SQUAD v MANLY

[A Country Member]

The Chooks should wear their Oxford st attire.

Teddy kinda does with his assless chaps

[Eggspert]

i'm not a fool

I don't believe you are either. You seem passionate about this issue which is your right & I respect it. You haven't resorted to insults in any of your posts. Nothing wrong with respectfully disagreeing.

[Tommy Smith]

I understand what you are saying but these are his personal opinions which should be left after the footy season is over. He is paid to coach footy. Why haven't any other coaches come out in support.

what next from him? His opinion on the War in Ukraine,? the rise of China?, High inflation?

Once our season finishes he can talk all he wants.

Eggspert, some of the most revered sportsmen and sportswomen in history used their platforms to advance socio-politcal causes.

Think Muhammad Ali. The GREAT Peter Norman - Australia's finest ever male sprinter - alongside Tommy Smith and John Carlos. Max Schmelling and Joe Louis, Jesse Owens and Luz Long. Jackie Robinson... How about Nicky Winmar and his pointing towards his own chest/skin colour.

I could go on and on.

Should they have been non-political? Just shut up and play sport?

When did we arrive at a point where we now expect sportspeople to just shut up and kick footballs? As though they aren't allowed to exercise free speech anymore?

[fletch]

Update | Trent Robinson has adjusted the team list for tomorrow night.

Naufahu Whyte, Ben Thomas and Kevin Naiqama come out of the side this week.

Adam Keighran will be the team's 18th player, with Terrell May the remaining reserve.

There are no further changes to the squad named on Tuesday afternoon.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I still can't work out why they chose Women In League Round to showcase this strip.

[Eggspert]

Eggspert, some of the most revered sportsmen and sportswomen in history used their platforms to advance socio-politcal causes.

Think Muhammad Ali. The GREAT Peter Norman - Australia's finest ever male sprinter - alongside Tommy Smith and John Carlos. Max Schmelling and Joe Louis, Jesse Owens and Luz Long. Jackie Robinson... How about Nicky Winmar and his pointing towards his own chest/skin colour.

I could go on and on.

Should they have been non-political? Just shut up and play sport?

When did we arrive at a point where we now expect sportspeople to just shut up and kick footballs? As though they aren't allowed to exercise free speech anymore?

You make some good points Tommy & have swayed me a bit. But this is when it's not just sport anymore & becomes a person's personal crusade so to speak.

I prefer my sport as just pure sport without all the worlds issues & problems thrown in. I guess that's not possible anymore.

That's why I enjoy my kids sports so much, it's just pure raw sport without all the added drama. Cheers Tommy

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Teddy kinda does with his assless chaps

That's no way to talk about Teddy's mates.

[kakaruk]

Went back & re-read it & it doesn't say 100% anywhere. They have spoken about it & he remains steadfast in his opinion. Where does it say the players are 100%?

Robinson has to be very careful here in fact he would be wise not to comment. The islander boys have deeply held religious beliefs and we have quite a few of them in the team .I was born in the islands i know the culture Manly have just learnt a little about that ,they should have known better its not just the players its the family's beliefs as well all are more important than a game of football to them.

[Eggspert]

Robinson has to be very careful here in fact he would be wise not to comment. The islander boys have deeply held religious beliefs and we have quite a few of them in the team .I was born in the islands i know the culture Manly have just learnt a little about that ,they should have known better its not just the players its the family's beliefs as well all are more important than a game of football to them.

Good insight, well said.

[The Lip]

Went back & re-read it & it doesn't say 100% anywhere. They have spoken about it & he remains steadfast in his opinion. Where does it say the players are 100%?

Yeah I'm paraphrasing mate but it was close to that wasn't it. He had no hesitation - anyway it's not a big deal but the coach is supremely confident we would do it

[King Salvo]

Robinson has to be very careful here in fact he would be wise not to comment. The islander boys have deeply held religious beliefs and we have quite a few of them in the team .I was born in the islands i know the culture Manly have just learnt a little about that ,they should have known better its not just the players its the family's beliefs as well all are more important than a game of football to them.

I don't think wearing a footy jumper such as that one will have them struck down by lightening or sent to the bowels of the earth though.

If they have deeply held religious beliefs wouldn't playing on the Sabbath also be a no no - not supposed to do any work on that day and footy is their work after all.

[kakaruk]

I don't think wearing a footy jumper such as that one will have them struck down by lightening or sent to the bowels of the earth though.

If they have deeply held religious beliefs wouldn't playing on the Sabbath also be a no no - not supposed to do any work on that day and footy is their work after all.

Thats not the way it works in the islands mate, spend a couple of years in PNG, Samoa or Tonga and you will come to understand that the Aussie way of doing things isn't necessarily their way of life

[theGman]

Who are these Swans you talk of?

But wouldn’t the players still sit out due to fear of the rainbow?

They're resilient enough to suck it up and run through the club banner regardless of what's on it.

[HunchoRooster]

I don't want to get too opinionated on what is a sensitive topic but given everyone else has weighed in and now our coach has weighed in, why not on the eve of the game.

I have to say I am disappointed by Robbo's approach to this. Whilst I agree with a large bulk of what he said, because unless you are a sociopath everyone should, there are a couple of faux pas he may have made. Inclusiveness is great and we must be a club and a sport for ALL. However his use of the words "disappointing" and "unacceptable" are just that. He should be focusing on devising a plan to win footy games, something he has done very well in the past but not so much at the moment.

The whole debacle has been a distraction in a crunch game as it is, he needed to fan the flames but instead used rhetoric that might alienate his own players. To me criticising gay people for the choice they make is morally wrong particularly if it doesn't impact you. In the same way, I think criticising someone with deep held cultural, familial or spiritual beliefs not wanting to do something as "unacceptable" is not good enough from someone who prides themself on being an inclusive and articulate person like Trent. Not sure how some of our Pasifika boys or any of our playing group for that matter would like hearing that who may or may not hold those same views. I trust he has a better connection with our Islander players than I do, a regular punter but seems an odd way of showing it. How do we resolve not offending or ostrasizing or marginalising groups of people in this situation... very simple. Keep sport about sport and if Robbo or anyone else wants to go and discuss their personal opinions, go on QnA or Sky News and discuss it while not wearing our club colours or polo. Don't change club colours to virtue signal, make the change at the grass roots, behind the scenes, change the culture at the bottom to be more inclusive when people get to the top. I think the game does a good job of that in general. That is where change happens, not via token gestures. That is my 2 cents anyway
most importantly, Easts to win and win well tomorrow. Nervous for the game given they have nothing to lose.

[Rocky Rhodes]

I still can't work out why they chose Women In League Round to showcase this strip.

Because this Alphabet Soup group hate women, they hate men...they hate normal...they hate natural...they hate hate hate..