Gerard Whateley

[Ricky]

Watching After The Bounce tonight and always look forward to Gerard's minority report.

Tonight he made a report that I wholeheartedly agree on.

"If you unwrap the papers tomorrow to discover footballers on our front page rather than diggers, then it's time to shelf the Essendon Collingwood blockbuster but not has only served the game, but the day for the last 17 years. It's not because its lost its appeal because it surely hasn't and it's not because it wants to be shared around and you want to see Luke Hodge playing for a ANZAC Medal, but it's because we will have crossed a line. Tomorrow is not a football day, it has always belonged as a part of ANZAC Day and always been granted a place but it's not all that there is. I have the increasing intolerance of the casual linking of between war and football. I'm all for similes, metaphors and puns but I'm not for construed medals, cups and trophies that are handed out willy-nilly. Standing for the observance ceremony on Thursday night was a hollow experience. That is for the dawn service, morning parades of country towns and the early hours of the afternoon at the MCG and for the evening at Subiaco. It belongs on Anzac Day. Football belongs there too, just like the races at Flemington and the sanctioned games of two-up, but if the day is refined by Essendon and Collingwood then it is time for the AFL to pull back and reduce it's shadow and re-learn it's place on the scale on Anzac Day."

There is not one part of the report that i disagree with and wouldn't mind hearing the opinions of others.

 

[Mr Budda Bing]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

Gerard Wheatley is a champion.

Agreed.

 

[tugga]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

We have not seen a better media performer than Gerard Wheatley since Clinton Grybas passed away.
Consumate professional. Does anyone know who he barracks for? You just wouldn't know. The most unbiased and most eloquent performer on TV and radio.

 

[BF Tiger]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

Totally agree - it's almost Anzac Week this year. Observe it on the day, scrap the medals, etc etc.

 

[Ricky]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

We have not seen a better media performer than Gerard Wheatley since Clinton Grybas passed away.
Consumate professional. Does anyone know who he barracks for? You just wouldn't know. The most unbiased and most eloquent performer on TV and radio.

Barracks for Geelong

 

[Avatar]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

Yeah, said well enough.

However footy sells and what sells makes the front page of the paper, simple as that.

Does anyone know who/what was on the front page in previous years? Surely football as been on the front page in previous years?!

 

[TP86]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He's the #1 seed no doubt.

Goes for Geelong - openly admits it but you listen to his call of the 2008 grand final and it's excellent. Certainly puts Underwood's call of the Bartel point-after-the-siren game in perspective.

And yeah agree with his minority report.

 

[Jentleman Geff]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He's a Cats fan. I find it hard to disagree with him most of the time - and if I do I don't mind because he at least thinks before he speaks.

 

[Scotland]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

It's Whateley, but yeah he's a good egg.

 

[folester41]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

i agree, he is brilliant, i look at him and think he is a wank but when you listen to him he is really intelligent, fair and makes it sound interesting.

 

[SM]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

Great bloke, Whateley, agree that he's the most complete journalist in the footy business at the moment, even better than Sheehan.

 

[TownleyTime]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He's more biased than Walls. Tried to push the MM / Buckley issue & now he has found another Collingwood angle to attack.

 

[jimmy35]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

So I assume he said he wont be going to the game tomorrow.

 

[rose jam]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

People quickly forget that the Essendon-Collingwood-AFL collaboration for ANZAC day has been the catalyst for bringing public attention back to the day. Before that people saw it as just a public holiday and quite frankly a bore.
I'm pretty sure the RSL in particular recognises this.
So all this high horse rubbish about football verses patriotic grandstanding is just egotism.
In a way, the AFL has saved ANZAC day, or certainly played the biggest part in it.

 

[Tulip]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

So I assume he said he wont be going to the game tomorrow.

He didn't claim that it wouldn't be an entertaining game of football, and accepted that there should be some significance to the match, so he has every right to attend the game if he wants.

Come off it buddy

 

[SebastianVettel]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He really is terrific - a truly outstanding media performer. The best in the game by far. Love listening to what he has to say.

 

[Parquet Court]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

anzac day games should be shared around.

military metaphors in football make me sick

 

[Ricky]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He's more biased than Walls. Tried to push the MM / Buckley issue & now he has found another Collingwood angle to attack.

Exactly what he is talking about. You're thinking that Collingwood is a bigger issue than the anzacs. he is talking about football in general, not just Collingwood and Essendon

 

[AG]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

Have a lot of time for what he has to say because he is a true professional, not 'one of the boys' getting an easy career.

 

[crownie]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He's more biased than Walls. Tried to push the MM / Buckley issue & now he has found another Collingwood angle to attack.

nah i think your just another very paranoid 'world is against us' Collingwood supporter.

 

[Jentleman Geff]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

People quickly forget that the Essendon-Collingwood-AFL collaboration for ANZAC day has been the catalyst for bringing public attention back to the day. Before that people saw it as just a public holiday and quite frankly a bore.
I'm pretty sure the RSL in particular recognises this.
So all this high horse rubbish about football verses patriotic grandstanding is just egotism.
In a way, the AFL has saved ANZAC day, or certainly played the biggest part in it.

Flat out making stuff up.

 

[beez]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

He really is terrific - a truly outstanding media performer. The best in the game by far. Love listening to what he has to say.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[King Elvis]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

I half agree with rose jam.

The way they pay tribute to the ANZACS as part of the game is great, but they need to tone down the comparisons between footballers and soldiers, and they need to stop the ANZAC stuff being done at every game. And ANZAC Medals retrospectively - what the ****?

Keep it special, keep it to one game, focus on the ANZACS, not the football.

 

[rose jam]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

Couldn't have said it better myself.

pity he has to spend an hour a week with the biggest beat up worst understanding of a footy journalist in Robbo

 

[ManWithNoName]

Re: Gerard Wheatley

I say we should keep our game but agree the AFL's going overboard. They played the Last Post on Thursday night FFS. It's getting to the stage where it's more the AFL screaming "LOOK HOW RESPECTFUL WE ARE, SEE, RESPECTFUL"

Posted in another thread that I hate the term "ANZAC Medal". Call it the "ANZAC Day Game Medal" if you must, but don't try and compare it to war.