off their faces and clearly looking to try and pick fights.

In terms of Hawthorn, I had no major issues before we won the flag in 2012. But after that, I've witnessed (and been subject to) substantial vitriol, especially since we got Buddy. The two games in Melbourne in 2014 in particular were pretty awful - in particular the GF, which stands out in my memory for seeing some of the most deplorable behaviour I've ever seen at a footy game, and the 2015 1st game in Melbourne was no better.

I've given up on games against them away from home for a while (may go if we ever play them in Tasmania again). But every group has their good and bad fans - although repeat offenders don't help one to have a good image of a club.

[ScottH]

I see why the WCE supporters used to call him Sinclair Almost. He just couldn't hold a mark.

LOL. I've noticed this too.
Get's his hands to the ball a lot, maybe some glue will help!!

[chammond]

But every group has their good and bad fans - although repeat offenders don't help one to have a good image of a club.

That's about right. I've been to plenty of soccer matches in Europe where the fans' behaviour was terrifyingly violent; you never see anything like that at the footy. I never think twice about taking my family to an AFL match.

The only supporters that have ever given me grief were from the Bulldogs. Once when some drunken moron set fire to my wife's handbag. And another time when an angry Bulldogs supporter got so worked up abusing Paul Kelly that his false teeth fell out and landed in my lap. That was really scary.

[goswannies]

LOL. I've noticed this too.
Get's his hands to the ball a lot, maybe some glue will help!!

Is it illegal to use a product called "grippo"? It's a sticky gel stuff that came in a tube . When I worked at a SANFL club in the early 2000s, players used to put on their hands to help the ball stick better.

[dejavoodoo44]

That's about right. I've been to plenty of soccer matches in Europe where the fans' behaviour was terrifyingly violent; you never see anything like that at the footy. I never think twice about taking my family to an AFL match.

The only supporters that have ever given me grief were from the Bulldogs. Once when some drunken moron set fire to my wife's handbag. And another time when an angry Bulldogs supporter got so worked up abusing Paul Kelly that his false teeth fell out and landed in my lap. That was really scary.

Did you give them back?