AFL Game Day - R7, 2025

[angelopetraglia]

Some of the analogies in the lead up to and also on the day comparing football and the ANZACs make me cringe and feel more uncomfortable as each year goes on.

In Melbourne it feels like a game of football is now overshadowing ANZAC day.

Maybe it’s just me in my own little bubble, but I believe this game of football gets bigger every year and the actual true meaning and reason for having ANZAC day diminishes.

[jazzadogs]

Some of the analogies in the lead up to and also on the day comparing football and the ANZACs make me cringe and feel more uncomfortable as each year goes on.

In Melbourne it feels like a game of football is now overshadowing ANZAC day.

Maybe it’s just me in my own little bubble, but I believe this game of football gets bigger every year and the actual true meaning and reason for having ANZAC day diminishes.

It's not just football. Anzac Day is a commercial enterprise now. The dawn services and marches have value and meaning, the rest of it is opportunistic crap.

Why do we have an Anzac guernsey? Why is there an 'Anzac eve' game?

[hujsh]

Some of the analogies in the lead up to and also on the day comparing football and the ANZACs make me cringe and feel more uncomfortable as each year goes on.

In Melbourne it feels like a game of football is now overshadowing ANZAC day.

Maybe it’s just me in my own little bubble, but I believe this game of football gets bigger every year and the actual true meaning and reason for having ANZAC day diminishes.

Out of curiosity, what do you consider the true meaning and reason to be?

[angelopetraglia]

Out of curiosity, what do you consider the true meaning and reason to be?

Definitely not a football match.

It’s original origin was to commentate those who had served and especially those who had lost their lives during the landing of Gallipoli in WW1.

As time went on it grew to represent the same purpose but for all conflicts. To remember those who served and especially those who paid the ultimate price. To give them our respect and to remember them.

Over time, other mythology and meaning has been brought to the day, but at its essence that’s what it means to me.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

This is not really specific to round 7, but doesn't need its own thread. You know you've said something dumb when it's made Jeff Kennett defend a Labor premier...

Jeff Kennett has sided with Jacinta Allan in the unfolding stoush with AFL coach Damien Hardwick over her strong criticism of playing Noah Balta before his sentencing over a serious assault.
In an extraordinary intervention in the row between the Premier and the premiership coach, the former Victorian Liberal leader and Hawthorn Football Club president launched a strong defence of Ms Allan.

Mr Kennett said he was “troubled” by Hardwick’s broadside at Ms Allan over her comments about Balta playing last weekend, branding the current Suns and former Richmond coach as “totally incorrect”.

“Jacinta Allan’s comments I think reflected the views of the vast majority of Victorians and were totally in order, and Damien Hardwick, I recognise his right to issue comment, but I think he is totally incorrect in what he said,” Mr Kennett told The Australian.

“Premier Allan was correct in making her comments and Damien Hardwick, he has a right to voice his opinion, but is therefore entitled to be held to account.

“If he thinks that sort of behaviour does not justify leaders in our community condemning it, then I think his value system is wrong, however great his friendship is with Balta.

“And that is coming from me, who very rarely, if ever, has sided with Jacinta.”

The Hardwick-Allan row – a rare eruption of tensions between a Victorian political leader and an AFL coach – was triggered by Richmond’s decision to play Balta, whom Hardwick coached to a premiership with the Tigers in 2020, against the Suns last weekend.

Balta had served a four-week, club-imposed ban after pleading guilty to assaulting a man in the NSW border town of Mulwala in December, but he was not sentenced in court until Tuesday.

A NSW magistrate fined Balta $3000, imposed an 18-month community corrections order, a three-month 10pm to 6am curfew and an interstate travel ban, meaning he will miss multiple AFL games.

When asked at a press conference last week about the decision to select Balta, Ms Allan demanded to know how the AFL and Richmond would explain to children that Balta was playing before his sentencing for what she called a “sickening attack” and added: “What sort of message does this send to kids about what’s right and what’s wrong? I think that’s really a question for the AFL and Richmond need to answer.”

