Flying the Flag

[Baggers]

You literally only took out of my post what resonated and didn’t understand what I am trying to say. 

LP and JonHenry are correct. I’m not saying we should be the aggressors, but if you touch any of our boys, by all that’s holy, you’ll never forget what happened afterwards. Ever.

Thats what Culture is. “It’s how we do thing around here.” If you do not understand or accept that, fair enough. We’re all entitled to our own opinions and you only want the best for this Club.

But this is a full contact sport with young men in their pride and that reputations on the field do count and that needing to stand up for your team, club and Members sometimes involves a tussle or two. I’d rather a brawl and a couple of our boys getting suspended, but this rough play with our boys stops, than watching us stand back and be bullied during a 22 week season. There’ll be moments in the game on Sunday when our boys will be tested. Let’s see what impact this player only meeting has had on our players. Not just Cripps. Everyone. What Pact was formed.

Look, sometimes you need to stand up and face the bully eye to eye and smack the guy into the next week. There and then. This is not the School Yard, where you take it up to the Teacher afterwards. The AFL doesn’t give a damn about our Club. You think their Teacher, Bolton, will clap them on the back for standing back and not flying the flag for Murphy, when it counted?  Not a bloody Chance. You’d be commended in house if you went after Mumford. Especially if you were, say a Sammo or Fisher. Suspension included. Guaranteed.

Well said. It's a gladiatorial sport... though, I suspect, Gil is trying to pretty it up so it's more 'entertaining'... Ice Capades on grass. He won't succeed and hopefully packs up his play lunch at the end of the year and takes up a diplomatic post in Oodnadatta, or perhaps run the family estate in Kensington (UK).

I would suggest though, that to be the side that hits the grass full of controlled aggression is a better option as you don't become the one that 'reacts'. Retaliators get pinged, regularly. When you have a 'front foot controlled aggression' (ruthlessness at the aggott and opponent) culture you sow that whisker of doubt & caution into some opponents... presently, we are a long way from that, no-one fears us in any way shape or form - not very impressive after an approaching 4 year rebuild. With that kind of culture it's automatic to fly the flag should any thug try their luck harming one of our blokes. And when that kind of culture flies the flag it can be definitive and quite intimidating.