Talking Footy

Swans brothers in arms
Rebecca Wilson
From:The Daily Telegraph
September 03, 201112:00AM

SYDNEY Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh lives in my street in the inner city suburbs of Sydney. He and his wife Clementine are recent additions to our tight-knit little village, where we have all had the pleasure of saying hello and welcoming them to our community.

Our block loves its AFL and we have all been quite chuffed to see Jarrad and his Swans teammates gather at our local pub for the occasional quiet drink. They happily mingle with the regulars and are always happy to listen to the sound advice of the wise footy experts holding up the bar.

Last week, the McVeighs suffered the tragic loss of their four-week-old baby daughter, Luella. Her arrival had been eagerly awaited by the pair's families and friends, not least by all of us, as we watched the beautiful Clementine glow with good health as her pregnancy progressed.

There is not much anyone can say at times like these, but I believe that what has happened since Luella's death has been utterly uplifting and reason enough to believe that sport can bring us together at times of tragedy like nothing else in the universe.

The Swans played without their leader last weekend at Skilled Stadium in Geelong. McVeigh stayed in Sydney with his wife and family but watched every second of last week's events unfold.

Skilled Stadium is the ultimate AFL fortress, the Geelong Cats had not lost a game there in 29 outings. Several players from the Geelong side had never experienced a loss at the ground in their entire careers. Similarly, only a handful of old Swans could remember that Sydney's last victory there was in 1999. This was true "bandit territory".

Both teams wore black armbands as a sign of respect for Luella McVeigh. That in itself is an unusual gesture, but the Cats wanted to make it clear that footy is above rivalry when one of their own is in pain.

What happened over the next two hours of gripping football was extraordinary. The Swans dug deep and, quite literally, rode to victory on a wave of extreme emotion, the likes of which I have not seen for many years.

Players who have been missing in action for big games this year had the game of their lives. Team leaders like Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Ryan O'Keefe were amazing. The second-placed Geelong, seen as really the only team which might challenge Collingwood for the flag, looked mediocre for three quarters against the Swans, who played as well as they did in the 2005 finals.

One senior Melbourne AFL journalist said on Twitter that he thought the win was as big as the Swans' grand final victory six years ago. It was certainly up there and evoked memories of Brett Kirk's courageous one-man comebacks against stifling odds when he and the team were in their prime.

McVeigh sent each player an individual text message after the win. In true Bloods spirit, the captain was in pain but he let his team know they had helped alleviate it for a couple of hours.

Less than a day after rugby league's night of shame at Brookvale Oval, when no fewer than 12 players were involved in an all-in brawl, the Swans displayed more courage and bravery than any brawling rugby league player could muster.

Jarrad McVeigh's captaincy and his lead-by-example approach to footy had earned him the right to sit and watch his best friends dig deep within themselves to win against all odds.

McVeigh returns today against the Brisbane Lions at the SCG. Appropriately, he will captain a team on the brink of finals footy at their spiritual home just up the road from his own house.

The Sydney Swans are a much loved part of the Sydney AFL community. They are exemplary individuals who together form an exquisite group, proudly committed to each other and the spirit of the Bloods.

For much of this season, many of us have wondered if the magic had gone from this team with the departure of Brett Kirk and coach Paul Roos. As of last weekend, we can put our doubts to rest.

In a week that may have set rugby league back several decades, the Sydney Swans shone for anybody who had started wondering if professional football had lost its way.

The Sydney Swans and the Geelong Cats have ensured that a single game of AFL football will shine like a beacon at season's end as the most memorable for a very long time.

Jarrad McVeigh is a true Blood. So are his mates. The legend lives on.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6128395552

AFL Warrior wrote:

Oh really King-Moron? So the floods and wars are not personal tragedies for the families of those involved? What a dumb comment from the lowest of the species, an NRL supporter.

Scorger Man wrote:

If parents are that simple that they are pulling their kids from Rugby League because of the fight that ensued, then **** off I say, good riddance. If they are that stupid that they didn't realise that the majority of players on the field at the time chose not to get involved in the brawl, then you can pull your kiddies out of the grand old game of league and find another sport

Generally, sporting organisations consider that they should control events on the field of play involving players under their jurisdiction, while the police should have responsibility for off-field occurrences and pitch invaders. Do the normal standards of behaviour and the rule of law cease once players step onto the field? Is the player consenting to be assaulted by taking part in a sporting match? Obviously players taking part in contact sports must accept that they may be injured in the course of the game. However, stepping onto a field does not give open permission for assault, and there is a role to be played by the criminal law in some cases.

http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/prev ... /vt04.aspx

AFL Warrior wrote:

The AFL did not milk McVeigh's personal tragedy either King-Wanker. I cannot believe how stupid NRL scum like you truly are. Your name is not Samo by any chance?

Beaussie wrote:

Scorger Man wrote:

If parents are that simple that they are pulling their kids from Rugby League because of the fight that ensued, then **** off I say, good riddance. If they are that stupid that they didn't realise that the majority of players on the field at the time chose not to get involved in the brawl, then you can pull your kiddies out of the grand old game of league and find another sport

Many parents are already doing just that with Auskick numbers growing beyond even the most optimistic expectations.

Be interested in your thoughts on the following, particularly the bolded part.

Generally, sporting organisations consider that they should control events on the field of play involving players under their jurisdiction, while the police should have responsibility for off-field occurrences and pitch invaders. Do the normal standards of behaviour and the rule of law cease once players step onto the field? Is the player consenting to be assaulted by taking part in a sporting match? Obviously players taking part in contact sports must accept that they may be injured in the course of the game. However, stepping onto a field does not give open permission for assault, and there is a role to be played by the criminal law in some cases.

http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/prev ... /vt04.aspx