Dog 36
Norm Smith Medallist
ABC article reported that the club booked the venue. Not sure if by "the club" they mean "the players", but the theme alone highlights someone other than younger players themselves, (senior players, GWS, AFL) should have pulled them up. But ultimately they're adults, so have responsibility as representatives of themselves, but also of the club and broader league, given they're interacting with paid staff, to act responsibly.
If they were at one of their houses, or a venue where no one else was involved, different story.
HS initially reported they also stepped outside the venue onto the street. Did they appear on the street only in (offensive) costumes, or also perform offensive acts?
And as I posted earlier, ALL AFL players are advised about this sort of stuff from the moment they're drafted. So does blame ultimately lie with the players, the club or the AFL. I'd suggest players carry most of it, but wouldn't exonerate the club completely either. I'm not sure what else the AFL (as much as I'm as critical as anyone of them) can do in this case. Surely the club would reiterate (again) in the lead up to these sort of events the responsibility involved in the circumstances it is held?
Difficult area GJ79.
Somehow the AFL has to find a mechanism where they are not the moral conscious and just concentrate on the game. (My opinion). They are digging themselves a whole by picking and choosing.
I think of the Cats 22 dress up where all the media applauded them for imagination and responding to their critics.
They dressed as elderly and played it out on the streets in the public and cameras soaked it in having players dressed as elderly falling over, getting out of cars with great difficulty, wheelchairs and the like etc etc etc
I know some elderly were offended because they have the daily struggles that come with age, they have fallen and have had their lives changed and what was shown some took as they were having it trivialised.
I am sure that none of the GWS players would condone any of the scenarios they acted out.
I better stop here hopefully my point comes across.