Should the AFL ban sledging?

[TheGong]

After the way the game has been dragged into disrepute this week, should the AFL move to ban sledging?

With all the arguement between the fans as to who said what and who is to blame, the simple fact is that if Selwood hadn't sledged Headland none of this would have occured. Fans have said that Headland should not have reacted and of course he should not have. However, even one or the greatest soccer players in the world, Zidane, eventually blew his stack when some grub said something that deeply hurt and offended him.

As long as the practice of sledging continues in the game, there is the potential for this type of situation to occur.

As to those thickheads who say that it is part of the game and players should get over it, people used to say the same thing about racial vilification.

I have only played both rugby codes and sledgers tend to be players of limited ability or young immature impressionable types. Good players don't sledge, good players beat you.

Sledging adds nothing to the game and as the last week has shown how it can be a powderkeg waiting to be lit.

 

[Zeke]

Maybe the AFL should just ban football.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

There is no way sledging can be stopped unless we have an umpire for each player. Plenty of players would have reacted to a sledge and done time for it, but Headland being the imbecile that he is decided to drag it through the media and make a circus of it. If someone says something either punch him or get on with the game and make your opponent look stupid by racking up 30 possies.

 

[buggermedumplings]

Maybe the AFL should just ban football.

lol solve a few issues I guess...

 

[PHX]

This should be sticky'd so eveyone can laugh at it.

Good joke mate.

You were joking right . . . . . . .

 

[#1 Dogs Fan]

Sledging is apart of football these days so no.

 

[TheGong]

This should be sticky'd so eveyone can laugh at it.

Good joke mate.

You were joking right . . . . . . .

Is it? Racial vilification is also difficult to prove. You have one person's word against another. Players attitudes were changed so that it is less of an issue.

However when you do actually catch someone you make an example of him.

You also introduce an education scheme and a players code of behaviour that bans obscene sledging. Mediation would be the first step but repeat offenders should be harsly dealt with.

 

[WoGiTaLiA]

Maybe the AFL should just ban football.

Thread over right? Thats the way that the media seems to want it to go.

Get rid of the bump.

Get rid of tackling.

Get rid of sledging.

Implement round ball.

Implement skirts.

Game Over.

 

[Froggy]

Sledging is apart of football these days so no.

Yeah like it just creeped in last year...

 

[TheGong]

This should be sticky'd so eveyone can laugh at it.

Good joke mate.

You were joking right . . . . . . .

Should have noticed you were a Richmond fan. I have seen Richmond fans sledge their players so I can understand why it is so important to you. Wouldn't have anthing else to do at the football if there was no sledging.

 

[DarwinRoo]

Sledging shouldnt be banned but a player who is greatly offended by comments should be able to make a complaint and have it dealt with at a higher level.

 

[FieryNayta]

you should be able to say whatever the hell you want out on the field. We cant just remove a timeless competitive element out of the game.

If you take offence to something and act like a goose throwing punches then its your fault. Sledging is a test of mental toughness, and Des Headland failed. Simple as that.

 

[acker]

Only way would be to mike up the players...I dont think so

 

[FieryNayta]

Sledging shouldnt be banned but a player who is greatly offended by comments should be able to make a complaint and have it dealt with at a higher level.

no they shouldnt. Its just a scapegoat and its nearly impossible to police. We'r going to have a plethora of whinging footy stars running around blaming their actions on being sledged. Where does it end?

The Selwood case shouldnt have even happened, and Headland should have been given a couple of weeks for striking.

 

[natlovestheswans]

Only way would be to mike up the players...I dont think so

Strap tape recorders to their bodies!

 

[Major Colvin]

Maybe the AFL should just ban football.

No bumping, no hands in the back, not talking back to ump, no holding up players when they take a mark, no contested play without a free, pretty much no contact at all.....they already have.

 

[acker]

I still think the AFL has got a case to answer for letting enough details of what Selwood was accused of leak out before the hearing.
I dont blame him for being ropeable and would not blame for taking legal action against anyone including the AFL that is gets caught in his gun sights.
I dont know how anyone could say or allude to anything worse about Adam Selwood.
It was "slander" in its purest form.

 

[Sanecow]

Based on the attitudes on this thread, I guess they may as well roll back the religious and racial vilification rules.

 

[#1 Dogs Fan]

Yeah like it just creeped in last year...

Tell me about it.

 

[DarwinRoo]

no they shouldnt. Its just a scapegoat and its nearly impossible to police. We'r going to have a plethora of whinging footy stars running around blaming their actions on being sledged. Where does it end?

The Selwood case shouldnt have even happened, and Headland should have been given a couple of weeks for striking.

Well so far we have only had Des Headland complain about what has happened on the field so i doubt that many players would complain.

Nathan Thompson has said that he has been sledged about his battle with depression and didnt complain so why would he now even with a system in place.

You couldnt say some of the things that are said on a footy field in a normal workplace but they are said and not every worker goes and files a lawsuit for harrasment. The AFL wouldnt be any different.

 

[FieryNayta]

Well so far we have only had Des Headland complain about what has happened on the field so i doubt that many players would complain.

Exactly, but who knows what players will do now knowing that they can get a more lenient ruling?

the hearing should never have seen the light of day, i mean a ruling on sledging, how weak is that. But your right, most players wont have a winge and thats a good thing

 

[PHX]

Should have noticed you were a Richmond fan. I have seen Richmond fans sledge their players so I can understand why it is so important to you. Wouldn't have anthing else to do at the football if there was no sledging.

Lol, 14 minutes after your original post.

Quick thinking ****stick.

 

[PHX]

Is it? Racial vilification is also difficult to prove. You have one person's word against another. Players attitudes were changed so that it is less of an issue.

However when you do actually catch someone you make an example of him.

You also introduce an education scheme and a players code of behaviour that bans obscene sledging. Mediation would be the first step but repeat offenders should be harsly dealt with.

lol hi n00b.

I said nothing about that.

Show me the concept to stop sledging.

Its clearly not all racial and some is seriously funny.

But you're probably on the ban everything PC brigade.

 

[DarwinRoo]

Exactly, but who knows what players will do now knowing that they can get a more lenient ruling?

the hearing should never have seen the light of day, i mean a ruling on sledging, how weak is that. But your right, most players wont have a winge and thats a good thing

But they would have to be sledged first and would have to prove it. They should get a greater sentence if they are found to be lying.

 

[yeah-nah]

After the way the game has been dragged into disrepute this week, should the AFL move to ban sledging?

Your mother wears army boots.