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Robert Muir

Engorged Onion
in Melbourne Demons

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Often we dismiss poor behaviour as belonging to another era and blame the culture rather than the individual. 

The following quotes from the Muir article demonstrate that at least some people of the time had a conscience. 

Kudos to them. It means the rest spitting hatred and bile and racist tropes should feel ashamed of themselves. 

Alan Attwood of The Age:

The Collingwood cheer squad, and a large proportion of the Victoria Park crowd, [were] baiting and abusing in the lowest manner that wayward but undoubtedly talented player Robert Muir. That was maddening: victimisation of the most despicable kind. Even when the match was over, the cheer squad did not give up. It stood outside the St Kilda players' race abusing Muir. If only they could have seen themselves, like hyenas round a cornered prey. One wished for a firehose to be turned on them.

John Northey

The only prominent football identity who has ever strongly condemned the name (Mad Dog) is former AFL coach John Northey, who mentored Muir in Ballarat.

Ballarat Football Club:

By the time he was named captain of Ballarat Football Club's Under-18s side in 1971 . . .

Opposing fan:

His burden was common knowledge in Ballarat; in an extraordinary display of bipartisanship in a region known for its bitter football rivalries, a Golden Point fan wrote a letter to the editor of the Ballarat Courier when Muir was 16, decrying the "filth and abuse" he faced during games

The Truth:

Four years earlier, in the wake of the Victoria Park case, Melbourne tabloid The Truth ran an unsubtle headline that captured the attention of everyone in football: MUIR HATE CAMPAIGN.

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    21 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

    A very gracious and heartfelt response by Muir to St Kilda's reaching out and to the support he has received from so many.

    i-ve-been-overwhelmed-healing-begins-for-robert-muir-saints-make-contact

    It's incredible to see the effect that this had on the wider community and is a good reminder that most people do have a generous side and a willingness to help out when it's needed even despite what we are currently going through. I myself wanted to chuck in a donation his but by the time I went to the Go Fund Me page it had been closed!

    Fantastic story, and I was really glad to see Matt Finnis stepping up on a personal level in St Kilda's apology, it helps much more when there is a name put to these things rather than general press statements. 

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    A couple of passionate St Kilda supporting friends of mine have always stated that Muir was the best St Kilda player they have ever seen. And they've seen Tony Lockett, Daryl Baldock, Ian Stewart, Nick Reiwoldt, Lenny Hayes and Nicky Winmar. That's high praise for his footballing talent indeed. It's a pity for all of us that we didn't see more of his pure football skills.

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    •  

    I was born in 77 so missed his career but sadly just remember him from that VFL videos I think it was called Biffs, Bumps and Brawlers. I can’t believe I used to like that stuff but sadder he has more memory for some in that guise than as a gun footy player and as a person. 
     

    Best of luck to him and the Saints getting around him. 

    Edited by Cards13

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