News Pies Player-Toucher banned for rest of 2024.

[Sentinel]

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https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/weird/footy-fanatic-tattoos-his-penis/news-story/ee9ccc73f28e675124765fcf80192a13

Same guy

Same guy again

 

[OniAu]

This will be implemented on the gameday tvs around the ground . Stop dont touch me there , this is my no no square

 

[greatwhiteshark]

You dont want it to become an issue. If you let it slide then somebody else is going to do it.
Not every player is a second game teenager, if you try it with most players you probably dont get the player just walking away slightly confused like Johnston did on the weekend. A bit more of a reaction is more likely

Sorry but couldn’t disagree more. Jumping at shadows is all this is.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Really? Thats your angle . Holy smokes i want off this world

whenever there is someone in the wrong " what about if such and such"

No, my angle is the media asked the question, and if it was a clean skin in a suit they'd have celebrated it as "this is great for the game"

 

[Iago]

Pretty sure you can't go around touching people in their workplace. Especially older men towards younger ones. Hint: it is kind of creepy.

 

[Bushdid911]

This guy gets around..

edit: someone already posted the tweet above!

 

[bzparkes]

Sorry but couldn’t disagree more. Jumping at shadows is all this is.

It's all fun and games until a weird fan goes full Monica Seles.

This is why you can't touch players during games.

 

[faible]

Some weird commentary from I'm assuming older dudes not understanding the difference between player initiated or optional interaction, and a spectator grabbing a player.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

It's all fun and games until a weird fan goes full Monica Seles.

This is why you can't touch players during games.

Agree with that but the suspension should have been suspended. It was harmless and the AFL are jumping at shadows. Never been an issue in this country.

And you can touch players during games, player kicks 100 goals and thousands touch them. Players jumping up hugging players after kicking a great goal.

Either have a rule or you don’t, no circumstance at all should be then ok. Otherwise this poor guy just copped a suspension for nothing.

If you allow players to instigate contact then you are allowing human contact, these players are not special humans. They are just footballers.

This will now open up a can of worms. Like I said the AFL and to be honest the world jumping at shadows.

 

[faible]

Agree with that but the suspension should have been suspended. It was harmless and the AFL are jumping at shadows. Never been an issue in this country.

And you can touch players during games, player kicks 100 goals and thousands touch them. Players jumping up hugging players after kicking a great goal.

Either have a rule or you don’t, no circumstance at all should be then ok. Otherwise this poor guy just copped a suspension for nothing.

This will now open up a can of worms.

A spectator got suspended a year or two ago for the same thing, no can of worms followed.

Seems to me like you're getting upset over a whole lot of nothing, are you planning on grabbing a player? If not, you'll be fine.

 

[stallon]

Agree with that but the suspension should have been suspended. It was harmless and the AFL are jumping at shadows. Never been an issue in this country.

And you can touch players during games, player kicks 100 goals and thousands touch them. Players jumping up hugging players after kicking a great goal.

Either have a rule or you don’t, no circumstance at all should be then ok. Otherwise this poor guy just copped a suspension for nothing.

If you allow players to instigate contact then you are allowing human contact, these players are not special humans. They are just footballers.

This will now open up a can of worms. Like I said the AFL and to be honest the world jumping at shadows.

Players can offer the contact, fans cant just grab a player just because hes near the fence.
You are just wrong, you cant go around grabbing people for no reason. the rest of the year not being able to go to games is a minimal punishment for what was done.

 

[bzparkes]

Agree with that but the suspension should have been suspended. It was harmless and the AFL are jumping at shadows. Never been an issue in this country.

And you can touch players during games, player kicks 100 goals and thousands touch them. Players jumping up hugging players after kicking a great goal.

Either have a rule or you don’t, no circumstance at all should be then ok. Otherwise this poor guy just copped a suspension for nothing.

If you allow players to instigate contact then you are allowing human contact, these players are not special humans. They are just footballers.

This will now open up a can of worms. Like I said the AFL and to be honest the world jumping at shadows.

Why should it be suspended?

This isn't the first time a spectator has been punished for this.

A bloke was suspended for 12 months for patting Marlion Pickett on the back.

Also, 6 months of this bloke's penalty has been suspended.

And there is a rule: Don't touch players during general play. Pretty simple.

Unless you're entirely fine with an old bloke like me going down to my local Woolies and hugging the cute young cashier there whilst she's scanning my groceries?

 

[Iago]

Agree with that but the suspension should have been suspended. It was harmless and the AFL are jumping at shadows. Never been an issue in this country.

And you can touch players during games, player kicks 100 goals and thousands touch them. Players jumping up hugging players after kicking a great goal.

Either have a rule or you don’t, no circumstance at all should be then ok. Otherwise this poor guy just copped a suspension for nothing.

If you allow players to instigate contact then you are allowing human contact, these players are not special humans. They are just footballers.

