Privacy scandal from the FFA - and more libel from the scumbag media.

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Hi WestofEast,
Welcome to the forum and I appreciate your viewpoints.
The police response is concerning. But when the top brass is crapping on about what a warzone the HAL is, then of course the front-line police are going to be a bit more gung-ho about it. It does raise the question of why the police are so anti-football? Why are they so grossly misrepresenting how the crowd performs, then geeing themselves up based on this?

Not just the police but the private security can be problematic as well.

The RBB do invite a lot of negative attention though - the facebook page is the perfect example of that. Supporters groups need to be responsible for their image, not just their actions.

Regardless, that's probably a separate issue to the leaks here. So far Gallop has completely failed to defend his product, completely failed to defend the sport's fans - he's done nothing but defender his own administration. Which is absolutely appalling. I find it difficult to believe that somebody with his experience could miss the point so spectacularly - clubs are coming out with much, much better responses.

 

[WestofEast]

I can only talk about my personal experience of what life is like in the RBB for a bit of an old geezer like me. Once you start looking for boofheads making stupid comments online, no doubt you shall find them. The WSW crowd is no exeception. I don't pay too much attention to it, but yes, it draws a certain picture.

I think Simon Hill summed it up nicely yesterday why the police and media are responding the way they do. I went to the WSW members forum in June, and the CEO was quite candid, and said that the WSW are operating in a hostile environment, or words to that effect. Media, the other codes, police, FFA, the venue operators - for their own reasons they all have an axe to grind with the WSW. Hence activities like "leak". Shocking stuff, absolutely appalling. You guys can consider yourself lucky that you are not exposed to it.

As for the FFA: Gallop and DeBohun are total flops. To think that Lyall Gorman, an investment banker, was more competent than the administrators coming from other codes says it all. I personally am sick of tired of having the game run by people from Union, AFL, NRL and Cricket, who have no idea about the culture, but keep using the "we are football" phrase. They are actually not. They just happen to administer a product called football. We, the fans, the clubs, the players, the officials, we are football.

Other than that: I hope the CCM will re-surge. I have a lot of respect for the club which has achieved more with less than the mouths from Sydney's East. Having Shaun on board should help, he is a good one.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Yeah true, and while I know of some violence from WSW supporters (and not singling out your club either), my understanding, especially in the first season, was that this was pretty minimal, and it was the persistent flare use that caught the media attention to start with, being highly visible. That's toned down somewhat, which is good. Anyway, this is probably a little off topic.

It's not just WSW that the media and police are hostile too - each club is copping the same sort of crap.

I remember when Gallop came in, we were optimistic that he could leverage his media connections for better exposure. Clearly that hasn't happened - though I seriously hope his connections are why he lacked the fortitude to actually say anything of substance. I don't think the fans or the game have ever been let down as badly by the FFA (under Gallop's leadership) as they have through this debacle.

You're right that all they are doing is administering a product that happens to be football. Unfortunately they care so little about the product that they won't even defend it!!

But there is also a lot that happens that the media, fortunately, don't hear about. Not to downplay the malice from the media, but we could be copping it a lot worse as well.

 

[FFC Mariner]

I see Gosford Police have chipped in about fans behaving themselves (Brisbane Water LAC Facebook)

I guess that's code for more ham fisted policing by a body that just simply doesn't get football.

One Sydney game I was moved to ask 4 members of the riot squad why they were stationed diametrically opposite the away fans and in the 1 place where they could do absolutely nothing if it kicked off. The reply was to threaten to throw me out.

Apart from a few unsavoury incidents at Parramatta, I can't claim to have ever felt unsafe at a game against Wanderers. Unlike, say, going to the scumdome which is feral and unpleasant.

Even the GF was ok post game and I don't really expect it to be any different this week.

 

[true believer]

I'm not going to post the article because every click means financial support - but basically, that old-poo-and-crud-that-forms-under-the-lip-of-the-toilet-bowl excuse for a human being Rebecca Wilson

oooh god that's good .

 

[Big Al]

The problem for me is how easy the fans get fired up by the most obvious troll ever. I saw the paper and laughed and said what a nothing article that looks a couple years old.
Then the fans get there knickers in a knot and want to walk out.
Come on don't get sucked in by her. She could write an article every week and they'd still jump.
Just ignore her.
The FFA has these stupid rules in place so why would they care now. It's way to late to complain about the lack of fair process and the FFA are proud of the bans.
I understand the injustice but just seems like playing right into there hands.
Why come to Gosford on a Sunday arvo to watch your team then leave to prove a point to people who don't care. Rebecca won't be watching (prob will for a laugh) and FFA don't care they not changing approach now.

 

[dibo]

It's not a nothing troll. 198 people got named and shamed in the biggest Sunday paper in the country.

Sorry mate, but I think you underestimate how much this affects those people, who might have done not much more than swear.

