I fully support the penalty on Baker. After the deplorable provocation by Scott Thompson of Barry Hall I attended an under 10s game between Hampton Rovers and the Oakleigh FC at Scammel Reserve. Oakleigh wear the Kangas colours. At that game there was a 9 year old defender elbowing his opponent in the back repeatedly with the ball no where in site in obvious mimicry of AFL taggers. His opponent was miserable - what could he do? Young players copy their AFL heroes. These are old fashioned notions but Baker, Thompson and others behaviour is not in the spirit of the game, it is unsportsmanlike, it sets a bad example for younger players, it gains an unfair advantage and it detracts from the quality and spectacle of the game.

Yeah fair enough. I agree on the points that it is an unfair advantage etc etc as there is no reciprocation available to the bloke getting the treatment, unless like Stevie J you are prepared to cop 4 weeks.

But I am not a fan of using kids etc to sanitise or which ever term you want to apply as being the reason. We would hate for parents to do their jobs properly and teach their own kids right from wrong.

I do understand it is reality for the most part but fair dinkum, what happened to the good old fashioned values of good parenting where you can sit them down and see this and make a point of how wrong it is.

Show these kids that Baker is unlikely to play football again this season.

But I am not a fan of using kids etc to sanitise or which ever term you want to apply as being the reason. We would hate for parents to do their jobs properly and teach their own kids right from wrong.

I do understand it is reality for the most part but fair dinkum, what happened to the good old fashioned values of good parenting where you can sit them down and see this and make a point of how wrong it is.

You obviously arent a parent to be speaking that way.

The level of exposure to AFL through all forms of media for children is massive. The level of detail and scrutiny in games means that every little detail and contact is exacerbated or maginified. Kids have no developed antenna to identify right from wrong and all the shades of it in between

Poseidon Burke's example is unfortunately not an isolated one. I am involved in the development of junior football teams and have done so for a number of years. In under 9s and under 10s players cannot tackle the ball carrier only bump in the side. Three bumps and its holding the ball. So essentially its minimal contact.

There have been a number of situations over the years where children playing a defender are repeatedly and consistently hitting, jabbing and grabbing their opponents even when the ball is no where near them. It gets to the extent even after warnings that if such behaviour were performed in the schoolyard it would be a good case of bullying. Where are they learning that from? I know a number of the coaches, assistant at some of these clubs and I am confident they would not instil such behaviour We have also experienced children who have before the bounce of the ball in the match or a quarter physically manhandled/decking their direct opponent without the slightest provocation. Where are they learning that from? Fortunately such incidents have not been caused by our kids because if they were, we would have no leniency for such behaviour and the child would be prevented from playing.

From time to time you do get the ugly parent at these events but they are more rare than the occurrence of these incidents. Its a real problem for junior football whats gets mimicked off the AFL. Both good stuff and bad stuff. And some of the bad stuff is hard to deprogramme when it comes from "role models" from kids.

Baker is the thin edge of the wedge. He deserves to go and its no surprise that when they showed footage at the tribunal of what he did that StK did not contest the charges. Its terrible stuff and he has been at it for years. But kids are not just watching Baker. He is a low profile thug. Kids are copying behaviours they are seeing repeatedly and consistently in AFL each week regardless of the club they follow.

The AFL were right to draw the line where they did. They just need to draw it carefully in a few other areas.

You obviously arent a parent to be speaking that way.

The level of exposure to AFL through all forms of media for children is massive. The level of detail and scrutiny in games means that every little detail and contact is exacerbated or maginified. Kids have no developed antenna to identify right from wrong and all the shades of it in between

Poseidon Burke's example is unfortunately not an isolated one. I am involved in the development of junior football teams and have done so for a number of years. In under 9s and under 10s players cannot tackle the ball carrier only bump in the side. Three bumps and its holding the ball. So essentially its minimal contact.

There have been a number of situations over the years where children playing a defender are repeatedly and consistently hitting, jabbing and grabbing their opponents even when the ball is no where near them. It gets to the extent even after warnings that if such behaviour were performed in the schoolyard it would be a good case of bullying. Where are they learning that from? I know a number of the coaches, assistant at some of these clubs and I am confident they would not instil such behaviour We have also experienced children who have before the bounce of the ball in the match or a quarter physically manhandled/decking their direct opponent without the slightest provocation. Where are they learning that from?

