1980 Tassie Medalist wrote:Why is it that when an player hits a bloke and he is on the opposition he is a "dirty cheating sniper/bludger/"thug"/animal/low life/ (inset any appropriate term)"
But when they play for your club they are "misunderstod/provoked/good bloke once you get to know them/recommended for a knighthood/ (inset any appropriate term)".
No wonder the most common respeonse in the budget player profiles category "pet hates" is fickle supporters....
Quite simple really, footy is an emotiaonal game with fierce loyalties.
The same reason people who get transporting drugs are described by their families as top people who are misunderstood.
I wouldn't describe that as fickle, probably the opposite, I tend to think of the fickle supporter described by players as a pet hate as the supporter who cheers and tells the footy players how great they are after a win but are the first to boo and abuse the same players if they lose.
Personally I can think of two thug acts by North Adelaide players that I would have been ropable if it was the other way around, ironically both against Westies players who have been trying to drag us into fights to put us off our games for the last 20 years!
1st at Richmond Oval when Steven Riley broke Roger Luders jaw
2nd in 1991 GF when Steven Sims (must be something about Steven's) hit Matthew Simpson from behind in the old scoreboard pocket, I was at the top of the councourse near the scoreboard and heard the thud as clear as if it were next to me, it was quite sickening. Having said that if Westies hadn't tried to put Darel Hart off his game by illegally roughing up prior it would have never happened.
I actually saw worse things happen in C Grade Southern League in the 5 years I played than in the 30 years I've been watching SANFL.