Fitz Fitzpatrick

i was referring the zones as being negative changes. It just isn't footy. Perhaps set starting positions and maybe at each stoppage there must be no more than 4 from each side with in a set distance from the ball up. ?

Yes DC I'm a strong adocate of restricting interchange. Have been for years to be honest. It may come down to a series of changes

TU, most blokes in amateur country footy can hit a target at 20m by foot. No way anyone in the AFL system can't kick it someone form 20m. I could do it as a teenager and I'm not particularly skillful. The point was in reference to dawes grubber kicks under little pressure and other skied kicks.

with all the ideas being considered for reducing congestion and defensive play perhaps the best philosophy won't be one which restricts coaches options but instead a philosophy to discourage coaches from ultra defensive mindsets. What if the percentage on the ladder was removed and the weighting to ladder position was purely premiership points and then 'points For."? Perhaps it might be a case of coaches backing themselves in to in more games by being defensive and therefore the points for wouldn't be an issue of them but i do believe the AFL should be looking at ideas to encourage coaches in to offensive mindset rather than negative rules to restrict options.

5 years time?!! The show will be called 'Dig up Mike' by then

I get the feeling Toumpas has played his last game for the club. I believe he will be traded out at years end and it doesn't seem like the FD have much patience with him in the seniors this season. How did he go in the VFL?

No skuit. Im not. hence i wouldn't boo and if the media and AFL came at it from that angle it would be much more productive and beneficial.

I support everyones right to be able to express themselves without fear of being labelled racist. I said earlier I believe any undertones of racism in the crowd should definitely be stopped by other patrons and security, but if you want to boo at the footy then you should be able to without the media labelling you racist. Of course some of it is racist but its a minority. Most of it today is due to the media storm its created and everyone jumping in because they've been told they can't. Before that it was mostly due to an ordinary bloke getting political when to begin with his audience really didn't rate him as a good bloke. Are they right or wrong who knows. But this isn't all about race.

Some of it is definitely that. Its a response saying we don't give a [censored] about what color he but we are sick of being told what we can and can't think. I haven't and won't boo good Goodes - i can't be stuffed and i don't think its necessary but my whole stance on this has been in regards to the above point. To blanket all people as racist because the target is brown is just wrong and also a very worrying shift in society.

Blatant and repetitive diiving, sniping, faking injury. all those [censored] things nobody likes in our game. there are others but he has been a serial offender and like it or not, some people will jump on that. He's brought this on himself. like i said PR nightmare is Adam Goodes

Australian of the Year? OK

anyway I'm out. back to footy stuff

Actually the people protesting against reclaim australia are the fascists in this fight and unfortunately as they haven't lived in Islamic countries they aren't really aware of what they are actually protesting against but thats an issue for another forum

Some countries. No. Most countries Chris. In fact, I've now lived in 14 countries and travelled to over 70. its very hard to give examples of counter with better current race relations and impossible to name one country without racism. Lets work on getting better but lets not sell ourselves short

Michael Long was just as confronting in his stance and could be judged as even more courageous due to the perceptions in that era. He was heralded by most for his views and they were more confronting as it was directed at us the footy fans and players. The crowds embraced him. Well except the 2000 granny The difference is that Goodes just doesn't come across all that well. The footy public loved Michael Long. Goodes they never did. Great player though and hopefully he will be remembered for that. His step in to the political side has backfired on him a bit, not due to skin colour but to him as a person for whatever reason.

I agree hardtack. no winners in that at all. of course he dint know who'd said what and i still reckon if he had his time again he would wish it went down differently . and of course he shouldn't have to hear it anyway but he did and it did and it will be held against him

NO stuie he acts a prat on the field so some people hold it against him when he is in the political arena. Keep up mate

But i still ask, why if there is such a huge undercurrent of racism in our AFL crowds do we not hear a peep of it toward other players? Im not denying there is some racism and there will ALWAYS be racism but to say theres a huge problem out there is just false. Most people are pretty good, like i said earlier, compared to what I've witnessed in my travels we are angels!

Unfortunately the media and AFL stepping in has made it worse. It should be left to fans and security to enforce vilification rules if they hear verbal abuse.

yes the girl was in the wrong , we all agree, but gee the image of a 6'5 fully grown man pointing out a 13 year old girl in front of 50, 000 people is a PR nightmare that Goodes was always going to struggle with.

it just comes down to one point - if you're going to enter the political arena and you act like a prat then you are going to get crucified. Thats whats happened. Yes there are racists jumping on the bandwagon . No doubt . but i object to all being labelled as such

The stance he took in those two occasions is definitely related to it but if he was a solid citizen on the field the booing wouldn't have happened i believe. If fans liked the guy to begin with it would be 'look at this guy, he makes sense". instead it was more like ' that 'd8ckhead goodes is going on again'. peoples perception of him as a person is muddied by his on field exploits. So i agree the girl incident is likely one cause but its the fact he acts a prat is why some have pushed back against him. If eddie betts got up tomorrow and started speaking out I'm almost positive he wouldn't get the same attention. goodes is a PR managers nightmare.

I always wonder when people assume white australians feel uncomfortable about the aboriginal issue? i can't figure out why we are supposed to feel uncomfortable? aboriginal affairs is one of many issues in society that needs to be tackled but someone speaking out about it isn't going to make us uncomfortable. thats assumed white guilt but it doesn't really make sense. what happened 200 years ago was terrible but its happened for eternity and we weren't there. There are current issues as well but i don't feel 'uncomfortable'. that would be a sign of guilt and i have none of that. I don't have pity either as that would be condescending.

A more balanced view than the "if you boo Goodes you're a racist" narrative. No one here I believe would agree the racist boos are good but we all need to push back on this shift towards others telling us who we can and can't boo.

Domestic violence is rampant across the world as is racism. I have travelled extensively and this charge of racism gives me the shts. Yes there are racists here but Australia is one of the MOST tolerant societies I've been too. There is subtle undercurrents of racism as there is in every single society on earth. During my time in West Africa the racism by Arabs against Blacks was insane. It is a reality of humanity but lets not create this myth that its a huge problem in Australia. It exists and over time we are reducing it but we need to stop de legitimising the fight against racism with all this PC crap. Anyway back to the footy