Sherman banned for vilification

[AndrewP6]

Off field he has been a disaster. Classic example of a footballer that should keep his mouth shut apart from saying the cliches.

Now that's an over-reaction. Isn't the first footballer to say something silly, won't go close to being the last.

[Remi Moses]

This. The guy made a mistake, but no one died. Give him his whack and move on.

Agreed the guy F***Ed up. Big lesson in life for a young man.

[LostDoggy]

Agreed the guy F***Ed up. Big lesson in life for a young man.

Massive lesson. Anyone see the press conference? he looks absolutely shattered.
Garlick was quite impressive in that he didn't shy away from what had happened.

[AndrewP6]

Agreed the guy F***Ed up. Big lesson in life for a young man.

Yep, and that's something often forgotten - even though he's been 'in the system', he's still only a young man. And young men make mistakes - fortunately, most aren't put under a microscope at their place of work.

[chef]

So only non ethnic Minority people are racists?

Do you really not get it?

[LostDoggy]

Yep, and that's something often forgotten - even though he's been 'in the system', he's still only a young man. And young men make mistakes - fortunately, most aren't put under a microscope at their place of work.

You're going to open a massive can of worms here. I agree it's not a 'normal' working environment and emotions obviously run to extremes out on the ground.
But you can't defend that kind of behavior because of age, or any other reason such as place
of work.

Sherman will be ok and can turn things around through his actions in the future if
he's a good person which i think he probably is.

[chef]

Yep, and that's something often forgotten - even though he's been 'in the system', he's still only a young man. And young men make mistakes - fortunately, most aren't put under a microscope at their place of work.

Still no excuse.

[AndrewP6]

You're going to open a massive can of worms here. I agree it's not a 'normal' working environment and emotions obviously run to extremes out on the ground.
But you can't defend that kind of behavior because of age, or any other reason such as place
of work.

Sherman will be ok and can turn things around through his actions in the future if
he's a good person which i think he probably is.

Not trying to defend it, just calling for a little understanding. Surely we've all made mistakes in our youth?

[AndrewP6]

I think the calls for a season ban or sacking are far too heavy-handed. Sure, Sherm knew the rules, and contravened. But unlike some others before him, he has put his hand up and taken the hit. He messed up, copped his whack - don't shoot the guy because of one moment of stupidity.

[SonofScray]

Shit form Sherman, take your medicine and come back better for it. Racism is not good enough, regardless of how shitty and uneven the AFL's penalties and processes for discipline are.

Kid seems like a bit of a goose, but thats OK - we can't have a team full of do gooders. Not everyone has to be squeaky clean. He has a mouth, seems a shifty sort of character and this time he went too far and will get his right whack. No need to hang him though, Sherman deserves a chance to take it all in, grow up and go about his business.

[angelopetraglia]

Anyone watch Damien Barrett on Footy Classifieds? Now sounds even worse.

He is saying it was repeated abuse. Definitely more than once. It wasn't just a one off sledge.

Very sad day for our club. Very harsh, maybe too harsh, but the season for me. Disgrace.

[LostDoggy]

Can't wait to see what Aker has to say.....

I probably would have given Sherman a couple of extra weeks, but a season long ban is overboard. What makes it all worse is the fact that it happened basically all day long & the young GC player was obviously very upset about it, considering the GC players approached the umpires during the match.

Also good to see Gia actually walk over after the game to talk to the young lad, great leadership.

If you are Jones, Hill or DJ, how do you front up & play with the guy again?

[Dry Rot]

What makes it all worse is the fact that it happened basically all day long & the young GC player was obviously very upset about it

If so, other Dogs players must have been aware of it, and possibly the coaching staff.

Why didn't the onfield leadership group (and coaching staff if they were aware of it) stop it?

Not the best day for our club, nor the best day for Hill, DJ, Stack or Jones.

[Sedat]

If so, other Dogs players must have been aware of it, and possibly the coaching staff.

Why didn't the onfield leadership group (and coaching staff if they were aware of it) stop it?

Not the best day for our club, nor the best day for Hill, DJ, Stack or Jones.

More than once might be twice, it might be 100 times. Damian Barrett has given no more information than it happened more than once, and he is doing what any journo would and is allowing ill-informed viewers/readers draw their own conclusions and make their own assumptions about what happened (which you have been too happy to make ill-informed assumptions in your above post), which of course is intended to keep the story bubbling along.

What is certain is that one of our on-field leaders offered support to young Joel as soon as the siren sounded - that is about as swift a response to the issue as is humanly possible. Did you want our leaders to renounce Sherman and stage a sit down protest while the game was still on? How you can possibly draw conclusions that our club was slow to move and lacked leadership in relation to this issue defies logic. It has already been resolved to the satisfaction of the aggrieved party less than 2 days after the match, with our club having been in constant contact with GC, the player and the AFL in the interim to ensure that the player and his club were given a satisfactory resolution to the issue. Sometimes no matter what our club's actions, some people will find fault.

It is a shocking situation handled as sympathetically and as quickly as could possibly be handled by our on-field and off-field leaders.

[Dry Rot]

If it was all day and if they were aware (and it seems some knew by full-time) then they could have stopped it earlier, couldn't they?