Would a media ban be the right thing?
Or would we be seen as ‘whiners?
Wish Balme was at the hub to say how it is and take the heat for a time being.
Shut shop?
Don’t get sucked into giving this any oxygen?
You wonder how Dimma may respond Thursday after what will come the clubs way Monday onwards ....Radio stations, more talkback, AFLs response etc.
Should be Balmey responding, since Dimma is not controlled and would just be seen as whining and Balme has that loose, good bloke thing down pat.
Call a press conference.
- Hand out the sheets showing free kicks differential from 2016 to 2019 home and away seasons.
- Point out that this year Lynch has got twice as many against as for (8 - 15) and on Saturday was O - 2.
- Note that many commentators say forwards get a better run and point to Lynch.
- Note the free kick count and say that the current slag about Richmond staging isn't working and hasn't for four years according to facts.
- But what it does say is that Richmond players know they won't get a free unless it's obvious and naturally they try to make it obvious.
- That doesn't work often though, just ask Jack who still complains and thus doesn't even get the ones he deserves.
- Seems obvious (according to facts) that Lynch is copping more and getting less.
- Is there an agenda? Only press can say if they are briefed by anyone at the AFL.
- Clearly the result is there will be less frees to Richmond (even though we are already the most penalised) due to staging and retaliation accusations.
As to the Robbie Muir story.
I grew up in the same area of Wendouree as Robbie and used to visit him occasionally as a kid.
I still remember a mark by Robbie at the City Oval against Redan. There was a pack of about 5 flying, all big key position players and Robbie just flew over the pack from the back to mark on his chest and land on his feet. Still the best mark I've ever seen and that was the 70's. I went to St Kilda as Northey's runner in 1978 when he was assistant coach. One day in a match Robbie was going crazy shouting, screaming and throwing his arms around. Northey sent me out and Robbie was livid and said the umpire had called him a "black bastard" and he wanted to belt him. I tried to calm him down but what can you say? I went back and told Northey. I regret to this day I did nothing but what can you do? The umpire is sacrosant and can you imagine what would happen if Robbie or anyone else had challenged the umpire. t's probably one of the things Northey had in mind when he was quoted in the story.
The impotence you feel when you see something wrong and can't do a damn thing about it.
That seems to link the two although institutional racism is far and away the bigger problem than an AFL free kick bias against Richmond.