Colin in the news

[dees189227 11,016]

Well actually he wasnt really allowed to be drunk when he had to front up to an international rules training sessions today. Yes I know this year it hasnt been as big as other years and some dont take it seriously but he still had a committment and he coulfnt fuflfil it.

Wont Greg Denham have a field day with this on SEN during the week. Just more ammo for him to have another crack at us.

[Lutz 76]

It was HIS car... of course he had an obligation to remain at the scene... like it or not, the fact that he allowed this other person to be driving his car made it his responsibility.

Disagree.

Considering he was not at fault, the prudent thing to do is get the hell out of there before the media is buzzing around.

Or so it would have seemed at the time.

Colin had no legal obligation to stick around, so tried to avoid a media [censored] that was really inevitable in the end.

Can't blame him for that move in isolation.

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Fleeing the scene of an accident is prudent now? LOL i've heard it all now.. His car, his TAC/Vicroads insurance whatever it is under your registration will be paying for the new pole. If he wasn't the driver but it was his car and the driver fled who does the responsibility boil down to?

Take the deluded wool off your eyes. If he had of done the responsible thing all of this would be a non issue. Instead we have a contrast where once again Colin has come out a little tarnished.

Stop making excuses for him. Stop accepting a sub par level of behaviour. Jeezus christ, 26 and still acting like a child. Then there's kids like Grimes Watts and Trenners. Prime examples of model citizens. I'm just upset because I thought we wouldn't see this kind of crap from one of our guys after Moloney's shame last year (all be it THAT was overhyped)

We must expect better!!!

[Macca 16,173]

www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/melbourne-footy-star-colin-sylvia-questioned-over-south-melbourne-crash/story-fn7x8me2-1226174565855

Updated story

[Macca 16,173]

Sorry , my link didn't work - ah well , you blokes and ladies know where the little paper is .

[H_T 2,941]

Sorry , my link didn't work - ah well , you blokes and ladies know where the little paper is .

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/melbourne-footy-star-colin-sylvia-questioned-over-south-melbourne-crash/story-fn7x8me2-1226174565855

Well, at least this confirms he had been drinking. Unacceptable by any standard for one who had been selected to represent Australia.

Circus or no circus.

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

I have to say there seems to be a vast amount of speculation over a tiny part of the story. Does anyone know exactly what happened? There is a single line in the story indicating that he left the scene of the accident, but not why. Did he go to the nearest payphone? Did he run the rest of the way home and pretend to have never been there? Who knows? Certainly not anyone on this message board.

What we do know is that all accounts say that he was on his way home after spending the night elsewhere. None of them even hint that he had been out on the town all night and was just getting in. They also all agree that he was the passenger of the vehicle in question. We don't know why this is. It could be that he had been out drinking and didn't think he should drive. If so, we should be praising his common sense and pointing to it as the right example to set. Imagine if he'd been caught drink-driving instead. On the other hand, he could have been giving someone a driving lesson, or just letting a mate have a spin in his fancy sports car for the hell of it. We'll probably never know.

As I say, speculation abounds.

How about we all just take a deep breath, be grateful that one of our best players hasn't been hurt in what looks to have been a pretty nasty little crash, and give the guy the benefit of the doubt until we have some actual information to go on?

Edit: I see the HS is now saying he was drinking the night before.

Edited October 23, 2011 by RalphiusMaximus

[Lutz 76]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/melbourne-footy-star-colin-sylvia-questioned-over-south-melbourne-crash/story-fn7x8me2-1226174565855

Well, at least this confirms he had been drinking. Unacceptable by any standard for one who had been selected to represent Australia.

Circus or no circus.

Really? Cos from what I've experienced they all did in Ireland.

Don't know if it would be any different with the spotlight here.

The epitome of a storm in a teacup.

[H_T 2,941]

If you were on part of the coaching group of the Australian team or in this matter, the AFL. Would you think it's "water off a ducks back" the day before the training camp that one of your players had been on the turps and involved in a serious car accident ?

