Rumour Multiple GWS players are set to be suspended to start the 2025 season after distasteful costumes and skits from their post-season function

[gambinotosserflog]

TL;DR - This debacle has highlighted that this is a rather complex time in society where our environment (cameras and social media in particular) has changed far more rapidly than our ability to evolve as social beings living in that more open society. Issues surrounding privacy, empathy, and the mechanisms of human interaction are at play. All parties concerned could have conducted themselves in a manner that would have led to less distress and a greater chance at healing and learning.



Tyson Otto, whoever he is, needs an editor for goodness sake.

"The players' have accepted..."

"...have understandably deeply effected Gelmi..."

Aside from that, I found Gelmi's insights a bit worrying. Yes, men like BT, Robbo, Cornes, Darcy, even Whateley for some reason all cop shit from footy fans (one only needs to read a couple of pages of any gameday thread to witness this), but the criticisms are more all encompassing rather than directed at what they are wearing, or whether or not they should be "...sticking to sports they know..."

That rates of Domestic Violence go up around finals time is disturbing...could there be a link with gambling? I believe that there would be a direct link in some of these instances of DV. This is a direct display of the AFL's hypocrisy in terms of their holier than thou response.

And the "dick pic"...can any of you straight blokes tell me whether or not women like such visual depictions of sex like we men do? I would think that they would respond more favourably to a witty comment that makes them laugh or something that makes them feel sexy rather than seeing your member appear on their screen.


Anyway, this issue is clearly a pandora's box and encapsulates this moment in society rather well: issues pertaining to privacy in the milieu of universal access to cameras and the ability to immediately disseminate "news" or other information via social media; the observable trend in hypersensitivity by some people who are all too ready to take offence at the actions or words of others, often on behalf of others, regardless of intent; and an evolving understanding that there are actually some truly horrible people out there (I know someone who was arrested recently for interfering with his own 9 year old daughter! Would never have guessed it...) living amongst the majority, who are genuine, well-intentioned and caring people, and more pointedly, the sense that, given some of the aforementioned facets, we should be able to stop all such crime or damaging behaviour...

These are showing us that our evolution in terms of dealing with the rapidly changing environment in which we live is lagging.


The best answer I have is that people should probably talk with one another more, face to face, rather than "going behind peoples' backs" by using social media without considering the socio-emotional impact on all of the individuals concerned. A lot of mental stress could have thus been avoided. In this case, the hotel staff apparently reported it to the AFL, which is better than using social media, but there are still issues when it comes to reporting behaviour that was supposed to be for the consumption of the attendees to the private event only.

In this instance, the hotel staff should have felt empowered to intervene during the course of the event. I know, this is probably easier said than done. And yes, I will admit that one or two players probably (I reserve firm judgement because I have not personally seen the specific acts) went too far. They were disinhibited (alcohol, stress relief etc.) and engaged in acts that must be considered in the realm of dark humour, not to mention, undertaken by brains with frontal lobes that have not yet fully developed.

When one considers all of the facts, I think everyone involved (players, club, pub staff/snitch, and the AFL) all could have and should have acted in a more well-considered, holistic manner.

Privacy is important, as is the opportunity to explain why some people do stupid shit when in certain groups and in certain circumstances, as is the opportunity to explain why certain actions/behaviours are inappropriate.

Empathy/understanding and taking the time to explain things have been undervalued by almost everyone in this debate. The players should be advised that, before the age of around 25, their judgement is likely to be lacking in certain circumstances, and that, while this does not completely excuse their behaviour, it does go some way to explaining it.

Signing off from this issue now. Thanks to anyone who gave enough time to read this attempt at a conclusion to this whole debacle.

TLDR. What a pretentious, long-winded word salad. Please don't bold your font, it's an eyesore.

 

[Carringbush2010]

TLDR. What a pretentious, long-winded word salad. Please don't bold your font, it's an eyesore.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

It's her podcast, she can bring up anything she likes at any time.

They are connected though. The common theme being people in the AFL community disrespecting women.

Except it is a mountain. Every women journalist in the afl has come out and said it and tried to explain to people like you why it is.

Lol, I would hazard a guess and say that more damage has been done to impressionable minds through the AFL and media making this public than the one or two adults who experienced it live or on review of the cctv.

