Bagging our own players....

[WA]

I went along to the Freo v's Brisbane game yesterday for 2 reasons -
1. Have always had abit of a soft spot for Brisbane.
2. Thought the Dockers may be able to put on a reasonable showing. Their last game against Brisbane was another they 'should have won', so I thought they could do ok.

Now the question I ask, it's probably generalising, but do we (Eagles supporters) or have we ever 'bagged' our own players as much as the Freo supporters do.

We all hear about how passionate Freo supporters are, and fair enough, in the first half I was surprised how loud the 15,000 or so people were. But, come the last quarter and the verbal abuse the Freo guys were subjected to, by their own 'fans' was terrible. I'm not just talking about the jeering of players like Bandy every time he went near the ball, (Fraser Gehrig springs to mind here ), but to be honest even that (Bandy) was a little overboard, but the more 'personal' things the players had to listen to were pretty bad. Hearing abuse from their 'fans' surely can't do much for their confidence.

Perhaps it was just where I was sitting (premium seats).

For the record, obviously it happens at Eagles games too, it just seemed FAR more obvious with Fremantle.

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

To be honest with you, here in melbourne i have never heard an eagles player get abused from our own supporters. This may be just because we don't get to see them as much as people in WA do and we rather enjoy the game than bag them, but i would hope that this is an indication of all eagles supporters.

But i guess we can't generalise like that, every club has a mixture of supporters. So maybe you were just sitting in a bad section of the stadium?

 

[Frodo]

The only player I have ever heard bagged was Gehrig last year and even that was tame by the standards of the abuse McManus got at the local derby by Freo fans close around.
Freo supporters get their kicks by abusing their players. That's why they are Freo supporters. If Freo started winning they would be lost for words and go and do something else. They are the Freo perpetual whingers.

 

[Balip]

P Sumich

Which means that People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Every club has their supporters that abuse their players. Freo are no better or no worse than anyone else. If you sat there every single Freo game and saw the blunders that McManus makes yo would get very frustrated when he gets the ball. Where we sit there is a very noticable groan if he gets the ball when hes having one of those days.

 

[Frodo]

I never, ever heard anyone bag Sumich where I sat at the time. In fact the opposite, we loved Sumo. I did hear he was bagged by a few but I think those fans all became Freo Supporters.

 

[Frodo]

Follow-up

If a player is not making an effort, like Gehrig last season, then bagging is reasonable. It is an attempt to get the lazy sod to do something.

If a player is playing badly but putting in a fair effort then the bagging can only erode his confidence further and cause him to play worse.
In other words bagging a player that is making an effort will ony be to the detriment of your team and club. So why do it.

Personaly I like McManus, he is crapped on terribly by Freo fans but would be a good Eagles player because we do give guys a fair go and a lot of support. This guy puts his body on the line weekly for Freo. You can't expect a good performance from him with so much negativity.

How about Harding for McManus?

 

[iceman]

Originally posted by Frodo

How about Harding for McManus?

Personally, i cant stand McManus for some reason.... and i dont think its just because he plays for Freo

However, i think McManus and a draft pick for Harding is about fair

 

[Voice of Reason]

I never bag an Eagles player, never have, never will and have a go at anyone who does in my hearing (which isn't often). Once they put the jumper on, I expect 100% effort and they should expect 100% support.

Last year at Adelaide, a member of our Cheer Squad, who shall remain nameless, shouted "why dont you **** off to Collingwood, Fraser, you *******!" - he had made a horrendous stuff-up. Whereupon I had a right go at them, which didn't endear me to the rest, but there it is. Fraser then ran to the wing, picked it up and kicked it through for a goal left foot, 50 out.

So I think he was trying, but his body language doesn't always look like it. Players who look too tall for their body weight (eg Ball Gehrig and Symmons) have always got a bit of stick.

However, generally Eagles fans aren't too bad. I've seen Geelong fans turn on their team in a quarter, Hawthorn used to systematically abuse Paul Hudson, North on Cochrane and Clayton now, I could go on.

Freo certainly do have a go at McManus, judging by the derbies. They should support better, but I guess it's hard when you have to watch such rubbish week in week out.

 

[WA]

Well said VoR. I too never bag our players. Sometimes I might think a little negatively about something one of them may have done, but I never resort to screaming abuse at them.

One thing that REALLY annoys me, is when 'supporters' (from any club) totally rip into a player when they make a mistake, but then turn around and rave over them when they do something good.

Near where I sit at Eagles games, there is a guy who never had a good thing to say about Jako, until the last couple of good games he has played. Now you'd think he was his brother or something....

 

[GoEagles]

Gehrig's situation is quite interesting. I don't think the majority of Eagle supporters hated him because he did give us some great service in the 4 or so years he was at the club. The word I'm looking for is frustrated! His body language at times just showed he didn't want to be there and it made his game look poor. Personally, I think the trade to St Kilda was what he was looking for, a new direction and new coach (Blight and Thomas) to play under.

As for Peter Sumich - I don't recall him being 'booed' or abused at, more moans of disappointment if he hooked a shot at goal. But how could you knock a champion of the game and one of the clubs favorite sons? The first left footer in VFL/AFL history to kick 100 goals in a season.

 

[dockerbabe]

Originally posted by iceman


Personally, i cant stand McManus for some reason.... and i dont think its just because he plays for Freo

However, i think McManus and a draft pick for Harding is about fair

screw that i'd take macca over harding any day and there is no way freo would give macca and a draft pick for harding

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by dockerbabe



screw that i'd take macca over harding any day and there is no way freo would give macca and a draft pick for harding

She's quite corect. For Macca and a draft pick we would need to trade Turnball

 

[Mr Eagle]

Originally posted by GoEagles
Gehrig's situation is quite interesting. I don't think the majority of Eagle supporters hated him

Hehehe, speak for yourself I am quite happy to admit that he did, on occasion, play excellent football. Problem being that the rest of the time he wasn't even mediocre, he was just plain old BAD. Nobody should be getting a game of AFL on the grounds that there's a 1 in 10 chance of them playing near their high potential. Persisting with Fraaaaaaase was a stopgap measure that has failed to prevent the inevitable decline of the club.