From time to time you do get the ugly parent at these events but they are more rare than the occurrence of these incidents. Its a real problem for junior football whats gets mimicked off the AFL. Both good stuff and bad stuff. And some of the bad stuff is hard to de programme when he comes from "role models"

Baker is the thin edge of the wedge. He deserves to go and its no surprise that when they showed footage at the tribunal of what he did that StK did not contest the charges. Its terrible stuff and he has been at it for years. But kids are not just watching Baker. He is a low profile thug. Kids are copying behaviours they are seeing repeatedly and consistently in AFL each week regardless of the club they follow.

The AFL were right to draw the line where they did. They just need to draw it carefully in a few other areas.

Rhino.....I would say obviously you are wrong but it can't be obvious to you the fact that I am a father to a 12 year old, a 2 year old and a 9 mth year old.

I know enough about what is going on out there.....I'm no Mike Brady that's for sure but still....

Baker crossed the line, no argument from me on that. Baker is an idiot.

But please give me a break on the kids line as it sounds like Mrs Lovejoy on The Simpsons "wont somebody please think of the children' tripe. But of course we live in a world that will continue to legislate for the majority due to the stupidity of the minority.

Rhino.....I would say obviously you are wrong but it can't be obvious to you the fact that I am a father to a 12 year old, a 2 year old and a 9 mth year old.

I know enough about what is going on out there.....I'm no Mike Brady that's for sure but still....

.......

But please give me a break on the kids line as it sounds like Mrs Lovejoy on The Simpsons "wont somebody please think of the children' tripe.

Your comments are surprising then. You should actually see what's happening at the grass roots of junior football rather than making misguided statements about "santising kids". And your last line is exactly that attitude of the minority that the association seeks to remove from the game. Sad because the kids deserve better guidance than that.

I'll remember not to mistaken you for the Mike Brady type. Good luck with the old fashioned values of parenting.

Your comments are surprising then. You should actually see what's happening at the grass roots of junior football rather than making misguided statements about "santising kids". And your last line is exactly that attitude of the minority that the association seeks to remove from the game. Sad because the kids deserve better guidance than that.

I'll remember not to mistaken you for the Mike Brady type. Good luck with the old fashioned values of parenting.

Mate, you don't need to sink too low. It is my opinion that is all.

Who's arguing that kids deserve guidance? Of course they do but it starts and ends at home.

Misguided? Why because I don't agree with your tripe and the fact there is a much more prevalent problem stemming from parents rather than what kids see on a football field?

Did you start smashing people from behind when Grinter floored Wallace? Are you that soft of mind?

I would like to think I can teach my kids right from wrong without having to rely on governments, rule makers, even worse sports people to do it for me.

If you think Bakers low act has that much of an effect on the kids, then what about the over exposed reporting of sports stars around incidents such as Milne, Lovett, Didak, Carey etc etc etc.

If you think Bakers act was on any sort of scale as some of those issues then you are quite welcome to those thoughts.

The worst part of this whole ordeal is that i have to listen to every commentator , talkback caller etc refer to Steve johnson as Stevie J

annoys the hell out of me

....

Well done on missing the point on a number of counts.

Like I said good luck and its good you are taking an active interest in your kids.

Unfortunately for a number of kids, what starts and ends at home is not always what they need to carry them through life. And as a consequence they draw direction solace, guidance or direction from the wrong outlets and influences.

Mate, you don't need to sink too low. It is my opinion that is all.

Who's arguing that kids deserve guidance? Of course they do but it starts and ends at home.

Misguided? Why because I don't agree with your tripe and the fact there is a much more prevalent problem stemming from parents rather than what kids see on a football field?

Did you start smashing people from behind when Grinter floored Wallace? Are you that soft of mind?

I would like to think I can teach my kids right from wrong without having to rely on governments, rule makers, even worse sports people to do it for me.

If you think Bakers low act has that much of an effect on the kids, then what about the over exposed reporting of sports stars around incidents such as Milne, Lovett, Didak, Carey etc etc etc.

If you think Bakers act was on any sort of scale as some of those issues then you are quite welcome to those thoughts.

It wouldnt hurt if the guidance to young people comes from parents and was backed up with good behaviour from AFL players. Thuggish, racist and misogynistic behaviour which no longer meets community standards has been deemed unacceptable to parents and the community and the AFL is right in seeking to model more appropriate behaviours.

It wouldnt hurt if the guidance to young people comes from parents and was backed up with good behaviour from AFL players. Thuggish, racist and misogynistic behaviour which no longer meets community standards has been deemed unacceptable to parents and the community and the AFL is right in seeking to model more appropriate behaviours.

Agree. Its as simple as that and its a reasonable expectation of the community on the AFL and other sporting bodies to commit to.