After the Suns lost to Richmond by 11 points on Saturday, Hardwick blasted Ms Allan, saying: “We’ve got a premier that put her nose in somebody else’s business, she should just concentrate on getting the state running well.”

He doubled down on his criticism of the Premier at a press conference on Wednesday, questioning her ability to fix the youth crime wave plaguing Victoria.

“It’s more just I want (Ms Allan) to be tough on crime,” he said.

“Noah got his fair whack, he made a really poor decision. He understood that, and he knows that. What we need to do in society is be harsh on crime. I still stand by that, I always will. It’s accountability and its responsibility. I’m really hard on crime, and that’s exactly what I want our premiers, and our political parties, to do.

“Less talk, more action … Magistrates, premiers, less talking, less chest-beating, more getting to work and getting it done.”

Responding to Mr Kennett’s comments, Gold Coast Suns chief executive Mark Evans said: “Jeff’s entitled to his views and to make comment. We won’t be commenting further.”

Mr Kennett said Hardwick’s doubling down of his criticism of Ms Allan had motivated him to offer the Labor Premier public support. He said he was surprised the AFL had not backed her.

“I have been troubled since Damien Hardwick made his comments – give him his right, he can make his comments – but I have been troubled by them,” he said.

“And because he has now doubled down on them, I’m doubly troubled, because as much as I have very little in common with the current government, and in particular their law and order policies, the reality is, when Jacinta was asked the question, of course she was going to say what most Victorians would have thought.

“That was totally unacceptable behaviour by Noah, and also that whether you agree or not with her politics, she has been saying for a long time that she’s against crime and all these sorts of things.

“So what she said is consistent with what she has been verbalising, even though the actions of her government have not addressed the real problems. What was she going to say? No comment, or this is up to the AFL … Of course not.”

Mr Kennett said he believed most Victorians were appalled by Balta’s assault and the “AFL, coaches and players were not above common decency and should be held to account when they cross the line”.

“Any physical assault on anyone is unacceptable; we are trying to educate our children at school to behave better, so the footage of that (attack) was frightening, absolutely frightening, and unacceptable by any standards, and there has to be consequences,” he said.

“We’re all bound by the same rules of decency and behaviour, and if you break those rules, there are consequences.”

Mr Kennett described Balta, a Richmond defender, as the “luckiest man alive”, saying he should be grateful the victim was not more seriously injured and he was not serving a prison sentence.

“Had the victim had his neck broken, or worse, Noah wouldn’t be playing football for the rest of his life,” he said.

Yes Kennet was a shocker as president created a shameful atmosphere at HFC and made me and other teachers "in excess" and sacked us, selling off all the tech schools and equipment with his razor gangs.
It was unwise of Harwick to comment given his vested interests, it seems like an unnecessary whinge but I agree with him.
A convicted Balta has no place playing given what I thought were AFL standards and certainly community standards.
AFL should not have allowed it I think.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Definitely not a football match.

It’s original origin was to commentate those who had served and especially those who had lost their lives during the landing of Gallipoli in WW1.

As time went on it grew to represent the same purpose but for all conflicts. To remember those who served and especially those who paid the ultimate price. To give them our respect and to remember them.

Over time, other mythology and meaning has been brought to the day, but at its essence that’s what it means to me.

Yes we need myths to establish shared values.
Commercial interests control the myths now.
For me the current shared respect post Gallipoli between Turkey and we Diggers is the legacy.
Like mates after a fight who realise it was unnecessary. Like two nations in a vortex of war, the Turkish now respect the Anzaacs for defending the impossible beach with its pines.
The Diggers fought so we would be could be free to watch Freo clean up the Crows...