What would you do in the AFL's shoes Lutzy ? State to the media "It's a storm in a teacup people ! Whilst we don't condone drinking all hours of the night before IR training camp commencement, as well as being involved in quite a serious accident, we acknowledge the poor image it portrays, particularly to our most generous sponsors, despite this Colin Sylvia is free to play. We have no further comment to make regarding this insignifcant incident...move on people"

If you recall, the AFL wasn't exactly over the moon with what took place in Ireland. So they would want to improve on what has happened, not only on a National Scale viewpoint, but International image viewpoint as well.

Call it sensitive measures if you will, but given the damage to the image of the AFL over Brendan Fevola and the St.Kilda/Ricky Nixon saga last off-season. It's no wonder the AFL has been decisive in this matter.

And no matter what the consensus is out there regarding International Rules and it's importance (which it's clearly seen as a hit & giggle series by most sceptical AFL observers and followers), clearly the AFL don't consider it a circus and treat such matters as serious.

[Jordie_tackles 354]

Lol at 3 pages for this, Colin Sylvia cleared by police,

His punishment on Demonland is yet to be confirmed,

But it is looking like life haha

[H_T 2,941]

Lol at 3 pages for this, Colin Sylvia cleared by police,

His punishment on Demonland is yet to be confirmed,

But it is looking like life haha

Typical neglectful response.

He has been ruled out of IR. That's all.

[Jordie_tackles 354]

Typical neglectful response.

He has been ruled out of IR. That's all.

i understand the IR issue but there were 2 full pages of conjecture when my understanding was that he was innocent since 5pm, and drinking wasnt even involved until 12 which was at a house by the sounds of it... far from partying if still terrible preparation for IR training

[Rich Demon 5]

I thought police only had to be called if there was a person injured in a crash, no-one injured no police. Vicroads were there tending to their damaged pole.

[Luck Lucy 0]

Greg Denham should have an absolute field day on SEN pontificating on how disgusting it is for an AFL footballer to be a passenger in a vehicle at 6.45 am on a Sunday morning in October and how this heinous crime reflects the poor culture of the Melbourne Football Club which Jeff Kennett would have fixed up in five minutes flat.

[Whispering_Jack 28,094]

Greg Denham should have an absolute field day on SEN pontificating on how disgusting it is for an AFL footballer to be a passenger in a vehicle at 6.45 am on a Sunday morning in October and how this heinous crime reflects the poor culture of the Melbourne Football Club which Jeff Kennett would have fixed up in five minutes flat.

Ah yes ... and of course, the Hawthorn players all behaved like choir boys during Kennett's time at the club.

[nutbean 8,837]

Leopard never changes his spot.

Wonder what he was doing out at 6:45am?

I am out and about every morning at 6am ...hmmm

I'm figuring though that he hasnt 6 hours sleep beforehand like I have

[Still Waiting 94]

He will never mature and reach the full potential that he was actually born with.

Absolute potential gun/superstar who will be quickly forgotten when he retires.

No he has not committed murder, but he continues to to choose stupid options in life.

Could actually be another G Lyon, R Flower, J Stynes type but the chance of this happening is now nil.

Now off my favorites list purely for his atrocious life choices. Grow up Sylvia. Stop acting like a sneaky little 15 or 16 Y O schoolkid, ya muppet!

[Tony Tea 2,792]

The fact that Sylvia was involved in a crash at breakfast time makes him a cereal offender.

Boom. Tish. Thank you. I'll be here all week. Try the veal.

[hardtack 10,149]

i understand the IR issue but there were 2 full pages of conjecture when my understanding was that he was innocent since 5pm, and drinking wasnt even involved until 12 which was at a house by the sounds of it... far from partying if still terrible preparation for IR training

One big issue I think you will find come out of this is that he will have placed more doubt in the minds of those who matter at the MFC as to his ability to keep himself under control. You can be certain that the likes of Neeld and his assistants won't be thinking "ah, no problem, he was only up half the night getting [censored] in preparation for an International Rules game... good on the kid!". Regardless of what anyone here thinks of the IR series, the MFC will be viewing Colin as someone who has just let down his team by showing them little or no respect.

