Captaincy / Leadership group

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Once upon a time it would have been Petty who was vilified and thought less of because in a game where physical and psychological bullying is actually part of team tactics and ethos (remember how our threepeat team bullying Geelong inspired them to one day be holding the whip hand themselves) he didn't fight back, he didn't fight through, he didn't run through his tormentor (legally) or get into him in an instant brawl instead he cried.

If Zorko crossed the line (remembering we don't know the lead up and it might have been completely allied with their banter at that point until it was suddenly real (eg the old 'how is your wife and my kids' line would possibly have a greater effect on a man who found out the night before that his wife had been cheating on him with another, not yet identified, player)) there are ways to deal with it on the field and both sides know it.

Zorko has always been Zorko and has even matured somewhat over the years but even with his Zorko-ness he has had the support of his team mates and the coaching staff. Public perceptions can be fickle (we considered Hodge to be a sniping grub and the farthest thing from a 'good bloke' until he became a Lion where his in now not only confirmed in his good-bloke-ness but would be welcomed back as a to-be-inspired-by coach/mentor.)

What is happening now is not fair to Petty (who wants to forget it ever happened) and Zorko (who would likely feel the same) and being outraged and offended on behalf of the anything-but-helpless does nothing by deny them the agency to control their own destinies.

Whatever Zorko said did not cross any of the currently inked in lines so he is being crucified not because of what he said but because of someone else's perceived response/reaction to what they believe him to have said.

All that being said I would rather us do out bullying and intimidation through our pressure and skill and them being unable to shake the sure and certain knowledge every time they have he ball that doom is moments from descending on them.
 
Article today about Australia's ruthless 2019 Ashes sledges
Pretty tame stuff compared to our captains

Sledge: “He won’t talk now. He doesn’t have his big boys around. How many runs until he starts talking? 20-30?”
Sledge: “Another bloke who likes a word when all his mates are around. Standing by himself down here? Very little.”
Sledge: “I tell you what he does. He looks straight at the screen to see if he’s on the screen.”
Sledge: “No worries Stokesy, I reckon you and me make a good combination, bro.”
Sledge:“Oh, he’s got too much on his mind”.

 
Section 5 said:
Article today about Australia's ruthless 2019 Ashes sledges
Pretty tame stuff compared to our captains

Sledge: “He won’t talk now. He doesn’t have his big boys around. How many runs until he starts talking? 20-30?”
Sledge: “Another bloke who likes a word when all his mates are around. Standing by himself down here? Very little.”
Sledge: “I tell you what he does. He looks straight at the screen to see if he’s on the screen.”
Sledge: “No worries Stokesy, I reckon you and me make a good combination, bro.”
Sledge:“Oh, he’s got too much on his mind”.

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a) stump mikes, that they all know about.
b) there was a backlash against the worst of it in the 2010s so that they've dialled it back substantially.
 

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M Malice said:
It was abhorrent what Zorko said but IMO racial vilification is worse.
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Yeah good point and very much opinion based. I suppose different kinds of insults hurt different people in different ways.
I can’t comment on the racial abuse because fortunately I have never had to deal with it on a personal level before. But losing my mother in law to cancer last year, made Zorko’s comments really hit home for our family.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Section 5 said:
Article today about Australia's ruthless 2019 Ashes sledges
Pretty tame stuff compared to our captains

Sledge: “He won’t talk now. He doesn’t have his big boys around. How many runs until he starts talking? 20-30?”
Sledge: “Another bloke who likes a word when all his mates are around. Standing by himself down here? Very little.”
Sledge: “I tell you what he does. He looks straight at the screen to see if he’s on the screen.”
Sledge: “No worries Stokesy, I reckon you and me make a good combination, bro.”
Sledge:“Oh, he’s got too much on his mind”.

Click to expand...
Agree that is very mild stuff, harmless banter IMO, I heard plenty similar and worse than that on cricket fields around the place..... have umpired and coached at junior level.
 
