Collingwood structural racism.

[Mr Q]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... ing-report

How does the AFL sweep this under the table for one of its beloved big Melbourne clubs?

[jourgo]

Put simply, they can't. There is no way they can be seen to be downplaying this - it would be disastrous. So what they'll do is spin some bullshit about how racism permeates all facets of life, spread the blame across all clubs AND society at large, and institute new protocols to combat it which will do 3/5ths of fuck all and cost a lot of money.

So the standard AFL response basically.

[Fair Bump Play On]

Commissioning the report was a good thing. That is seems to have held up a frank mirror to the Woods is a great thing. Eddie trying to spin it - after months to think about it - instead of unabated apology was a train wreck; time to go Eddie, just not the man for the job that needs to be done.

[MrWoollie]

While this is a good thing (the investigation, the report, the bringinging it into the open; Not the racism itself), I must confess that no matter what I think of Eddie and his club, I would still be very careful of pointing fingers solely at Eddiewood. There's more than enough racism mud in the system to stick to quite a few clubs and individuals.

Whilst I agree with Jourgo on the likely AFL course of action, I feel that there will be quite a bit more blame to spread around.

I feel that West Coast have led the way in many areas with the indigenous programs and remote camps and so on, but I'm not sure we have been squeaky clean on the issue 100% of the time.
Going back a while (25+ years), I think that how the club dealt with all the crap Chris Lewis was copping from other clubs and players was not up to what should have happened.
I think we have largely moved on from those days, but is there absolutely no racism mud out there still?

[Fat Side]

The AFL have been very quiet on this. Almost entirely absent from their website. Eddie has played down the 'mishaps' and is proud of the club's approach.

The AFL should be driving this report through all the clubs to enable them to revisit their approaches the racism and dealing with it. Instead, there is nothing...certainly nothing public.

It looks like the AFL and Collingwood are going to continue doubling down despite promises that the recommendations will be implemented in full. Yesterday the players and staff came out and apologised. The AFL and Collingwood should be embarrassed that the only action being initiated has come from players and staff.

I don't expect anything to change.

[Crazy Dazz]

I hate racial vilification, and have done what I can. I just regret that my generation wasn't raised better.

However I also dislike the way some people see racists around every corner, use any excuse to jump on the "Colonial Oppression" soap-box, and seem more intent on professional whinging that genuine reconciliation.

It will be interesting if this report is actually made public, or at least some more concrete details. "Entrenched Structural Racism" is a big finding, so I'm interested to see what the details of what actually occurred.

We don't have a proud history on taking action. Chris Lewis being the most notable victim who was not protected and supported by our club, and there were others. And to the best of my knowledge I have yet to hear the Club publicly acknowledge this.
I would however point out that this appalling lack of action, whilst deplorable and unforgivable, does not itself necessarily equal racism. I would put in the same category as previous failures to protect players with TBI. (Only worse, because they can't claim ignorance.)

I applaud what the AFL has done to a knowledge and embrace Indigenous Heritage, but I think they need to go further to support Indigenous Participation.
The Indigenous Academies need to be expanded and legitimised, to become actual programs to support disenfranchised Indigenous youth, not just through sport, but through Education and wider opportunities. And they need to service many more Boys and Girls. (Rather than simply be rorts to cherry-pick the best talent on the cheap.)

We had a previous Senior coach who allegedly preferred to not draft Indigenous players, on the grounds that they were less disciplined, stable, and reliable. Whilst they would argue it's not racist if it's true, it nevertheless stands on the shoulders of 200 years of racial oppression.
Young players, drafted away from home, need to be better supported and managed. Rather than just handing them a wad of cash and pointing them in the direction of the nearest nightclub. This applies to all, but if (Indigenous) individuals need more mentoring, structure, and support, then it needs to be provided. The sad fact is Indigenous kids are more likely to have experienced poverty, abuse, violence, racism, and educational dysfunction. Until such a time as we can truly provide equality, additional support will be required.

[Fair Bump Play On]

Going going gone. Bye bye Eddie.

Bugger, this will make them stronger...

[MrWoollie]

Going going gone. Bye bye Eddie.

Bugger, this will make them stronger...

And gives him more non-conflicted time to be a commentator.

[Crazy Dazz]

Going going gone. Bye bye Eddie.

I liked making jokes about Eddy as much as the next guy, but fact is that he did great things for his team, and was one of the few club leaders prepared to stand up to the AFL.
I only wish we had somebody who'd fought even half as hard for our club.

He had a bad habit of making comments with his brain not fully engaged, but it's still sad to see him pulled down by wokeness gone mad.

I don't believe for one instant that racism is any worse at the filth than at some other clubs, and yet at least they had the courage to commission the report.

His comment that the tabling of the report was a "proud day" may have been a gaff, and/or a poor attempt at spin control, but I understand what he meant.

[Fat Side]

Going going gone. Bye bye Eddie.

I liked making jokes about Eddy as much as the next guy, but fact is that he did great things for his team, and was one of the few club leaders prepared to stand up to the AFL.
I only wish we had somebody who'd fought even half as hard for our club.

He had a bad habit of making comments with his brain not fully engaged, but it's still sad to see him pulled down by wokeness gone mad.

I don't believe for one instant that racism is any worse at the filth than at some other clubs, and yet at least they had the courage to commission the report.

His comment that the tabling of the report was a "proud day" may have been a gaff, and/or a poor attempt at spin control, but I understand what he meant.

It's not about whether Eddy has his brain engaged, it is contained in his value systems and that's why it comes out when he's not thinking. It is certainly not the other way around. He probably never met an aboriginal until his twenties.

The other issue for Collingwood is their failure to deal with racism within the club and it's membership/supporter base. They have either denied it happened, blamed the victim for being soft or imposed token sanctions. Often failing to denounce other media personalities when they engage in public victim blaming (Sam Newman for instance). They never took it too seriously and it has bitten them on the ass.

Let's not forget that their supporters almost always seem to be at the core of racism shouted over the fence. From Winmar and McAdam at Victoria Park where the famous jumper lift was done to the girl that called Goodes an ape.

Other clubs have had their issues, but most have fared better with their reposnses. St Kilda, after the Robert Muir disclosure, made no effort to cover it up, minimise it or avoid it. They came straight out and apologised, then reached out immediately to him and his family. This wouldn't have occurred at Collingwood.

Inevitably it is cultural and they have been found out. I have little confidence that they will address the issues adequately. It certainly won't happen under the current board leadership.