*Spoilers* - Eels vs Panthers

[Pantherjim.]

Pantherjim,

Can you honestly tell me this doesn't happen with every other team in the competition?

If an opposition player stays down from what seems an innocuous hit, it seems he is playing for the penalty. Any group of opposition fans in the NRL would give a bit of stick to a player in such a situation, unless it was patently obvious he was hurt.

I think Gower is a fantastic player, so it has nothing to do with what I think of him as an individual. If it is "poor form," as you say it is, to shout abuse at a player who stays down after copping a late hit, then every group of fans in the NRL is guilty.

Nick

Nick,
I appreciate your sentiments, and applaud your guts at being able to admit that you were in the wrong.

I can also understand other supporters frustrations at opposition players taking dives and trying to milk penalties, and fully realise that there is not a support group in the N.R.L. that does not boo/abuse opposition players who look to be doing the aforementioned.

However, I stand by my conviction as I do not engage in this practice myself ever, and just because heaps of other supporters do it is no excuse whatsoever to partake in this habit.

As I've said before, How do you know for sure that the player is not seriously injured?

How would you like to be booed and jeered at while lying on turf in pain, bleeding, broken or worse? (And please, don't give me the "they're professional footy players, they're thick skinned" crap.) they are human after all.

I think it's a sad sign of the times when we've reduced ourselves to heckling players that are injured. Unfortuantely, gone are the days when even opposition fans gave players a standing ovation for a good game when they are stretchered off.

What's next? Chanting for head high and spear tackles? Baying for blood as crowds did in the colloseum some 2000 years ago?

Sorry, but I don't want the mentality of fans at N.R.L. games to descend to that of an animal.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

I dont know if this was mentioned here yesterday but I read yesterday's Daily Telegraph and on the back page it has a story on Craig Gower.

The title simply reads "Why we feared for our Skipper" which theyre probably referring to Craig Gower. But hang on a minute isnt the Penrith Skipper now Tony Puletua.

This is the leading NRL newspaper, and get this wrong. I know some of you might say this is the papers dont believe anything they say, but this is a bit embaressing to be quite honest.

 

[choc_soldier]

Obviously the sub-editor called in sick before that edition went to print.

I mean, come on, Gower losing his captaincy was one of the BIGGEST stories in the off-season.

 

[Nickeel]

I think it's a sad sign of the times when we've reduced ourselves to heckling players that are injured. Unfortuantely, gone are the days when even opposition fans gave players a standing ovation for a good game when they are stretchered off.

What's next? Chanting for head high and spear tackles? Baying for blood as crowds did in the colloseum some 2000 years ago?

Sorry, but I don't want the mentality of fans at N.R.L. games to descend to that of an animal.

I applauded Craig off, as I do any player who is obviously injured. At the time of the incident, though, it had seemed to me he was staying down - I didn't see him try to get up and fall down, as was mentioned by someone else.

I think you will find that most fans, just as they will boo someone who in their estimation is playing for a penalty by way of holding them accountable, will also applaud a player who obviously seems to have something wrong and either leaves the field or plays on. I may be many things, but unsporting I ain't. It is, after all, only a game.

Nick

 

[Eelementary]

Hell yes!

I applauded Gower's efforts up until his unfortunate injury and showed him respect by applauding him off the field.

But I was pissed that charge went on report and we got penalised for it...