Thought I'd leave it a few days before I posted anything just to make sure I didn't say anything in the heat of the moment given how upset I was Sunday arvo... Since then though have had to read two articles from two players saying they didn't like getting booed to much. Well to those two players I say this - At least those who hang around to boo still cared enough to be there. My family in Victoria went and left at 3/4 time - something that has never happened no matter what. Im in Perth and I wont be bothering to go this week. That, Jones and McDonald is worse than being booed. This team has finally managed to get 3 generations of one family to just stop caring. You want us to turn up and stick around to the end then YOU BASTEDS TURN UP AND STICK AROUND TO THE END.

Could not agree more. I still believe the players get away with putting in insipid performances because the entire Melbourne faithful have only just started singing from the same page. Do not want to see the players clapped off again after any more bad performances. I am not sure that It would happen at any other AFL club in Victoria.

The only reason I hung around until the end was so that my boy could have a kick on the 'G. I don't fancy 'forcing' my child to follow a team that will not be competitive.

Don't like the boos? Easily fixed. Don't play like like a country reserves side that all have gastro.

Do you have any direct quotes, Grint? Was the tone of what they were saying something like "I can't believe our own supporters booed us", or was it more like "I'm so embarrassed that the calibre of our play was so sickeningly rancid that booing was the appropriate response from a group of supporters who for some reason stuck around to watch us defile the Melbourne guernsey during a precious Sunday afternoon"?

Thought I'd leave it a few days before I posted anything just to make sure I didn't say anything in the heat of the moment given how upset I was Sunday arvo... Since then though have had to read two articles from two players saying they didn't like getting booed to much. Well to those two players I say this - At least those who hang around to boo still cared enough to be there. My family in Victoria went and left at 3/4 time - something that has never happened no matter what. Im in Perth and I wont be bothering to go this week. That, Jones and McDonald is worse than being booed. This team has finally managed to get 3 generations of one family to just stop caring. You want us to turn up and stick around to the end then YOU BASTEDS TURN UP AND STICK AROUND TO THE END.

Which articles were those?

I only remember seeing this one: 'Tom McDonald says Demons deserved boos after AFL loss to Giants'.

don't like booing? Play like you care about the club, cause we [censored] do, and we PAY for it, not GET paid for it.
Skills may come natural, but trying and giving a damn; anyone can do.

Both McDonald and Jones said they understood the boos.

Another Demonland post twisting things for it's own agenda. Ugh.

Yep...they didn't complain whatsoever. Neither did Gawn. His interview is on the melbourne website

Hey what do you guys think about Jack Watts shaking his head while they were getting booed just before they left the ground. Was it out of remorse? Or....?

Oh and you can watch the replay on afl 360 on the melbourne website. It's like half way through

Edited August 20, 201411 yr by Moneider96

Thought I'd leave it a few days before I posted anything just to make sure I didn't say anything in the heat of the moment given how upset I was Sunday arvo... Since then though have had to read two articles from two players saying they didn't like getting booed to much. Well to those two players I say this - At least those who hang around to boo still cared enough to be there. My family in Victoria went and left at 3/4 time - something that has never happened no matter what. Im in Perth and I wont be bothering to go this week. That, Jones and McDonald is worse than being booed. This team has finally managed to get 3 generations of one family to just stop caring. You want us to turn up and stick around to the end then YOU BASTEDS TURN UP AND STICK AROUND TO THE END.

“Hopefully we make a response against West Coast – we have to for the supporters, and we were all very, very disappointed and embarrassed in the way the game went out.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-08-20/home-truths-aired-at-review-gawn

McDonald said the Demons “deserved to be booed” by their own supporters and added that “if we keep playing like that, we’ll get booed again and again”.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-08-18/lack-of-fight-hurt-mcdonald

“To walk off the ground with the reception we’ve got, the boys are pretty shattered and pretty disappointed and that’s the main thing that hit home – letting a lot of our supporters down.”