My own 12yo Daughter raised it with us, she wasnt at the private function and she doesnt have access to their cctv.

Lets be clear here, the AFL outed it to control the narrative and cover their arses and in doing so exposed it to many more than was ever intended to know of it.

It was a shit thing for the GWS players to do, but the offended made it public.

 

[Chief]

And if you walked around considering every single thing that might offend or upset someone in life you'd never do or say anything.

Well, YOU wouldn't.

 

[Bostonian]

Well, YOU wouldn't.

Either would you.

Do you think this platform you run takes into consideration every person's thoughts and feelings?

 

[Chief]

Either would you.

I do OK.

 

[Chief]

Do you think this platform you run takes into consideration every person's thoughts and feelings?

You know that you can consider those things that are possible and practical to consider? Yeah?

You're eliding if you think that you are expected to consider every "every single thing that might offend or upset someone".

That's not the expectation.

 

[Bostonian]

I do OK.

No you don't. Otherwise you'd not take a cent from this platform and walk away from it.

You profit from online tribalism. Which is fine. The conflict keeps em coming back.

Good business model.

 

[Bostonian]

You know that you can consider those things that are possible and practical to consider? Yeah?

You're eliding if you think that you are expected to consider every "every single thing that might offend or upset someone".

That's not the expectation.

So then where's this chart that lists all of the things ranked in order that people should consider.

One like the oppression Olympics chart.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

I like how one of the podcasters summed it up (paraphrasing):

"You know, I can go out with my mates for a night on the beers and have fun without offending anyone - you know - it's not that hard ????"

 

[Underarm]

Lol, I would hazard a guess and say that more damage has been done to impressionable minds through the AFL and media making this public than the one or two adults who experienced it live or on review of the cctv.

Possibly, but there's no other way to handle it. If the AFL decided to only fine the players to avoid the story becoming public because of fear of what damage it might cause to victims, what message do the offending players take away from that?

And if it's that damaging that only speaks to how serious the incident is in the first place.

My own 12yo Daughter raised it with us, she wasnt at the private function and she doesnt have access to their cctv.

And what was her take? The incident being made public isn't all negative if it provides teaching opportunities about how awful men can be.

 

[Happy_Neale]

I have heard people hypothesise that being smart gets in the way of playing well in a contact sport - that if you actually thought seriously for a second about what you were about to do, and the cost/benefit of it, you wouldn't be so fast to do it.

This is definitely why I didn't make the AFL

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Possibly, but there's no other way to handle it. If the AFL decided to only fine the players to avoid the story becoming public because of fear of what damage it might cause to victims, what message do the offending players take away from that?

And if it's that damaging that only speaks to how serious the incident is in the first place.

And what was her take? The incident being made public isn't all negative if it provides teaching opportunities about how awful men can be.

Possibly, please, a lot more people know because the person who reported it didnt consider the fallout from doing so to ALL people that otherwise would be none the wiser.
It was a shit act by the players, but they were re-enacting events from history, they weren't actively planning a terrorist attack or assaulting anyone.

In an ideal world the staff present should have notified their senior of the events as it was taking place and had it stopped if it was truely offensive to them, then the AFL should have done whats been said already, taken those involved to apologise to the staff .
End of story.

It only got to the point of the AFL becoming 'fearful of the damage it might cause victims' because it was allowed to go on unchecked by the venue and shared outside of that bubble.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Possibly, please, a lot more people know because the person who reported it didnt consider the fallout from doing so to ALL people that otherwise would be none the wiser.
It was a shit act by the players, but they were re-enacting events from history, they weren't actively planning a terrorist attack or assaulting anyone.

In an ideal world the staff present should have notified their senior of the events as it was taking place and had it stopped if it was truely offensive to them, then the AFL should have done whats been said already, taken those involved to apologise to the staff .
End of story.

It only got to the point of the AFL becoming 'fearful of the damage it might cause victims' because it was allowed to go on unchecked by the venue and shared outside of that bubble.

Yeah, it's a shame that licensed venues aren't run more like childcare centres!

 

[Happy_Neale]

Footballers are just about the worst of the worst when it comes to dealing with drunk idiots as a hospo worker. Call it pack mentality or whatever

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Yeah, it's a shame that licensed venues aren't run more like childcare centres!

