Mike Sheahan vs Port Adelaide Power

[Blue Boy]

Punish Port in draft
Comment by Mike Sheahan
June 6, 2006

IF the altercation at Adelaide Airport on Saturday afternoon had occurred in a pub late at night, every observer would have said a loudmouth got his comeuppance.

Calling a bloke a d***head without provocation is aggressive; accepting an invitation to repeat it face to face is stupidly aggressive or just stupid. It's a case of the latter when the target of the abuse is an elite sportsman: 27, 199cm and the best part of 100kg.

Dean Brogan's problem is his tormentor wasn't in a pub late at night, he was at an airport in the middle of the day.

The Port Adelaide ruckman made a poor decision when he planted one bang on the nose of antagonist Dale Mortimer, drawing both blood and national media attention.

As much as we sympathise with Brogan, he is in trouble, apart from what results in the civil jurisdiction.

He was representing Port Adelaide, the AFL and football at the time, in a time when there is increasing focus on, and cynicism about, the off-field behaviour of sportsmen.

The AFL must get involved this time. It has to send an explicit message to players and officials that they have responsibilities.

Responsibilities greater than those facing the rest of us, for they are public figures whose misdemeanours embarrass both themselves and the game.

The more times bozos read about players (and coaches) reacting to taunts, the more the players are going to be taunted.
Sad but true.
What if a similar situation were to occur at another airport next weekend and the troublemaker has fists to match his mouth?

What if the next Brogan has his nose broken on the eve of an important game?

Worse, what if a footballer snots a bloke who calls him a d***head and the bloke lands on his head and dies?

The David Hookes case is a tragic reminder of what can go wrong when ego overpowers common sense.

The AFL is awaiting the outcome of police inquiries before deciding what action, if any, to take in the Brogan case. It seems certain to get involved, as it did after off-field misdemeanours involving former Adelaide star Tony Modra and former Carlton premiership player Fraser Brown in 1994.

The most likely penalty for Brogan, if the allegation is substantiated, is a suspension of one to two games.

After all, he would have copped up to three games for a similar indiscretion during a game. Then again, he would have been too disciplined to do such a thing on the field.

Which raises another possibility for the AFL: punish the club. Deny Port an early selection in the next national draft.

Footballers are superbly disciplined on the field because they know any lapses will adversely impact on the team; they will respond similarly off the field if they know they will incur the wrath of the club for any breaches.

Port's response that Brogan's behaviour was "disappointing" wasn't good enough and should convince the AFL that clubs can't be left to sanction their own.

[Blue Boy]

Mike Sheahan

This bloke should be ashamed about writing such rubbish.

There have been many examples of lets say anti social behaviour in the last couple of years and he singles out this one.

What the !!!!!

[Booney]

Clearly an "A" class knob that Sheahan.Lives in his little Victorian bubble,the sooner some one informs him there is a world out there the better.

[JK]

I don't mind hearing Mike Sheehans views, whether I agree with him or not ... Unless there is already a rule in place which gives the AFL the power to penalise a club in such a manner, then surely this will not (and should not) happen.

[Wedgie]

I don't mind most of Sheehan's stuff and I dislike the Power immenseley but this piece of crap he's written has to be a joke surely??

[Maddogmike]

I can see where Sheehan is going. I despise him from when he was on Talking Footy.
I love Wayne Carey as a Footballer - But his indiscretion wasn't met with any sanction, except he hid away for a year out of the game. I know difference is, what he did was not illegal, and what Brogan did is.
It is true, what if the boy had fallen backwards, hit his head and died. Brogan is as dumb as the bloke who sledged him and quite frankly I reckon he should wear any punishment on his oversized Roger Ramjet chin!!!

