Jurrah- get ready for something special

[the fork 357]

My hope is the Club does not have to do this as firstly, it can't afford it and secondly, the connotation is that having to spend buckets means there are serious side issues.

Rhino, I enjoy reading your posts and value your sensible input to most of the genuine discussions on Demonland, but I am having trouble tuning into your tone on the drafting of a player that may well need specific attention in Jurrah. You seem very unwilling to accept that players from remote areas and different cultures deserve any specific considerations at all.

Your comment on another thread suggesting that individuals from an aboriginal background deserve treatment no different to players from other non-mainstream (whatever the hell that is) cultures shows a lack of knowledge of the circumstances in which people like Jurrah emerge from. Mate if you will allow me to generalise for a moment, communities in remote Aboriginal Australia are places of extreme poverty. Communities throughout this region have been massively underfunded since their establishment in the 1960's. As mentioned English can be a fourth or fifth language, each house may have up to 20-25 people living in them, staff turnover and attendance in schools is a huge problem as are lack of job opportunities, access to health and other basic facilities. This is not to paint a negative picture of these communities, they are amazing places, full of incredible people with stories of a life few could imagine. Stop for a minute and imagine what it would take to work your way through such disadvantage and be drafted to the melbourne football club...

When a club drafts a player it automatically inherits all of the pro's and con's that player possesses and a responsibility to provide a supportive environment with issues like the potential costs (time and financial) considered. So when you mention due diligence it surely must also apply to what the club must provide after draft day.

I don't want to make a big deal out of this Rhino, I want this thread to focus on the inspired decision made by our recruiters on this potential great player for our club. I also just want to set a supportive tone for Liam amongst the supporters, not an expectant one with no consideration of how far this young man has come already. Here's hoping this leads to great things, I mean we just found out that a community of 600 in the middle of the country has adopted the red and blue!

[Demon3 2,541]

Well said Fork!

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,386]

Looks good in the red n'blue:

Did anyone notice the Primus logo on the jumper - OOPS

[The Red Fox 216]

No disrespect Stinga, I usually let mis-spellings go without mentioning... but this one is an absolute corker.

Sorry to highlight...

What I find most amusing is that you misspelled mis-spelling Dan.

Sorry to highlight...

[Redleg 38,012]

Rhino, I enjoy reading your posts and value your sensible input to most of the genuine discussions on Demonland, but I am having trouble tuning into your tone on the drafting of a player that may well need specific attention in Jurrah ...

Good post, well written and interesting. It has made me think.

[The Emblem 1]

My hope is the Club does not have to do this as firstly, it can't afford it and secondly, the connotation is that having to spend buckets means there are serious side issues. I hope not and the Club has done its due diligence and found a talented player if not the mezziorah (Hell I'm doing it too. <_< ) we have been looking for.

Enjoying this thread, but what's all this talk about a spending bucketloads on a talented masseur?

[s-t-i-n-g-a 439]

Great post from The Fork!

Given his apparent position on this, I can only assume that Rhino is speaking without any significant knowledge or experience in the particular needs of indigenous people within the workplace. He may elaborate on his comments and perhaps they are being misunderstood but the MFC maintaining a one size fits all approach to their players would be antiquated and naive.

Saying a player may have particular needs is in no way a connotation that they have any "side issues".

We dont have bucket loads of money, that is true, but it would be foolish not to invest appropriately into our resources and ensure we maximise our return.

You only have to look at the efforts many clubs are putting into providing appropriate environments and support structures to Irish recruits to realise that this is not something particular to Indigenous players but sound HR policy.

[Demon Head 251]

With a number of indigenous footballers on our lists I wonder if we're going to be well represented in the Indigenous All-Stars team to play Adelaide in Darwin in February next year.

In the past there were a few players who were reluctant to play (mainly the Sydney guys) but I'll bet that Aussie and Liam would be champing at the bit to represent their people in a game like that.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

You seem very unwilling to accept that players from remote areas and different cultures deserve any specific considerations at all.

You have completely misconstrued and misinterpreted my post. Of course footballers coming from interstate, remote communities and overseas need support and guidance given their social and cultural circumstances. The connotation of buckets of money from another poster suggested an inordinate amount be spent beyond which is reasonable to address issues that could have been identified during due diligence.

FWIW, Stigga sums up the position well in this matter regarding the need for appropriate support by the Club for players with particular needs.

Your comment on another thread suggesting that individuals from an aboriginal background deserve treatment no different to players from other non-mainstream (whatever the hell that is) cultures shows a lack of knowledge of the circumstances in which people like Jurrah emerge from.

I never suggested that at all. My comment was in response to another post that highlighted very general attributes applied to indigenous people coming into a new social/cultural environment would be no different to any group of persons moving into a new environment. FWIW, in the general community and sometimes on this site there is too much stereotype of aboringinals and Torres Strait islander which is as obnoxious as any deliberate slurring of people of other cultures.

I respect your experience amongst the aboriginal peoples in the NT and you make some good points about the impact of Jurrah on his community. Its great stuff and a wonderful story. However, you're making inferences and drawing conclusions about my views and understanding of these matters which are, at best, uninformed, untrue and completely off the mark. You should be more careful not to misuse your undoubted experience and involvement with these communities in making such assumed judgements and allegations in the future.

[rpfc 27,633]

I think you're both talking past each other.

RR is basically saying that bucketloads of money shouldn't be required to help acclimitise players to Melbourne.

And the fork seems to be saying that the culture difference is one that should be respected, as it will affect these kids more than draftees from Brisbane or...Oakleigh.

Frankly, I think you're both right. Other than a few plane flights home, what has to be bought to settle anyone? (Outside of a home, and...groceries?) And the difference in culture will be a shock and a support network needs to be in place, which I am sure the club has thought about.

[Tim 2,922]

Heard interesting piece involving him overnight on, of all places, Radio National ("Indian Pacific" program on www.radioaustralia.net.au).

Said that he was moving to Melbourne with his parents and girlfriend, I seem to recall - I was half asleep at the time. Would seem to bode well for settling in to such a different environment to that of Central Australia.

[Nasher 33,166]

My hope is the Club does not have to do this as firstly it cant afford it and secondly the connotation is that having to spend buckets means there are serious side issues.

By resources, I didn't specifically mean cash btw. There's plenty of other ways of offering support that don't cost any money.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

By resources, I didn't specifically mean cash btw. There's plenty of other ways of offering support that don't cost any money.

I agree and the appropriate support should be given wherever possible.

[s-t-i-n-g-a 439]

If I can get back on to Jurrah the footballer for a moment my mate that played with him at Nightcliff also said that in one passage of play he was in the forward line with the ball coming in.

There is a pack which he was at the back of. From a standing start he ended up on an opponents back to take a hanger.

Must have some vertical leap....