Maxwell cleared

[JK]

I suspect most mothers would prefer their kids played Soccer anyway...

I often have a bit of a chuckle when I hear comments from the media about mothers not wanting their sons to play football.

I wonder to myself just how many boys have not played football because mum didn't want them to. And of the very small number who didn't, where were the fathers when this decision was being made?

I realise times have changed since I was a kid, but whatever sport I elected to play was my decision, and my parents supported that decision because they would rather see me out enjoying a healthy pastime than sitting on my arse in the mall smoking cigarettes.

I used to come home with all sorts of cuts, bruises and injuries, but never once was there a suggestion from my parents that I shouldn't play ... possibly because I accepted it as part of the game.

Footy's probably not a great environment for "mummy's boys" anyway, so it's possibly best if they not play, but these mum's really need to consider that football has never been a safer sport to play than it is right now.

Well said mate, my upbringing was just the same ... If anything my old man tried to pass on a few tips about getting in first on the field lol.

My cousin, who's husband is deceased, won't allow her lad to play footy even though he enjoyed it and showed ability ... I think he's probably made the transition to soccer by now and will no doubt never look back ... I was pretty saddened when I heard of this stance.

[Punk Rooster]

like I needed any more ammunition to hate Cornes/Glenelg Jimmy_041....

[Jimmy_041]

I still live by the saying: Your version, my version, and the truth.............

[ORDoubleBlues]

Maybe it didn't deserve a suspension but a Melbourne journalist said in the paper that "Maxwell was going for the ball"

He must have very poor eyesight.

[Psyber]

I suspect most mothers would prefer their kids played Soccer anyway...

I often have a bit of a chuckle when I hear comments from the media about mothers not wanting their sons to play football.
I wonder to myself just how many boys have not played football because mum didn't want them to. And of the very small number who didn't, where were the fathers when this decision was being made?.

I'm not sure what mothers might prefer has made a lot of difference so far, but I wonder whether it may in the longer term, as it seems to have some effect at primary school level, and Soccer is growing fast.
My mother worried when I decided to take up Hockey, because she saw that as a dangerous game, and I think football would have worried her less.
My father had played football and cricket for Moonta, but had dropped all but passing interest in all sport when he developed severe asthma and could no longer play, so he took no part in my decision.

What influenced me not to play football was seeing Wally Miller come down with "Polio" immediately after Don Lindner's flying knees landed in his back, and John Moody lose a kidney in his one match for Norwood. Then there was Neil Kerley's elbow to, I think it was, Denis Modra's face, and Brian Bowe's caved in eye socket.

The final straw was seeing a future Port Adelaide player I went to high school with break another kids leg, not entirely accidentally, in an under 15 inter-school match - a karate style chop to the thigh while the leg was across his own as they fell. [I think he meant to incapacitate the player, but not necessarily break the femur.]