This will now open up a can of worms. Like I said the AFL and to be honest the world jumping at shadows.

Pretty sure I saw a woman run on the ground and went specifically to Greg Stafford. Not sure the exact reason but the innuendo at the time was it was an ex.

 

[Tjblues]

Agree with that but the suspension should have been suspended. It was harmless and the AFL are jumping at shadows. Never been an issue in this country.

And you can touch players during games, player kicks 100 goals and thousands touch them. Players jumping up hugging players after kicking a great goal.

Either have a rule or you don’t, no circumstance at all should be then ok. Otherwise this poor guy just copped a suspension for nothing.

If you allow players to instigate contact then you are allowing human contact, these players are not special humans. They are just footballers.

This will now open up a can of worms. Like I said the AFL and to be honest the world jumping at shadows.

No, they aren’t special humans, you’re right.

They are workers, performing their job.

How many workplaces would be okay with a stranger grabbing one of their employees around the head while they were at work? Go try it out at your local pub or cafe, at best they’ll think you’re a creep, at worst they’ll tell you not to come back.

It’s a proportionate response that also acts as a deterrent to others who would do similar if the punishment was lesser

 

[Lockyer24]

We can finally ban Hirdy for life for accosting that poor young fan that time

 

[greatwhiteshark]

We can finally ban Hirdy for life for accosting that poor young fan that time

Apparantly in joyous moments contact is fine.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Some weird commentary from I'm assuming older dudes not understanding the difference between player initiated or optional interaction, and a spectator grabbing a player.

Boomers and not understanding the concept of consent. A better 1-2 combo than Judd-Cousins.

 

[Golden_6]

I have absolutely no issue with this. The players cannot be touched by the supporters over the fence or it sets a dangerous precedence. People bringing up the Hird incident is laughable.

The fan will get over it. He'll miss a handful of AFL games and got some TV time.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

What about Adam Goodes imitating throwing a spear directly at opposition supporters.

I’m sure any fan who imitates a hug won’t be banned.

 

[RAPPA]

Some here missing the point - it's about general deterrence. Bloke's a moron.

 

[VinnieB]

It was Mother’s Day.
Guy was a little confused.
Give him a break.

 

[The Lobbster]

Apparantly in joyous moments contact is fine.

I’ve seen a few people trying to pretend that the Hird hug and the grab on the weekend are the same and I think it’s ridiculous.

In Hird’s case, he initiates contact and the fan (who could’ve simply not hugged him). This incident sets no precedent and does not undermine the (necessary in some sense) separation between fans and players. It’s a great moment and I’m sure Essendon fans remember it. I certainly remember Justin Longmuir jumping into the crowd after winning the game against the Saints.

The incident on the weekend was a fan grabbing a player who was just trying to slow down. It’s great that the fan is remorseful and seems to be a nice guy in general. However, simply put, there are things fans cannot do at the footy. It’s important to establish that unless a player specifically wants to be touched (by jumping into the crowd, extending their hand out for a high 5 etc), then fans cannot touch them, opposition or not.

 

[flamethrower]

We should just ban nuffs from the football.

Empty stadiums at every AFL game would not be a good look.

Guy had a brain fade and the embarrassment of the negative publicity will haunt him for a long time - the is the best deterrent of all to any flogs pondering doing the same thing in the future.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I’ve seen a few people trying to pretend that the Hird hug and the grab on the weekend are the same and I think it’s ridiculous.

In Hird’s case, he initiates contact and the fan (who could’ve simply not hugged him). This incident sets no precedent and does not undermine the (necessary in some sense) separation between fans and players. It’s a great moment and I’m sure Essendon fans remember it. I certainly remember Justin Longmuir jumping into the crowd after winning the game against the Saints.

The incident on the weekend was a fan grabbing a player who was just trying to slow down. It’s great that the fan is remorseful and seems to be a nice guy in general. However, simply put, there are things fans cannot do at the footy. It’s important to establish that unless a player specifically wants to be touched (by jumping into the crowd, extending their hand out for a high 5 etc), then fans cannot touch them, opposition or not.

That’s cool, but what right does the player then have to force himself into a spectator? Got to work both ways.

 

[xInfected_Virus]

There doesn't seem to be anything on the official AFL fan code of conduct and if he appeals, he can use that they are no official "no touching the players rule" on their official fan code of conduct page which would force the league to added it in and it would be something like "Do not touch the players or officials".

However this would be the closest rule he would've likely violated on Rule 2.14 (f)

(f) disrupt, interrupt or behave in any manner that may disrupt or interrupt any of the Matches, events, functions or other activities at the Venue, distract, hinder or interfere with an AFL Official, player, umpire or performer, interfere with the comfort of other patrons or attendees or their enjoyment of any of the Matches, events, functions or other activities at the Venue;