I wonder if today's stories about Krakouer's racism claims are a beat up!
For me it is completely reasonable if a Pie supporter of any sort pulls up next to you to lock the doors and windows! In fact it would seem prudent!
Just as I would if a skinhead Bumbers fan rocked up in the same space or anyone associated with the Tigers. They are all ferals after all.
I don't see the connection to race at all!
Further adding to my confusion, many of Krakouer's generation commonly sport neck tatoos, hoodies, are unshaven, have their ar5e hanging out of their trackies. They are designer bad boys! That's right, bad boy fashions! So isn't the reaction to that fashion actually the effect they are after?
I must be confused!
The incidents he's highlighted would be more a factor of subconcious profiling than deliberate racism. It's the same for many young people who are automatically thought to be up to no good, or any middle aged man with a young child that gets looked at like he's a pervert. People make judgements of other people for a variety of reasons, justly or unjustly.
I remember answering a question when I was applying to be a prison officer a number of years ago. It asked whether I would be more cautious/nervous walking through an indigenous neighbourhood at night time than I would a white one. I answered yes. I received a phone call shortly after the assessment to explain my answer as it apparently highlighted a racist thought pattern. This annoyed me as I'm far from being racist. I explained that I would be more cautious in any neighbourhood where i'm the minority, it had nothing to do with race.
It's human nature to be cautious of what you're not familiar with. I think as a society we're too quick to label things as 'racist' without fully understanding what that term means.
Players who can hold their heads up high: Simpson, Scotland, Watson and Tuohy.
Players who need to take a good hard look at themselves: Betts, Yarran, Rowe and Murphy.
It was a high pressure game, but we allowed them to shut us down too much in the last quarter. We barely got it forward of centre and couldn't stop the flow down the other end.
I think this will be it for us, we could only really afford to drop 1 game and with Richmond and Essendon still to play, I can't see us making it from here.
It all comes down to needing a second forward that can play as a relief ruck and the fact that all three of Hendo, Waite and Rowe/Cas/Hammer wont fit in the forward line.
Collingwood had Cloke, Dawes and Brown, why couldn't we have all 3? Sacrifice one of the little guys and see how it goes.
Alternatively, I'd prefer to see Waite up on the wing as opposed to down back. Similar to how Matthew Richardson was played towards the end of his career. Waite has the athleticism to be that perfect link up player through the middle of the ground and can obviously float up either end to help out.
If Laidler is continually played as a forward and is denied the opportunity at senior level then I call MM a "C". Let's face facts. Most of Micks changes appear to be anti Ratts. Walker to the backline, No Laids or Duigs, Yazz the forward, disrespect of Eddie, love of Lucas. I actually expect to see Laids seek a trade back to Geelong and he will become a gun.
Walker is playing probably his best season to date, Lucas has taken a big step forward, Yazz has been made to have a much needed attitude adjustment and I can't see any evidence of Eddie being disrespected. If all of these changes are to discredit Ratten's coaching, then it proves that Ratten needed to be sacked because everything you've mentioned has improved the team.
Neither Laidler or Duigan have been setting the world on fire in the 2's, even when Laidler has been played back it hasn't been exceptional.
The interesting question will be what to do if Waite is ok to play. I thought Watson did enough to keep his spot, only conceded 1 goal and disposal around the ground was A grade. Having Hendo up forward makes us look a lot more dangerous. Rowe did everything that was asked of him. Would we have a look at the 3 (genuine) forward set up?
