AFANA Footy BBS

I read with shock a piece of news from the recent US national championships, which was well covered by Lisa's report. This appeared in The Melbourne Age today concerning a former AFL player.

News is in from the just-completed national AFL championships in the US, where several players have reacted angrily to some of the rough-house tactics dished out, particularly in the division two section, the worst offender allegedly being former Sydney and Fitzroy giant John Ironmonger.

One player posted a note on the USFooty website claiming that 200-centimetre Ironmonger’s style of play was responsible for an opponent being taken to hospital with “a sickening gash under the eye”. He said a lot of players were excited at the prospect of playing against a former league star but Ironmonger’s tactics “disappointed me and a lot of others who saw the incident”.

He added: “I for one will probably not be playing US Footy any more, directly because of this type of play. My enthusiasm for sharing this sport with Americans is also greatly reduced. Don’t get me wrong, I love the big hit when two players contest the ball with physicality and love the aggressiveness of footy. This to me does not fit that category.”

I don't think this is good for promotion of Aussie Rules in the US.

Regards,

Johnson Leung

After yesterday's report in the Melbourne Age regarding John Ironmonger's actions at the recent US National Championships, a Californian reader has come to his defence. This is the article in today's Age.

We always pride ourselves at providing balance in our reporting. Which is why we are happy to square the ledger with former AFL star John Ironmonger, whom we reported yesterday had ruffled some feathers on the US footy front, one of his opponents saying the former Sydney and Fitzroy player played the game so roughly he was considering giving the game away. California-based Mike Brothers, who has played with and against Ironmonger, read the item on our website and fired back a missive, claiming the report was unfair. According to Brothers, not only has Ironmonger taught the Australian game to nearly 200 Americans since 1997 but still “plays the game with boundless enthusiasm in spite of his reconstructed knees and advancing age”. Brothers said: “John is a clubman who rarely gets the thanks he deserves. At the end of each game, it’s he who collects the jumpers to be washed and the score sheets to be recorded and archived. At club cook-outs, it’s usually he who picks up the tongs over the barbecue.”

Regards,

Johnson Leung

> After yesterday's report in the Melbourne Age regarding John Ironmonger's actions at
> the recent US National Championships, a Californian reader has come to his defence.
> This is the article in today's Age.

> We always pride ourselves at providing balance in our reporting. Which is why we are
> happy to square the ledger with former AFL star John Ironmonger, whom we reported
> yesterday had ruffled some feathers on the US footy front, one of his opponents
> saying the former Sydney and Fitzroy player played the game so roughly he was
> considering giving the game away. California-based Mike Brothers, who has played
> with and against Ironmonger, read the item on our website and fired back a missive,
> claiming the report was unfair. According to Brothers, not only has Ironmonger
> taught the Australian game to nearly 200 Americans since 1997 but still “plays the
> game with boundless enthusiasm in spite of his reconstructed knees and advancing
> age”. Brothers said: “John is a clubman who rarely gets the thanks he deserves. At
> the end of each game, it’s he who collects the jumpers to be washed and the score
> sheets to be recorded and archived. At club cook-outs, it’s usually he who picks up
> the tongs over the barbecue.”

> Regards,

> Johnson Leung

I was a gosl umpire for one of the games in which an incident was later investigated involving John Ironmonger. Some say that he did elbow an opponent but I did not see it.
Two things to consider in John's defence are:
1. the one ground at which the incident allegedly occurred was flanked on one side by a cement walk. A number of plays ended with players chasing the ball to that side and on a few occassions players did go to ground over the line and on the cement, which had to hurt

2. John is built like the proverbial tank. He his MASSIVE and without a doubt the biggest player out there. Any tackle or hit he lays is going to be felt in a big way by the unfortuante bloke who gets in his way.

After the match, I spoke with one of the field umpires who said he saw the hit and did not think it warranted a report.

As for a player going to hospital as a result of a hit, if this a report from that same match,IT DID NOT HAPPEN!
One player did suffer a gash, but the ambulance came and stitched him up on the spot. If it is who I think it is, I heard stories that he whinged and carried on like a baby over it. And he was not an American player.

I hope any negative reports from all of this do not discourge other Americans from playing this great game.
Yes, it is tough and players get hurt sometimes, but it is still the greatest game on the face of the planet and unsavory incidents do occur in all sports, not just Aussie Rules. But they are rare.

Several years ago, Ross Smith, a former Saint and Brownlow Medalist now in charge of game development in Australia, attended the nationals and he was quite impressed with the spirit and passion of the games. I would say that is quite a healthy endorsement.

Note to Johnson: I missed the article in the Age. Do you have it saved anywhere or can you send me the link to it?

Lisa Albergo
AFANA
USAFL Umpire

> Note to Johnson: I missed the article in the Age. Do you have it saved anywhere or can you send me the link to it?

> Lisa Albergo
> AFANA
> USAFL Umpire

Lisa:

The article, as it is, is included in the initial thread "Controversy at US Nationals".

Regards,

Johnson