philhawk
3 Jun 2008, 11:01
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23801467-19742,00.html
Half-truths and crying wolf
Brett Stubbs | June 03, 2008 12:00am
Have your say!Add your comments or read what others are saying
Email article
Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Post to NewsVine Post to Facebook What are these?
Printer friendly
Text size+-
A FOOTBALL coach being upset with a story is part and parcel of the territory.
He has every right to disagree vigorously and defend his club, team, players and decisions.
But no journalist really enjoys getting chewed out in front of their peers in a public forum, and it is certainly not the norm among AFL coaches.
When Alastair Clarkson turned to me after Hawthorn's press conference, my first reaction was: "Is he talking to me?"
The piece in that day's Hobart Mercury and the Herald Sun was what I thought was a stock-standard football preview.
Hawthorn midfielder Jordan Lewis had missed the previous game with a corked thigh, so his fitness was to be closely watched, especially with the Hawks taking on the fast-running Bulldogs without Luke Hodge, Shane Crawford, Brent Guerra, Ben McGlynn and Stuart Dew.
When Lewis failed to participate in any drills after the first five minutes and fellow key onballer Brad Sewell left the track early - all under the eyes of the Dogs' assistant coaches in the stands - the story seemed obvious.
But somehow this seemed to rub Clarkson up the wrong way.
His response, however, took me completely by surprise as I tried to fathom what had made him so upset.
He demanded an apology for reporting that Lewis and Sewell were in doubt, as both played.
It would not have been the first time Clarkson or a Hawks staff member had assured the Tasmanian media a player was fine to go, only to be a non-starter.
Last season, before the Kangaroos defeated the Hawks in Launceston, Lance Franklin failed to participate in the previous night's light run.
An inquiry to the club received a response that it was a non-compulsory session and Franklin had chosen not to attend, the only player to do so.
Turns out he wasn't even in the state because of a virus.
And this was just one example of Hawthorn's attitude to the press.
Most clubs tell "half-truths" in relation to their players' health and fitness, but to then turn around and blast someone when these assertions are queried is a bit like the boy who cried wolf.
Yes, it was an angry, emotive spray with more than the occasional swear word, but it was nothing not heard before.
Was it a personal barrage because only the Mercury has pushed for Tasmania's own AFL team, or given balanced coverage of the more than $3 million a year deal with the Tasmanian Government?
Or was it some other issue?
I have no idea, and only Clarkson can answer that.
But while I initially felt embarrassed and slightly belittled, it is not something I will hold against the coach, and he will probably not be the last one to take exception to one of my stories.
* Brett Stubbs is a journalist for the Mercury newspaper in Hobart
Unlike idiots like Barrett and Baum, this bloke took the high ground.
Respect to him.
Half-truths and crying wolf
Brett Stubbs | June 03, 2008 12:00am
Have your say!Add your comments or read what others are saying
Email article
Share Add to Digg Add to del.icio.us Post to NewsVine Post to Facebook What are these?
Printer friendly
Text size+-
A FOOTBALL coach being upset with a story is part and parcel of the territory.
He has every right to disagree vigorously and defend his club, team, players and decisions.
But no journalist really enjoys getting chewed out in front of their peers in a public forum, and it is certainly not the norm among AFL coaches.
When Alastair Clarkson turned to me after Hawthorn's press conference, my first reaction was: "Is he talking to me?"
The piece in that day's Hobart Mercury and the Herald Sun was what I thought was a stock-standard football preview.
Hawthorn midfielder Jordan Lewis had missed the previous game with a corked thigh, so his fitness was to be closely watched, especially with the Hawks taking on the fast-running Bulldogs without Luke Hodge, Shane Crawford, Brent Guerra, Ben McGlynn and Stuart Dew.
When Lewis failed to participate in any drills after the first five minutes and fellow key onballer Brad Sewell left the track early - all under the eyes of the Dogs' assistant coaches in the stands - the story seemed obvious.
But somehow this seemed to rub Clarkson up the wrong way.
His response, however, took me completely by surprise as I tried to fathom what had made him so upset.
He demanded an apology for reporting that Lewis and Sewell were in doubt, as both played.
It would not have been the first time Clarkson or a Hawks staff member had assured the Tasmanian media a player was fine to go, only to be a non-starter.
Last season, before the Kangaroos defeated the Hawks in Launceston, Lance Franklin failed to participate in the previous night's light run.
An inquiry to the club received a response that it was a non-compulsory session and Franklin had chosen not to attend, the only player to do so.
Turns out he wasn't even in the state because of a virus.
And this was just one example of Hawthorn's attitude to the press.
Most clubs tell "half-truths" in relation to their players' health and fitness, but to then turn around and blast someone when these assertions are queried is a bit like the boy who cried wolf.
Yes, it was an angry, emotive spray with more than the occasional swear word, but it was nothing not heard before.
Was it a personal barrage because only the Mercury has pushed for Tasmania's own AFL team, or given balanced coverage of the more than $3 million a year deal with the Tasmanian Government?
Or was it some other issue?
I have no idea, and only Clarkson can answer that.
But while I initially felt embarrassed and slightly belittled, it is not something I will hold against the coach, and he will probably not be the last one to take exception to one of my stories.
* Brett Stubbs is a journalist for the Mercury newspaper in Hobart
Unlike idiots like Barrett and Baum, this bloke took the high ground.
Respect to him.