[hujsh]

Yes we need myths to establish shared values.
Commercial interests control the myths now.
For me the current shared respect post Gallipoli between Turkey and we Diggers is the legacy.
Like mates after a fight who realise it was unnecessary. Like two nations in a vortex of war, the Turkish now respect the Anzaacs for defending the impossible beach with its pines.
The Diggers fought so we would be could be free to watch Freo clean up the Crows...

I think you kind of get at why I dislike the day as an idea/concept.

I think ANZAC day should be about what the ANZACs learned from war. They learned it was bloody and pointless. Something to avoid in all but the most rare of circumstances. I fell like ANZAC day now (and in it's inception) is a way to gear people up for things like the Iraq war or Vietnam, not to caution them away.

Does this clash with AP's original point? Probably not. Integrating football into the day and comparing footballers to 'the diggers' probably only helps foster that jingoistic sentiment.

[angelopetraglia]

I think you kind of get at why I dislike the day as an idea/concept.

I think ANZAC day should be about what the ANZACs learned from war. They learned it was bloody and pointless. Something to avoid in all but the most rare of circumstances. I fell like ANZAC day now (and in it's inception) is a way to gear people up for things like the Iraq war or Vietnam, not to caution them away.

Does this clash with AP's original point? Probably not. Integrating football into the day and comparing footballers to 'the diggers' probably only helps foster that jingoistic sentiment.

Yes. Agree with your view.

ANZAC day was established after Gallipoli which was a minor battle in WW1 that started after a Bosnian Serb shot an Archduke of Austria-Hungary that through a set of allegiances and pacts launched all Europe into a pointless war. Most soldiers didn’t even understand why they were fighting outside of national pride.

It was a tragic waste of young lives. They showed amazing courage, sacrifice and mateship but for no end purpose. It was an important lesson. So agree with your rationale.

But that is not often used as reference for ANZAC day, it is more often linked to WW2 and the defeat of the Nazis as that does make sense of the sacrifice of lives, to defeat such an evil opponent.

[The Adelaide Connection]

This game day thread has an identity crisis.

Anyways, good win for Freo. But are they just gonna win at home and drop games they should win on the road again this year?

Both of these clubs could be something, or nothing. Couple of injuries in the forward half for the Crows (sounds like Thilthorpe might miss) are gonna make things a little tougher for them.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I think you kind of get at why I dislike the day as an idea/concept.

I think ANZAC day should be about what the ANZACs learned from war. They learned it was bloody and pointless. Something to avoid in all but the most rare of circumstances. I fell like ANZAC day now (and in it's inception) is a way to gear people up for things like the Iraq war or Vietnam, not to caution them away.

Does this clash with AP's original point? Probably not. Integrating football into the day and comparing footballers to 'the diggers' probably only helps foster that jingoistic sentiment.

Jingoism is having a new wave after its need in war and post war and then we hippies and our generation attacked the establishment.
it's a real threat and is out of place.
People feel nationally threatened.
The fact that war bonds a nation in victory and Australia has never had war here means we look to Gallipoli sadly, where Churchill was directly to blame for the landing, We were brave lambs to the slaughter to stop Hitler.

The best version of an ANZAAC song, fittingly by a bitter, expressive Irishman:

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=-aYmCeCPrAs&si=LGBdOUiWDO44nZ88

[The Adelaide Connection]

Brisbane have been unconvincing in this one so far and the Saints are back in it.

Actually, have they been convincing at all tho year? Sign of a good team that has been able to eek out wins while below their best.

Note: Hipwood has to be up there in terms of players who get goals via missed free kicks against/free kicks for that aren’t there.

[Hotdog60]

Port v North is a game of who can have the worst disposal

[Bornadog]

Port fans know how to boo. They haven't stopped the whole game.

[merantau]

North will never have a better opportunity to win in Adelaide

[The Adelaide Connection]

North will never have a better opportunity to win in Adelaide

They had them on the ropes. A couple o skill errors/bad choices away from the win.