He may as well kiss goodbye to any chance of being promoted to the leadership group... ever.

[Tony Tea 2,792]

The good:

• Not hurt, despite what appears to have been a nasty stack;
  
• Not driving;
  
• No police charges.
  

The bad:

• Fled* the scene, even though it was his own car - would you flee? Why did Colin flee? And was he hoping the car would magically appear at the panel-beater?
  
• Drinking (possibly boozing, but how many drinks is unknown) the night before IR training;
  
• Attracted fire from the AFL;
  
• Put Melbourne in the news for the wrong reasons - again.
  
• Further consolidated his reputation as an Official AFL bad boy.
  
• Rampant speculation - like mine.
  

* "Fled" implies so much more than plain old "left". Bit of a surprise the media are yet to use it.

[mfcrox 143]

Honestly, I hope that this is the straw that breaks the camels back with him. I'm not going to haul him over the hot coals like some of you have... but I do hope he gets a bit of a kick in the bum for this (whether the club gives it to him, or he takes it upon himself to do so).

I dunno... I just have a feeling that this could be a big turn-around for him. Hopefully he has that Ben Cousins mentality (after a few of his 'adventures') of "Okay, I've stuffed up and now I have to absolutely work my arse off on the training track harder than ANYONE else at this club".

Potentially, Colin could be anything... he could be an All Australian, he could be a Brownlow Medalist, he could be an AFL MVP; yet, for some reason he doesn't produce his best often enough. Gary Ablett Jnr is a perfect example of someone who had the talent and never utilized it... and then he had a sit-down with the leadership group and coaches at the end of 2006 and had it laid out for him:

2002-2006

Games 100

Average Disposals: 15.2 (Highest Disposals in a game: 27)

Average Goals: 1.3

Average Marks: 2.6

Average Tackles: 3.5

2007-2011

112 Games

Average Disposals: 30.2 (Highest Disposals in a game: 46)

Average Goals: 1.3

Average Marks: 4.0

Average Tackles: 4.4

It's amazing what a good kick in the bum will do... gone from a good-average player, to arguably the best of all-time.

Colin, after 121 games of averaging 16.7 Disposals, 0.9 Goals, 4.9 Marks, and 3.3 Tackles, it is now your turn to leave your stamp on the competition and this club

Come on Colin... please do the same!

Edited October 23, 2011 by mfcrox

[PaulRB 6,041]

Colin has always reminded me of a character from Zoolander.

Young men on holidays drink and let their hair down with their mates.

Pious media and the zealots at AFL house need to get a life. This story is actually "Colin Sylvia, having realised he'd had too much to drink, asked a mate to drive him home. Unfortunately they hit a pole. Despite waiting at the scene for 1/2 hour for the police to arrive, Colin decided it was prudent to get to bed in preparation for his training session later in the day. The AFL commended him on not driving while drunk and the MFC stated that Colin was free to live it up during his holidays but that come 31 October stringent team rules would be in place...".

Edited October 23, 2011 by PaulRB

[John Crow Batty 8,306]

The good news is that it appears he may have been wearing his seat belt and not injured. Shame though, a bump on the head may have knocked some sense into him.

[Demons 32 235]

Haha classic Col B)

I am just happy he wasn't on twitter telling us about how he is cooking up some lemon chicken and vegetables.

[hardtack 10,149]

Colin has always reminded me of a character from Zoolander.

Young men on holidays drink and let their hair down with their mates.

Pious media and the zealots at AFL house need to get a life. This story is actually "Colin Sylvia, having realised he'd had too much to drink, asked a mate to drive him home. Unfortunately they hit a pole. Despite waiting at the scene for 1/2 hour for the police to arrive, Colin decided it was prudent to get to bed in preparation for his training session later in the day. The AFL commended him on not driving while drunk and the MFC stated that Colin was free to live it up during his holidays but that come 31 October stringent team rules would be in place...".

The fact is he was due to attend training for the IR matches that afternoon - why didn't he deem it to be prudent not to drink at all the night before??? He was NOT free to live it up at all! He screwed up and the fact that he is one of ours, does not excuse him at all.