The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

[Topdog]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

Now that's how you write an article. Incredible read and just so sad.
The story and accompanying images of the geelong game were inspiring.

[The Doctor]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

What was Muir like as a player?

Fabulous tough player but remembered for other reasons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUNFO_3rdhI

[Bornadog]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

As a kid growing up watching the replays all I saw was cherry picked footage of him being overtly aggressive. The famous incident seen right throughout my younger days, where he turned and punched Dennis Collins, then had a crack at the crowd. Little did I know at that age the level of abuse he had endured to reach those breaking points. Certainly not acceptable his actions but balanced against the unrelenting abuse you can certainly understand them. Brilliant article one of the most enlightening I've read.

Dennis must have said some pretty bad things to him to cop that.

[Bornadog]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

https://www.gofundme.com/f/saints-fans-for-robert-muir

Go Fund me has raised $55k to date in one day

[FrediKanoute]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

https://www.gofundme.com/f/saints-fans-for-robert-muir

Go Fund me has raised $55k to date in one day

Wonder if ed, sam and the Footy Show crew have donated......

[angelopetraglia]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

Not looking forward to Eddies’s predictable passionate defence that he and his team did nothing wrong and they are unfairly being victimised again. Defend, deflect, never admit anything.

[Sedat]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

A very sad, harrowing read. I don't think anybody in the football industry comes out of this well.

Whilst I understand the anger and commentary towards the low hanging fruit of The Footy Show, it is one regrettable 5 minute sketch in 66 years of Robert Muir's life. I feel so much more anger at his father. A person who should be a source of love, comfort, learning, nurturing and inspiration to a child was nothing but a cancerous, destructive influence on his own blood and sowed the seeds of a life unfulfilled and short of love and support.

I also think the St Kilda footy club and VFL/AFL head office have shown no interest in the long term welfare of one of their own and come out of this extremely poorly. Frankly the apologies that have started coming today are pithy, shallow and meaningless - the damage has been well and truly done, and for many years without the slightest hint of interest in him and his story.

[Mofra]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

That's one of the best past-player articles I've ever read.
Finger crossed Muir now gets some of the support he's so richly owed.

[comrade]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

That's one of the best past-player articles I've ever read.
Finger crossed Muir now gets some of the support he's so richly owed.

It really is an excellent and compassionate piece of writing. And I'm not sure whether it was deliberately put together now, but the timing is right for this sort of expose. If it was written 5 years ago, I doubt it would have made the same impact as it is now.

[Bornadog]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

A very sad, harrowing read. I don't think anybody in the football industry comes out of this well.

Whilst I understand the anger and commentary towards the low hanging fruit of The Footy Show, it is one regrettable 5 minute sketch in 66 years of Robert Muir's life. I feel so much more anger at his father. A person who should be a source of love, comfort, learning, nurturing and inspiration to a child was nothing but a cancerous, destructive influence on his own blood and sowed the seeds of a life unfulfilled and short of love and support.

I also think the St Kilda footy club and VFL/AFL head office have shown no interest in the long term welfare of one of their own and come out of this extremely poorly. Frankly the apologies that have started coming today are pithy, shallow and meaningless - the damage has been well and truly done, and for many years without the slightest hint of interest in him and his story.

It is also hard to put blame on his father. Who knows what his father had to endure over the years to make him like the way he was. No doubt his father had no support like Robert should have had. At least Robert was involved with football and should have had half a chance through the support of a professional club, but unfortunatetly the Saints failed him.

[Ozza]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

It is also hard to put blame on his father. Who knows what his father had to endure over the years to make him like the way he was. No doubt his father had no support like Robert should have had. At least Robert was involved with football and should have had half a chance through the support of a professional club, but unfortunatetly the Saints failed him.

No doubt the Saints failed him badly, but I suspect most or all clubs will have come up short in their treatment of Indigenous players across the same era, so I am reluctant to be putting a boot into St Kilda. On the podcast during the week, Magic McLean told his story of having to stand up and say 'no more' to the racist jokes amongst the bulldogs playing group - and that may be only scratching the surface as far as we know - so I don't think it can be put down to just St Kilda being unprofessional.

[EasternWest]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

Great read. He looks downright majestic with that beard.

[Bornadog]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

No doubt the Saints failed him badly, but I suspect most or all clubs will have come up short in their treatment of Indigenous players across the same era, so I am reluctant to be putting a boot into St Kilda. On the podcast during the week, Magic McLean told his story of having to stand up and say 'no more' to the racist jokes amongst the bulldogs playing group - and that may be only scratching the surface as far as we know - so I don't think it can be put down to just St Kilda being unprofessional.

I understand the era was different, but still a disgrace to our sopciety. It is alot more than just the 80s - what has happened since, why does it take a journo to bring this story forward? Sorry, I can't except that there is no blame at StKilda and we can write it off as it happened everywhere.

[comrade]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

Great read. He looks downright majestic with that beard.

It's a great look.

Also, what a blessing his partner has been and well done to the journo for highlighting her importance. I'm sure it's been downright horrible at times, but her love has clearly led Robert to a much better place than where he was.

[Ozza]

Re: The persecution of Robert Muir is the story football doesn't want to hear

I understand the era was different, but still a disgrace to our sopciety. It is alot more than just the 80s - what has happened since, why does it take a journo to bring this story forward? Sorry, I can't except that there is no blame at StKilda and we can write it off as it happened everywhere.

I think perhaps I didn't communicate this effectively - but I was certainly trying to say that St Kilda were significantly at fault - but I was also saying we shouldn't look down our noses at St Kilda without looking in our own backyard where it is clear that Footscray and all other clubs were likely very poor in this regard.

I wasn't excusing St Kilda - quite the opposite - was saying that the treatment of indigenous players in footy was appalling across the board - and that it wasn't a St Kilda issue exclusively, it was an all clubs issue.