Daniels Riches said:
Yeah good point and very much opinion based. I suppose different kinds of insults hurt different people in different ways.
I can’t comment on the racial abuse because fortunately I have never had to deal with it on a personal level before. But losing my mother in law to cancer last year, made Zorko’s comments really hit home for our family.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
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Yep, everybody reacts differently, I lost my father to cancer and have had cancer myself and it didn't even cross my mind re the bolded context personally.
 
Nuggo said:
You would have to think that this is a watershed moment for on field sledging. Players will now know what they say will be published.
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Media dug because of the highly unusual reaction of crying publicly on a football field in the heat of battle.Would normally be treated with a push and shove or a wrestle and no one would know the wiser
 
Lace Out said:
Media dug because of the highly unusual reaction of crying publicly on a football field in the heat of battle.Would normally be treated with a push and shove or a wrestle and no one would know the wiser
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I've said enough on this but when Murphy started getting viciously sledged about Carey supposedly doing all sorts of unrepeatable things with his wife it went around clubs. Everyone ,the media ,the AFL knew about it but Marc suffered immeasurably with dignity and no one stepped in. He kept copping it for a year or two and ultimately sparked an all in brawl against St.Kilda.

Perhaps if he had broken down in the 3/4 time break things might have been different.
 
Lace Out said:
Media dug because of the highly unusual reaction of crying publicly on a football field in the heat of battle.Would normally be treated with a push and shove or a wrestle and no one would know the wiser
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True but the reaction it got and extended unnecessary coverage I think will only spur on reporters (the dodgy ones probably) for content and publicity.
 
The Flying Belgian said:
You know Lester has barely played all year right?

I've said before, player don't get dropped because their form dips. They get dropped because their output in relation to team structure is perceived as less than those not playing senior footy. The whole concept of dropping someone as a punitive measure to "give them a kick in the backside" is ouddated footy thinking.
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You are being silly regarding Lester. Lester was told that he is not a first grader and that he is the captain of the seconds. How is this not common knowledge?
 
Sherrinator said:
You are being silly regarding Lester. Lester was told that he is not a first grader and that he is the captain of the seconds. How is this not common knowledge?
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Yeah … everyone knows Gardiner and Adams and Payne are better footballers and leaders. Bwahahahahahahahaha 😂
 

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I’ve only read Twitter. I’ll wait till I listen to it myself. But if the quotes are to be taken in the same context as they were written I have no idea why they even bothered putting him up 🤦‍♂️
 
No issue with Zorko having his say, he was fairly respectful of the situation and despite saying he may have been provoked didn’t sound like he was shirking responsibility. Still shouldn’t captain again but don’t think he’s done too bad there.
 
Didn't mind what he had to say. What I took from the comments is there seems to be a large backlash towards him from lions fans which he hasn't taken well

Don't expect this to change much and definitely doesn't change my opinion that he should retire or be delisted based on form
 
I thought he came across OK, should have probably played a straight bat to the question about whether he was sledged, IMO he took responsibility, FWIW I have never thought that Zorks was a smooth/natural media performer, has always come across a bit stilted.
 
Personally, I only think he wanted to share his side seeings as it was meant to be put to bed but Melbourne players keep going to the media and talking about. Fair enough he gets his say. Once again I don’t condone what he did or said but he keeps getting smashed and no one other than the present players truly know what happened.
 
I hated the interview.

He didn’t need to have his say.

He reopened a massive can of worms, it’ll be all over the media.

He didn’t sound overly remorseful it was all ‘sorry but..’

I take no solace from the fact as a lions fan ‘they said stuff too’ - did anyone doubt that was the case?

Insinuating he had to rack his brain to remember what was said, as if it was nothing.

The whole premise of this saga is both teams put it bed, it was sorted and everyone wants to move on - Dayne clearly doesn’t feel that way, he called to put partial blame back on the Dees and Harry and to try and change the narrative, that he was provoked.

Of coarse he threw in a few ‘I over stepped the mark’ comments but it was quickly backed up with an excuse or a diversion.

It was incredibly odd. Surely the club didn’t know, if they did, they can not of signed off on him running his ‘poor me’ angle.

Just when we were starting to move on.

He is getting slaughtered in response to it, not going to help him rebuilding his brand.
 

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Captaincy / Leadership group

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