 

[Big Al]

I'm not saying people haven't been wronged and I do understand people have really been looking for an excuse to react but the issue has been going for years.
Rebecca has no credibility yet still riles people up and FFA have zero interest in changing the policy.

but I don't see this as appropriate action.

I expect the walkouts to achieve nothing in hurting Rebecca's so called journalism, changing the FFAs policies or helping right any wrongs.

I understand the fans trying to stand up to protect each other but it's way to late IMO

 

[dibo]

Well, FFA in their meeting with the Cove the other day indicated that there is (now) an appeal process on bans - affected fans can challenge the bans through their clubs.

It hasn't achieved nothing.

 

[sydmariner]

Did the cove do anything @ last nights game cos I didn't see it on tv

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Well, FFA in their meeting with the Cove the other day indicated that there is (now) an appeal process on bans - affected fans can challenge the bans through their clubs.

It hasn't achieved nothing.

To be precise, the FFA stated that there has ALWAYS been an appeal process....

Did the cove do anything @ last nights game cos I didn't see it on tv

I know they sang a few songs...
They were never planning on a walkout though, IIRC
(NSFW)

 

[VicMariner]

I know they sang a few songs...
They were never planning on a walkout though, IIRC
(NSFW)

HA ha.
They also did one for Wilson:

 

[dibo]

Yup - I was at the game for a function, and the Cove held up 7 (I think) banners with various messages and sang a few songs. People around us understood what was going on, whereas if they'd just walked out I'm not sure they would have.

 

[true believer]

I think there should be some banners like .
under 0.05 or just like Rebecca

 

[nearlyyellow]

Interesting article in smh.com.au
Sydney Cricket Ground Trust on most violent venues list

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-cr...enues-list-20151127-gl9mh2.html#ixzz3sftwAh40

"The Trust, which runs licensed venues at the SCG and neighbouring Allianz Stadium, recorded 12 violent incidents in the latest period.There were four during NRL games, three during the cricket, two during rugby matches, two during AFL fixtures and one during soccer matches."

Media "interest" and VW/AJ articles/soundbites are just a diversionary tactic. WALOS they all are.

 

[rbakersmith]

The Yellow Army's made a statement:

As most of you are probably aware by now, Rebecca Wilson published an article on the 22/11 which made the FRONT PAGE of the Sunday telegraph. This article was an all out attack on the sport we love and the main reason for it was to out the 198 "louts" that have been banned by the FFA.
We obviously don't condone anti-social behaviour and there are people on the list who have deserved their ban. The reality is that some of these people are innocent, others are minors and many of them have not had the chance to appeal their ban, which is enforced by FFA with little reason or evidence given as to why. These people have had their faces put on the front page of a major newspaper despite never having a charge laid against them and have been made out to be some sort of career criminal. It is a breach of privacy which simply should not have been allowed to happen. Since then Rebecca Wilson went on radio with her good mate Alan Jones and they continued their attack together. Alan Jones went as far to say that the FFAs handling of "football violence" in Australia was comparable to the French authorities handling of the Paris terrorist attacks.

No words are needed for what we think of that line.

The FFAs handling of the situation has been nothing short of pathetic and fans have had enough. They have failed to condemn the article and the attack on our sport. In a statement on Wednesday, David Gallop even went as far to say that the leaking of the list "was not the main issue" and in a meeting with Sydney's supporter group, The Cove, an FFA representative was adamant the banning system was foolproof. However, innocent people on the list have already been called into meetings by employers to explain themselves, with reports of at least one person having lost his job as a result of the article.

We have been in constant communication with other active groups throughout the week and we support whatever method they feel necessary to get their message across. We won't be staging a boycott or walkout, but we will be going silent at a certain point in the match and get our message across in a different way. We have been in contact with the club and players during the week and they completely understand that it's not about them and support our decision.
While we are a small group and may not be directly affected, it is time for fans to come together. Not only to ensure the FFA has a fair and just system in place to address behavioural issues, but to make sure those accused are given the right to appeal. The FFAs current thinking is "guilty until proven innocent" with the onus on the accused to prove their innocence and we don't agree with this backwards notion.
It's simply not on and we won't stand for it.

Yellow Army

Tony's also come out in support:

@CCMariners I fully support whatever action our supporters take on Sunday. We stick by you and will do everything we can to win #4upfront

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

I had a chuckle about the 'period of silence' though.....I don't think there's been any mention of it on here?

 

[sydmariner]

I had a chuckle about the 'period of silence' though.....I don't think there's been any mention of it on here?

We tried it @ the last nso game & spent the entire 1st 1/2 making cricket references about the game

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

No doubt off the back of this, VicPol have policing numbers at the pub that the Victory supporters use to make you think they're doing a terrorist raid:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=857567424356846&id=356644847782442

This has gotten completely out of control.....

 

[kevrenor]

FFA Head if the A-League, Damien DoBuhun declined to answer why natural justice hasn't been instituted.

I suspect that their contracts with their 'partners' and 'stakeholders' like Hatamoto and Police, does not allow them to institute natural justice (as that would divulge their internal processes).