This. Best take I have readThis is why English Premier League players own pubs and clubs - they can prevent this stuff getting out. AFL just needs that salary cap to expand about 20x more then it will be possible here as well
I do think it is a shame that things like this get leaked by “do gooders”. There was clear intent to keep it private and all the players went expecting to see things on the offensive side of the comedic spectrum - I don’t think there is any evidence that anyone present took actual offence. It would be like playing Cards Against Humanity and then a newspaper printing the combinations created - it would look truly terrible but the context would be missed.
That said, the tape got leaked and the Jarryd Hayne skit sounds like it was particularly bad. How would the poor women feel who have made complaints be feeling now? How would some parents of girls and women fans be feeling? I’m a man I found it in really poor taste.
And the optics on some of the other skits were also pretty terrible. AFL is a business and they had to act. If it was a corporate environment, the punishments would likely be even stiffer - I suspect some of the leaders would have been sacked (rightly or wrongly). Whether AFL players like it or not, they get paid really well and that comes with higher expectations than your local footy club. Gotta take the bad with the really good.
What I really don’t get is how on earth players still get themselves in trouble at their end of year parties. Cover your damn ass and run the plans by management. It might take some of the fun away, but better that then end up all over the news. Or just go bush and ban phones then do what you please. Just be smarter about it…
Edit: sorry for the intrusion. Happy to move this post to a general discussion thread if there is one. I do like the Giants and they, along with Brisbane are my second favourite team.
. I feel exactly the same way. I do think the match suspensions are too harsh on the younger players and they have been hung out to dry here.