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-08-18/were-yet-to-find-answers-jones

I'm not sticking up for the players at all, but that's a rubbish post not based in reality.

Love Gawns attitude. Looks like he lives and breaths the club. My favourite at the moment.

Ye same with me Chook. Plus he reminds me of Hamish Blake

Il get angry, frustrated, swear and continue to support. One thing il never do is boo my team off. I dont have that in me.

I can really understand why most supporters would though. That performance was insipid and disgraceful.

Edited August 20, 201411 yr by dazzledavey36

booing on a sunday is very poor etiquette

I honestly believe that if Collingwood supporters had dealt with what we've dealt with these past eight years, there would have been at least one murder directly attributable to the players' performance (possibly a murder of a player).

I recall a comment of Len Thompson then a Collingwood player at the hairdresser in Collingwood who said that if Collingwood were beaten and he hadn't played well he would be spat on by Collingwood supporters who saw him in the street until the next match

Made you play pretty well he said

booing on a sunday is very poor etiquette

So that's it. The players are refusing to work on religious grounds.

Il get angry, frustrated, swear and continue to support. One thing il never do is boo my team off. I dont have that in me.

I can really understand why most supporters would though. That performance was insipid and disgraceful.

I was gonna post the same thing, I don't think I could boo my own team, I actually felt sorry for the players as I was leaving at 3/4 time. Having said that though I can completely understand those who do its just a sense of helplessness, frustration and anger.

I was actually getting a bit philosophical about it - what does it mean to be a "supporter"? Do you support no matter what, clap the players off even when they throw up [censored] like Sunday to show them your support through thick and thin? Or does that just reinforce the soft mentality of the club? Should we be demanding higher standards even if that is through public humiliation and anger directed towards our own players? How can you boo them one minute/week/year and cheer them the next?

I don't necessarily think there's a right answer but as I said I did feel sorry for the players regardless how angry/stupefied I was at their performance. I would yell out at them though so maybe I just show my disgust in a different way - although I wouldn't yell at them walking off the ground/once the siren goes only during the actual game.

Edited August 20, 201411 yr by Dr. Gonzo

I don't particularly like the booing but understand the frustration completely.

What I'm really sick to death of though is the players apologising to supporters, how many times over the last 3 years have we had to cop this.

Poor old Nathan Jones, he's really the only one with credibility to come out and apologise. Don't do it any more mate, tell your team we don't want to hear it, we just want to see actions.

Unfortunately I don't think a lot of them are good enough to do a whole lot better.

So that's it. The players are refusing to work on religious grounds.

It is also the red and blue jumper.

They only play well in the white one.

Seriously if you pays your money to be a member you get the right to voice your disapproval.

Clubs expect members to be passionate about their team well guess what passion is a two edge sword.

It cuts both ways

It is also the red and blue jumper.

They only play well in the white one.

Seriously if you pays your money to be a member you get the right to voice your disapproval.

Clubs expect members to be passionate about their team well guess what passion is a two edge sword.

It cuts both ways

Too true OD - we only (verbally) abuse them because we love them.

OD I actually noticed that!! We only play good with the white jumper...apart from the Richmond game...soo true

As I wrote in the post-match thread, I booed at 3/4 time and I only stayed to the end so I could boo them again.

It's just another form of expression; as Gonzo says, we all yell or sigh or shake our heads at various stages of the game.

Individually, shouts and remarks can't be heard, so booing is pretty much the only way we can collectively communicate our displeasure.

I like the anonymity of it - I would never lean over the fence and do it as the players are walking off, I think that personalises it.

edit: I've been going to the footy for more than 30 years and I can only ever recall it happening twice - last week, and in round 1 against Port Adelaide last year IIRC.

I don't like the idea of booing your own team.

Remember, you're booing the guys who gave their guts(eg N Jones), as well as the ones you thought didn't try.

You're booing the jumper and the club in general.

Do booers really think the players will try harder next week because they boo them as they come off the field?

I reckon it's best just to shut up.

Absolute silence as they leave the field is enough.