[dinglinga]

so with this theory mike has


does st kilda be punished for the alledged rapists on their team
does melbourne carry the penalty for byron pickett
does hawthorn get penalised for mark williams driving without license
does richmond get done for players drink driving


are the vic journos desperate for a victorian premiership side.

does fremantle lose points for jeff farmer beating his partner up
does west coast give every side a 50 point start because of cousins running away from the 2 centers and michael gardiner inside info


MIKE SHEEHAN

go see rex and pay for a hooker cos ur views r like a hooker ...CHEAP!!!!!!

[Maddogmike]

The St Kilda Rape charges were never carried forward.
There is no point in going through each of these "public" issues.

What I am trying to get across as my opinion, and possibly not that of anyone else, is that If AFL footballers, or professional sportspeople in general DO NOT like being a role model, then simply don't be a professional. If you are a professional, then be prepared to wear the consquences for doing the things that are "illegal"

What are you on about - Hawthorn wearing punishment for Williams diving without a license? And Richmond Getting done for players DUI?
Their clubs will probably feel the brunt of the Sponsors (withdrawing their money), but the player should get dealt with by the police 1 and then cop it from the club as well. It is a business. If a policeman is done for drink driving, it is a case that they can be dismissed from their job, by their employer, and they will more than likely also have to face court like anybody else.

I dont think you understand my point.

[GWW]

Sheehan's comment/suggestion doesnt deserve discussion, its just absurd. The guy has just lost any credibility he may previously have had.

[Rik E Boy]

so with this theory mike has


does st kilda be punished for the alledged rapists on their team
does melbourne carry the penalty for byron pickett
does hawthorn get penalised for mark williams driving without license
does richmond get done for players drink driving


are the vic journos desperate for a victorian premiership side.

does fremantle lose points for jeff farmer beating his partner up
does west coast give every side a 50 point start because of cousins running away from the 2 centers and michael gardiner inside info


MIKE SHEEHAN

go see rex and pay for a hooker cos ur views r like a hooker ...CHEAP!!!!!!

OTM dinga.

regards,

REB

[Blue Boy]

so with this theory mike has

MIKE SHEEHAN

go see rex and pay for a hooker cos ur views r like a hooker ...CHEAP!!!!!!

Well put Dinga !!!

[doggies4eva]

Agree with you MaddogMike

[MightyEagles]

I agree with points that Sheehan wrote. For example - Brogan was representing the Port Adelaide Football Club and football in general, he was going to Melbourne for a game of footy. I'm not standing up for Mike or that guy, just saying that he has some good points.

[Macca19]

Port Adelaide is an easy target to pick on as we have bugger all supporters in Melbourne that will ring up talk back radio and complain about it, so Mike can get away with hypocritically singling Brogan out.

He never said it when David Neitz took on 5 bouncers at Crown, or when Winnie Abraham got into a brawl at the Crown, or when Ben Cousins or Quenton Lynch ran from the cops, or the regular Victorian players that are endangering lives by being caught over the limit, or when Cameron Cloke was caught driving 140km in an 80 zone, or when Brodie Holland punched a female over a taxi ride. Why? Because he wouldnt be able to get away with it.

Probably the worst article ive ever read.

[Magpiespower]

But she wasn't a hooker?

Rex only paid her because she needed the money for other things.

Disappointed that you would all cast aspersions on Rex's character.

[ORDoubleBlues]

Interesting comments regarding that it would be easier to write about interstate players/clubs than Melbourne clubs for Sheahan.
I'm sure Sheahan has written many hard hitting articles over the years about Melbourne based players but you'd hope he's been writing about it this year given that he's had plenty to write about.

[Barto]

If they really want to punish Port Power, make them sign Choco for another 10 years.

[twosheds]

MadDog Mike ( are you Mike sheahan)
Apart from the St. Kilda scenario the other issues are on a par with the Brogan incident yet you dismiss them Why?? He has been dealt with by the club, the police are investigating therefore he is wearing the consequences of his actions. I think most people agree that Dale the dunce is an idiot and what Brogan did was stupid but Mike Sheahan is just trying to sell a few more papers nothing more nothing less.