2024 VFL thread

[Dow]

Gee whiz he got six weeks.

I think it’s more than fair, ball wasn’t within 5m and had no need to bump/Shepard BUT elected to and not to offend others it went horribly wrong.

[Auntie.Gerald]

AFL 2024: Sydney Swans Luke Parker VFL Tribunal hearing result, suspension, bump on Frankston player Josh Smith, video, latest news

[Captain]

6 weeks is a total joke. Disgusting.

[chalbilto]

Luke has to cop his serve and knuckle down and hit the training track to work his way back into the firsts.

[stevoswan]

I think the above commentary demonstrates the amount of respect and adulation that Swans fans have for Parker. It reminds me of the downplaying we do when our children misbehave at school. We find a way to downplay or excuse their behaviour.

People on here are finding a way to excuse Parker. I saw the incident as the actions of an internally frustrated man who is struggling to cope with his current situation. Parker at his best with a clear state of mind goes straight for that ball at full pace. He either picks it up or he paddles it towards the boundary line. In this instance he slows down, turns towards the Franston player who was 8 meters away from the disputed ball and delivers a hit. The Swans didn’t have possession.

The fact that people are saying that Parker has a good record and is not a dirty player tells us that this action was born of pure frustration and anger.

I think Parker needs fresh air and a new start with a team that will appreciate what he has to give at this stage of his career. It feels like Barry Hall at the end of 2009. He went to the Bulldogs and had two enjoyable years there where he played really well.

Ridiculous comment.....are you a long distance psychologist?

Your assertion of "frustration and anger" implies you think his intention was to deliberately hurt his opponent.....this is grossly unfair on Luke who has always played tough but fair.

It appears that the facial injuries to the Frankston player were caused by a clash of heads that happened as a result of the bump.

Yes, it is still Luke's fault but at worst it was a clumsy attempt at a shepherd and while I think 3-4 weeks would have been fair considering the outcome, six weeks is as stupid as your conclusions. Sorry.

BTW....he isn't going anywhere else for 'fresh air' either.

The problem is the ball is not in 5m - he literally lined him up - its 100 percent intentional (maybe not meant to hurt him that badly) you cant Shepard or bump if the ball is not in within 5m which its clearly not. I agree that's a 80s hit

What is it with Swans fans who are comfortable denigrating our champions? That's 'an 80's hit'? Nah....not at all.

[Trever]

Ridiculous comment.....are you a long distance psychologist?

Your assertion of "frustration and anger" implies you think his intention was to deliberately hurt his opponent.....this is grossly unfair on Luke who has always played tough but fair.

It appears that the facial injuries to the Frankston player were caused by a clash of heads that happened as a result of the bump.

Yes, it is still Luke's fault but at worst it was a clumsy attempt at a shepherd and while I think 3-4 weeks would have been fair considering the outcome, six weeks is as stupid as your conclusions. Sorry.

BTW....he isn't going anywhere else for 'fresh air' either.

Pardon.

Parker has been in the AFL system since 2011. He has no history of doing what he did to that Frankston player. To my knowledge he’s hardly served a suspension in 13 years of AFL football.

Your assertion that he was just plain unlucky and that Parker plays tough like this all the time is down right delusional.

He doesn’t usually do this otherwise it would have happened sometime during his 280 odd games AFL games.

Parker is not going to tell us fans that his angry or frustrated. His teammates are not going to say anything other than he’s taking his reserve stint well. I don’t think that Parker would ever complain to teammates about his reserves predicament.

He’s a 3 time B and F winner, a former club captain and a very proud man. He would not like one bit being in the reserves and then after 3 really strong games including a match winning 65 metre bomb he’s not promoted to the seniors but instead he’s lining up for the reserves again.

Put yourself in his shoes. After all this wouldn’t you be be frustrated?

You claim his action was a shepherd however no Swans player had picked up the ball.

How do you know he’s not going anywhere else? Are the Swans really going to want to pay a player who has become a fringe player $700,000 plus in 2025?

Does Parker fancy a ROK 2014 year for himself in 2024?