C'mon, if they were punching on the staff would act immediately, why is this any different.
They're operating a licenced establishment and have a responsibility to shut down unruly behaviour.
They could have cut off the drinks.
They did nothing to stop it when they could have done so easily.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Footballers are just about the worst of the worst when it comes to dealing with drunk idiots as a hospo worker. Call it pack mentality or whatever

Drunk?
If they're drunk they fall under RSA and should have been cut off, yeah?

 

[Ghost Patrol]

C'mon, if they were punching on the staff would act immediately, why is this any different.
They're operating a licenced establishment and have a responsibility to shut down unruly behaviour.
They could have cut off the drinks.
They did nothing to stop it when they could have done so easily.

Sounds like they were pre planned acts, not spur of the moment drunken sailors.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Sounds like they were pre planned acts, not spur of the moment drunken sailors.

Agreed, so at the first sign of unsavoury behavior it should have been addressed.

If they were skits as has been suggested then it didnt all happen at once, as soon as lets say the twin towers fell down it could have been stopped before the SA stuff began.
Cant imagine it kicked off with the worst content.

 

[Ghost Patrol]

Agreed, so at the first sign of unsavoury behavior it should have been addressed.

If they were skits as has been suggested then it didnt all happen at once, as soon as lets say the twin towers fell down it could have been stopped before the SA stuff began.
Cant imagine it kicked off with the worst content.

I wonder if the captain prepared the itinerary, order of events etc?

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Agreed, so at the first sign of unsavoury behavior it should have been addressed.

If they were skits as has been suggested then it didnt all happen at once, as soon as lets say the twin towers fell down it could have been stopped before the SA stuff began.
Cant imagine it kicked off with the worst content.

How old are you? I ask because the age cohort never put the brakes on each other. If you fit into that cohort and had been at the function would you have said anything? Bearing in mind you would probably have been a lone voice - could you have stood up to the laughter? And possibly the ongoing fallout?

 

[PenfoldsFan]

How old are you? I ask because the age cohort never put the brakes on each other. If you fit into that cohort and had been at the function would you have said anything? Bearing in mind you would probably have been a lone voice - could you have stood up to the laughter? And possibly the ongoing fallout?

48.

Dont need to be the lone voice or stand up to the laughter.
If I was I'd have gone to my shift manager and said this isnt right.
If I was the shift manager, as a 48yo, I'd have pulled the plug on it until they agreed to comply and if they persisted I'd summons security or the Police.
The same ss I'd do if any other unruly behavior occured by patrons during my shift.

The reality is no one did anything because they were happy to take their money and blab after the event.

As a coach driver I deal with unruly wedding or wine tour goers weekly and Im often one out against anywhere up to 57 passengers.
I use what I have, diplomacy to diffuse any agro or carry on with the advice that every word and action is being recorded.
The same passive security operating in any licenced venue.

If you knew who I had on my coach last week your head would spin, but you would never know because I keep it private.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

48.

Dont need to be the lone voice or stand up to the laughter.
If I was I'd have gone to my shift manager and said this isnt right.
If I was the shift manager, as a 48yo, I'd have pulled the plug on it until they agreed to comply and if they persisted I'd summons security or the Police.
The same ss I'd do if any other unruly behavior occured by patrons during my shift.

The reality is no one did anything because they were happy to take their money and blab after the event.

As a coach driver I deal with unruly wedding or wine tour goers weekly and Im often one out against anywhere up to 57 passengers.
I use what I have, diplomacy to diffuse any agro or carry on with the advice that every word and action is being recorded.
The same passive security operating in any licenced venue.

If you knew who I had on my coach last week your head would spin, but you would never know because I keep it private.

That’s good to hear. But you are in quite a different demographic from this group.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

That’s good to hear. But you are in quite a different demographic from this group.

What does the demographic of the group have to do with a manager of a licensed venue reigning in unacceptable behavior?
If the conduct is irrational, turn off the taps under RSA, citing only an intoxicated person would act in that manner.
They'd either reign it in or leave, problem solved.

Look, the acts are shit, but letting it continue and then claiming it was offensive before sharing it is pretty average too.

 

[Chief]

So then where's this chart that lists all of the things ranked in order that people should consider.

One like the oppression Olympics chart.

Maybe you learned these things from your parents? Teachers? Someone at your first job took you under their wing and gave you some advice?