Unofficial Richmond Cheer Squad

[Kiss of Death 708]

Yep, they bring the feral in. Plenty of racist comments about LJ. Dunny's a girls name, beer flowing freely, no interest in the score, they're there every game. If it was just chants and support I'd be all for it but they do try and antagonize the opposition. I was literally in amongst them with tiger supporting mates and geez, Riewoldt is untouchable (but Nason is fair game apparently) and I'd recommend against singing the club song. When it turned into 4-5 ferals picking me I admit I toned it down. I hope they guy who was criticizing Dees fans for needing Jimma dead before giving a ***t about the club rots in he'll though, what a disgrace he was, and that was before the first bounce!

They cannibalize, pick a sport, they adapt the chant. Super ben, super Benny cousins, please. I almost joined in thinking we were singing about Timmy Cahill at a world football match! If it wasn't so drunkenly aggressive it would be great though!

Am really looking forwards to sitting down with the cheer squad next week and being in full flight, it's just not right going home after the footy with your voice still present. Go Dees!

[agent_orange 0]

this group of tigers supporters have been going to every tigers game for the past 15 years. they stand in the same spot every week, sing the same crap every week and as paying entrants to the ground, i would have thought were entitled to do as they please. harden people, its the footy, not church

Thought they came across as try hard losers. Quite embarrassing really.

[Bhima 0]

I guess the question that I was asking myself after the game was whether or not there is room for this type of mindless behaviour anymore? I have no issue with groups of people gathering to support their team and making heaps of noise - just not lowest common denominator mob mentality.

Although people pay their entry and have freedom to speak, does freedom of speech permit racist sentiment and abusive language? Does it allow the license to verbally and physically intimidate unassuming supporters of rival clubs? No, it doesn't, it gives us the right to be responsible without anyone telling us how to behave.

From a purely economic perspective, the AFL is losing revenue from those supporters who are not currently paying to go to games because they worry about unruly crowds. Just because they have been turning up for 15 years doesn't mean they have a continued right to do so.

It just felt to me that the game has moved on, for the better, from this kind of stuff. I suppose it was the look of glee on the faces of the 15 year old boys in that cheer squad that made me cringe.

Then again, maybe it all sounds a bit precious, no worries, we can all harden up a bit - but we also need to speak up when see and hear things that we believe are not acceptable.

Cheers.

[M_9 1,829]

There's quite a large group of Hawthorn supporters who gather in the M10 standing area.

They have huge number of 'soccer-style' or Barmy Army chants that they blare out virtually non-stop.

They are not funny, amusing, or witty. Just plain stupid.

It's amusing to watch some of the ringleaders as they spend the greater part of the afternoon with their back to the match 'conducting' their mates.

[agent_orange 0]

I guess the question that I was asking myself after the game was whether or not there is room for this type of mindless behaviour anymore? I have no issue with groups of people gathering to support their team and making heaps of noise - just not lowest common denominator mob mentality.

Although people pay their entry and have freedom to speak, does freedom of speech permit racist sentiment and abusive language? Does it allow the license to verbally and physically intimidate unassuming supporters of rival clubs? No, it doesn't, it gives us the right to be responsible without anyone telling us how to behave.

From a purely economic perspective, the AFL is losing revenue from those supporters who are not currently paying to go to games because they worry about unruly crowds. Just because they have been turning up for 15 years doesn't mean they have a continued right to do so.

It just felt to me that the game has moved on, for the better, from this kind of stuff. I suppose it was the look of glee on the faces of the 15 year old boys in that cheer squad that made me cringe.

Then again, maybe it all sounds a bit precious, no worries, we can all harden up a bit - but we also need to speak up when see and hear things that we believe are not acceptable.

Cheers.

Shouldn't they have been kicked out? Did anyone complain? Was there any police in the vicinity. I am sure if I stood up and started yelling racial abuse, I'd be out the stadium.

Cops and security probably would rather hide than deal with a mob.

Still, I imagine most were just a few bogans filling the empty unemplyed life with some meaning.

[Binmans PA 26,735]

One of the benefits of supporting the Demons is that I can usually always get a seat behind the goals in the Great Southern Stand.