[Scottee]

To me the major contributing factor to the injury was that the kid showed absolutely no awareness that he was being blocked. And contributing to that could be the fact that the ground was very poorly lit.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk

[Hotpotato]

Wonder how long the Frankston player will be sidelined w the injuries .

[Hotpotato]

Dicko (The Back Page) estimates 8-10 weeks .

[waswan]

Luke has to cop his serve and knuckle down and hit the training track to work his way back into the firsts.

He has no choice, I just hope if he showed as much as he has in the 2s this last 3 weeks he actually gets bloody picked to play 1s.

Ridiculous we didnt find a spot for him in the side. Heard the other day a commentator say, if there is a GF this weekend, Luke Parker plays, guarenteed.

Wtf were we waiting for, 1 week in the 2s, for sure, 2 weeks maybe ok we are going well. He should then walk into the 22.

I hope dont risk 3 weeks of Mills doing a calf in the 2s

[stevoswan]

Pardon.

Parker has been in the AFL system since 2011. He has no history of doing what he did to that Frankston player. To my knowledge he’s hardly served a suspension in 13 years of AFL football.

Your assertion that he was just plain unlucky and that Parker plays tough like this all the time is down right delusional.

He doesn’t usually do this otherwise it would have happened sometime during his 280 odd games AFL games.

Parker is not going to tell us fans that his angry or frustrated. His teammates are not going to say anything other than he’s taking his reserve stint well. I don’t think that Parker would ever complain to teammates about his reserves predicament.

He’s a 3 time B and F winner, a former club captain and a very proud man. He would not like one bit being in the reserves and then after 3 really strong games including a match winning 65 metre bomb he’s not promoted to the seniors but instead he’s lining up for the reserves again.

Put yourself in his shoes. After all this wouldn’t you be be frustrated?

You claim his action was a shepherd however no Swans player had picked up the ball.

How do you know he’s not going anywhere else? Are the Swans really going to want to pay a player who has become a fringe player $700,000 plus in 2025?

Does Parker fancy a ROK 2014 year for himself in 2024?

I didn't say he was 'unlucky', I said he was clumsy and deserved 3 to 4 weeks....hardly 'delusional'. A shepherd is a shepherd, it doesn't matter if a team mate has the ball or not, there was one approaching the ball and he was ensuring there was one less opponent for his team mate to deal with.

Of course he would be frustrated with his non-selection in the firsts but I am confident this frustration would not affect the way he plays his footy, which has always been fair.

As for moving next season, he's contracted to 2025 for a start and if you think he is the type of player and person to throw his toys out of the cot and run away to somewhere else because he feels unappreciated....implying he is immature....that thinking is what might well be called 'delusional'.

I've already suggested the possibility that Luke might be 2024's ROK in another earlier post but added that I doubt it. He is a warrior that will be determined to earn his place back where he believes he belongs. At the same time he is intelligent and would understand that the firsts are on top and firing....and that no one really deserves to be dropped just to fit him in. That's maturity. You underestimate him.....and show a lack of respect for a champion of the club.

[MattW]

I am really sad for everyone involved.

Obviously for Smith and his family - the injuries are catastrophic. I really hope he makes a full recovery.

Also for Parker. An impeccable, brilliant AFL career always played the right way; to VFL, this awful event and, potentially, sustained wrenching guilt. Such a dramatic, unforseeable downturn in fortunes. I really hope he makes it back.

[Hotpotato]

6 weeks flashes by. Luke will be required i(in the ones) later on. Hes healthy.
However facial injuries can remain painful for years afterwards.

[KTigers]

6 weeks flashes by. Luke will be required i(in the ones) later on. Hes healthy.
However facial injuries can remain painful for years afterwards.

Agree. Luke is a big boy and I'm sure realizes there are ups and downs in every players' career. And this period for him
is a down after many many years of being up. Highly unlikely to throw his toys out of the cot and highly likely to be
playing well for us comes finals time.

[dejavoodoo44]

Coaches votes for the round. Seems like Sheldrick had a good game.

9 Taj Campbell-Farrell (FRA)
9 Thomas Murphy (FRA)
6 Angus Sheldrick (SYD)
3 Matt Johnson (FRA)
2 George Grey (FRA)
1 Caleb Mitchell (SYD)