Incredibly unpopular opinion: I hate the Auskick kids presenting the Premiership medals

[finders]

Agree, should be a footy legend or the PM presenting winning medals. Most big events do it this way around the world. AFL just do the warm and fuzzy kid thing for PR sakes. They absolutely screw the average punter on GF day.

Maybe just get the kids to line up next to the podium to high five the and clap the players.

Our Sydney centric rugby loving PM would be the LAST person I would want to see giving out medals for champions of a game he knows very little about.

Lets see how the drip goes at the GF breakfast he usually gets to mention RL at least once.

Let the kids do it at least they dont get booed

 

[Shane Hird]

What a whinge-fest

If it wasn't this you'd find something else to complain about

You're probably right there.

 

[eth-dog]

Eh, I don't mind it

 

[kosifantutti]

The whole process is too complex for guys who have just slogged their guts out for two hours. Maybe the kids should still present the medals and then Andrew Walker could give the kids a hat.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

I think it's nice touch and good symbolism. Children-are-our-future, time-is-fleeting, life-is-moments, all those things. And it does look good for the AFL.

They have a past player giving the premiership cup itself.

Having the Prime Minister is boring crap. And results in booing at rugby games.

 

[Underdog]

I reckon the hats were implemented due to the media backlash of players forgetting to shake hands. Giving them a hat is a prompt to shake hands or even if they still forget, you can't get bagged because you gave them a hat!

As for the process itself. I'd probably prefer a legend of the game present the medals but am not particularly bothered. I am bothered by the media response to stupid things like forgetting to shake a hand.

Saying it's great for the kids is true, but it's only 22 kids from a pool of over 100,000. If they miss out, big deal.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

I reckon the hats were implemented due to the media backlash of players forgetting to shake hands. Giving them a hat is a prompt to shake hands or even if they still forget, you can't get bagged because you gave them a hat!

What they need to do now is give them two hats, so the players can put one on their own head and then won't forget that the other one is for the kid.

 

[lepregnome]

I reckon the hats were implemented due to the media backlash of players forgetting to shake hands. Giving them a hat is a prompt to shake hands or even if they still forget, you can't get bagged because you gave them a hat!

As for the process itself. I'd probably prefer a legend of the game present the medals but am not particularly bothered. I am bothered by the media response to stupid things like forgetting to shake a hand.

Saying it's great for the kids is true, but it's only 22 kids from a pool of over 100,000. If they miss out, big deal.

The hats are all about advertising lol

I'm pretty sure the hats were initially for the players to wear to show off the sponsers logos some more, then a few started giving them to the kids, then it just became the thing to do.

I'd hate it if my team lost the granny, and had to watch my kid give out a medal to the opposition

 

[clogged]

I hope Brent Guerra knocks them out in his retirement game.

Whoops, wrong thread.

 

[Underdog]

The hats are all about advertising lol

Because a hat with a tiny club or sponsor logo on it provides a substantial advertising benefit when the player is dressed in full club uniform?

It may be an added benefit, but I highly doubt it was the initial intent.

 

[AG]

 

[Vigawla]

I think it's wonderful... however... I feel there are too many white kids involved. Hopefully this year we have at least 3 asians, a muslim, 3.5 aboriginals and more indian kids! It is AFL's responsibility to show what a wonderful multicultural and harmonious society we live in.

Muslims can be any colour.

Indians are Asian.

 

[Ashton Agar]

I think it's fair too say you can't call it an "Incredibly unpopular opinion" anymore!

 

[D-N-R]

I agree with the OP. This isn't a day for the kiddies to remember - it's a day for the players. it should be an AFL legend handing out the medals. The kids can play Auskick at half time or come out with the players at the start like they do in soccer.

 

[reincarnated]

I completely agree with the Op. Players should be receiving the medal from a legend of the club. The moment will feel great when they look back.

Some kid giving the medal who the players don't know who it is, it just takes away from the moment.

Those kids get the opportunity to play on the MCG on grand final day. What more do they want.

 

[Dan]

I have a better idea.

Scrap the two seniors sides playing.......have the Premiership decided among the aus-kick kids. mini hawks v mini freo

 

[Tuco]

Yes I hate it too. Ruins every player's dream of having a medal handed to them by an anonymous representative of a coporate partner of the AFL...

 

[RW]

Don't mind them presenting the medals, but the caps could be done away with.

I think you have nailed it! The caps slow down the presentation a bit too much, otherwise I like the quite like the fact that the kids present the medals.

 

[Beetlebum]

The caps only get presented because of the bullshit hysteria after a couple of the kids didn't get a handshake from a couple of the Eagles players in 2006. It's

 

[master bate]

I'd be a big fan of removing the losers concession speech as well. They thank their fans, the AFL, the opposing team and promise to be back next year. Well isn't that great. We really all needed to hear that didn't we.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Meh. By that stage I'm so pissed that a 3 headed alien could hand out the medals and I probably wouldn't notice.

The whole thing is just bloody tedious. 22 lots of NNNNUUUUUMMMMBBBEER THIRTY NIIIIINE, ADAM GOOOOOOOOOOOODES and the stupid little trot over, the awkward swap with the kid and then the trot back and it happens all over again.

It's a team sport FFS, just line them all up on a long podium and have somebody walking along hanging the medals. Then the proper bit, the cup and celebration and the lap.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Our Sydney centric rugby loving PM would be the LAST person I would want to see giving out medals for champions of a game he knows very little about.

Lets see how the drip goes at the GF breakfast he usually gets to mention RL at least once.

Let the kids do it at least they dont get booed

Pretty sure he's a good blueblood union man.

 

[dmc333]

Would much prefer if Labrador and Golden Retriever puppies presented the medals myself.

 

[tek87]

loved when Daniel Chick just ripped the medal out of the kid's hand and put it on himself in 2006. then unfortunately Geelong in 2007 had to go all politically correct with the hats. get rid of the kids

 

[Illinois Nazi]

loved when Daniel Chick just ripped the medal out of the kid's hand and put it on himself in 2006. then unfortunately Geelong in 2007 had to go all politically correct with the hats. get rid of the kids

The thing I hated was the media carry on about how much better the Geelong players handled the occasion. FFS, their game was over before half time. The Cats players had had more than hour to digest the fact that they were Premiers before they even got to the presentation. The Eagles in 2006 were probably less than ten minutes from winning the game by a single point, they would have still been in head spins and probably didn't even see the kids. I thought it was a bit rough to criticise them so much.