On Sunday, me and my three brothers found a great spot and were eagerly anticipating a good game on a sunlit sunday afternoon, especially as my eldest brother is a Richmond supporter and was pretty confident of a win. Before the opening bounce we began to hear a horrible din emerging from the standing area in M2, and looking behind us saw a large mob of Tigers supporters squashed together, chanting in the fashion of an English Premier League match.

I need to say that I go to the footy to shout and cheer and lose myself in the glory that is the AFL. These Richmond supporters however had a bunch of anthems that they continued to chant throughout the match that was lacking in any degree of humour, wit or intelligence - or what I take to be the spirit of Aussie Rules. They came up with champagne lines such as 'bulls..t, bulls..t, bulls..t' (in response to umpiring decisions), or 'sit down, shut up, sit down, shut up' (in response to demons fans standing up to argue for an unpaid free kick). The problem was that it had the effect of generating a real atmosphere of animosity and aggression in the crowd around them.

It wasn't long before richmond and melbourne supporters began arguing with each other in the seats in front of me, and then later a fight broke out in the last quarter which took everyone's attention off the fact that the demons had finally broken the shackles and were dominating the game. In a spontaneous moment, the melbourne faithful stood and turned to sing the club song to the unofficial richmond cheer squad, who responded by singing the richmond song even when the game was long lost for the Tigers. My elder brother was ashamed by the supporters and said that it had ruined the day for him, and I also saw other Tiger supporters taking off their scarves in disgust. The noise pollution had the effect of totally distracting me from events on the field by the end of the day, try as I might to shut it out.

Having been to nearly every game this year, I have loved the atmosphere, and have occasionally brought my girlfriend in a poorly disguised attempt to woo her to the sport of AFL. She would have left early yesterday. This type of soccer hooligan style support has no place in the AFL, and it will not enamour the women and children who make up over 50% of AFL supporters to the game. I might be sounding a bit soft and conservative, but I can't remember anything like this mob who were there for an ugly spectacle, not for the good of the game.

Just wondering if anyone else was put off yesterday. I think at the least they should go and sing their inane mantras behind their own cheer squad.

Go Dees!

It looked awesome to me. Admittedly I sat in the MCC, but at one stage during the last quarter, seeing and hearing all those MFC supporters turn around and singing towards them was awesome. Personally, I think we need more of that. All this anti-social texting [censored] is encouraging a lack of atmosphere. You need idiots and personally antagonism (as long as it doesn't lead to physical violence) is fine. It adds to the spectacle. You want to win even more and shove it in their faces.

[H_T 2,941]

Yep. This is why I ALWAYS go right up to the nosebleed section. Usually in the Olympic stand through Gate 3, and on a pocket. You get away from the nuff nuffs, It's pleasant, comfortable. You see EVERYTHING. The only reason to go the bottom levels is atmosphere... and more than half the time the atmosphere is that of drunken lunatics.

Give me Q51 any day. Even in finals.

Yeah. Nah. They look like little ants running around from up there.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

It looked awesome to me. Admittedly I sat in the MCC, but at one stage during the last quarter, seeing and hearing all those MFC supporters turn around and singing towards them was awesome. Personally, I think we need more of that. All this anti-social texting [censored] is encouraging a lack of atmosphere. You need idiots and personally antagonism (as long as it doesn't lead to physical violence) is fine. It adds to the spectacle. You want to win even more and shove it in their faces.

And what about when you take your kids to the footy. Is a bunch of loud and foul mouthed, drunken yobbos acceptable then? Sure, enjoy your footy, support you club with everything you have. Be passionate, but have some respect.............. it costs nothing.

[titan_uranus 23,238]

I could hear them from the MCC. Especially when the two groups were singing the songs.

What's worse is after a loss to the Tigers, if you have to walk out of the Southern Stand in that area, which I've done before. They all perch over ledges and staircases hurling insults and generally being boorish.

[H_T 2,941]

What's worse is after a loss to the Tigers, if you have to walk out of the Southern Stand in that area, which I've done before. They all perch over ledges and staircases hurling insults and generally being boorish.

I've heard they are that way inclined at the breakfast table.