Is that the actual quote? Easily batted away by head office - the ump was a bit clumsy in saying we don't pay free kicks for ducking. Wasn't about Lindsay in general, just on that occasion.
North don't have to believe it, only the footy media and the general public. And they will, and Brad will look like he was deflecting after a loss and LT will cop it even more in the future.
I wasn't on the same page as Gaso last night, but I totally get it now.
There is a world of difference between:
"We don't pay frees for ducking."
and
"We don't pay frees to duckers."
One is about what happens in the game the other is a predetermined decision to treat players differently based on past actions. Its not even an unconscious bias.
It seems that eery week LT gets bad free kicks against him that are onviously not frees. That's not taking into account the frees he doesn't get but should.
Its obvious free kicks against a player for simply being near the ball. LT is being targeted by the umpires. If they see someone fall over and he is nearby they assume he caused the incident. If he makes a fair tackle or bump it is interpreted as high even when the umpire is unsighted. He got suspended because of another players comments in the media despite multiple examples of exactly the same thing not even being cited. The person he was suspended for hitting even said it was a bad call to suspend him. If the club doesn't make a stand against this then its not standing by its players when its should.
Sure we might cop it for doing so but **** it. Its not like they can treat him any worse.