Rookie pick #60: Gibson Turner

[WA Tiger]

WAT, just to even things out, maybe you should have added Archibald, Ednie, Sipthorp etc... plenty of players have not cut it at our club for a multitude of reasons like attitude, fitness, ability to take instruction and so on.
I don't think the reason why these players left was because the club did not understand their culture or background, it was more like they just weren't good enough to make it in the top grade. Tambling went to a club like the Crows who have a lot of success with indigenous players yet he is still proving to be an average player at best.

Thats fine Tiga, agree, look I just know that some of the Aboriginal people I have worked with must be understood and managed properly regarding cultural awareness to get the best out of them, as do many other people as well from other walks of life. But say we had an elder come to Melbourne, supported by the club, that lived with Taylor things may have been different.

Thats all I am saying, do we manage our culturally different people properly, hey that includes Houli and the new recruits.

Regarding our Aboriginal recruits, I dn't believe we have done. Maybe others don't agree and thats fine, but with our record something went wrong!

[tiga]

WAT, just to even things out, maybe you should have added Archibald, Ednie, Sipthorp etc... plenty of players have not cut it at our club for a multitude of reasons like attitude, fitness, ability to take instruction and so on.
I don't think the reason why these players left was because the club did not understand their culture or background, it was more like they just weren't good enough to make it in the top grade. Tambling went to a club like the Crows who have a lot of success with indigenous players yet he is still proving to be an average player at best.

Thats fine Tiga, agree, look I just know that some of the Aboriginal people I have worked with must be understood and managed properly regarding cultural awareness to get the best out of them, as do many other people as well from other walks of life. But say we had an elder come to Melbourne, supported by the club, that lived with Taylor things may have been different.

Thats all I am saying, do we manage our culturally different people properly, hey that includes Houli and the new recruits.

Regarding our Aboriginal recruits, I dn't believe we have done. Maybe others don't agree and thats fine, but with our record something went wrong!

With Taylor it was nothing but an attitude problem. Back home He would have had elders all around him and he still got into trouble. The club supported him through thick and thin but in the end it was his very poor attitude that sent him packing.

[10 FLAGS]

Why arent people happy with this selection. Over the years I have been one of the darkest of the darkside brigade on various forums going back years. We had a good PSD and Rookie Draft this year. Gibson is the exact type of player you take in the Rookie if you can. He has some exquisite skills from what we can see but he didnt go in the rookie draft for nothing, for that shows he has plenty of work ahead of him, but if he can get it right, work hard and do all the right things we just may end up with a fantastic player IMHO.

[Owl]

He does have some terrific skills, he looks very promising.  Bit light atm, he has some growth in him, has time on his side, time to settle in.  Could be a real gem if he makes it work for himself, skills are definately there.

[bojangles17]

He will have my 100% support but gee I think the comments he makes remind me of Tambling (did nothing worng just no good), Roberts, Taylor, Gilligan........

Bleks must all just look and act the same to racialists like you hey?  Clones!

Pretty disgusted in you labling me a racist Owl, I have never been and never will be, so for that sorry, but go stuff yourself. My comments were aimed at the club, supporting and managing Aboriginal players better than they have in the past, not at the colour of their skin.

We as a club seem to have mismanaged more Aboriginal players than I know of, thats what I meant. Perhaps the club should look at the way they manage "these" players, thats how I was trying to categorise "them", the Tamblings (was he given all the councilling he could of been re...Buddy brain), the others, were they given all the help they could. Were elders flown down to talk with them and support them..etc....

Well WAT, it gets under my skin, pardon the pun, that this crap constantly gets brought up, the bloke is an individual, and his aboriginality is not a group designation for "issues".  It gets old, it gets to me, I have some clan who are aboriginal so yes it does cut to the quick, just treat people on an individual basis.  I want to see what this bloke can do and how he goes about it and he gets as much of a chance as any other bloke at the club.  I called you a racialist not a racist, by the way.  Its an older term, was used in Britain.  If you start making assessments, judgements or drawing parallels between players based on race, it is by its very nature a racist act, positive or negative.  Troy Taylor stuffed up and got the big 'A', I totally support the fact, he is history but has nothing to do with this new bloke.  And no I won't stand by and let people talk about 'them' as if they are separate from the rest of us.  I mean, who the stuff wants to get beaten and molested at boarding school and how the actual eff is that going to make you a better person?  (except bojangles of course)

Agree with you Owl, I also know your clan relationships, you should know I have never been a racist and never will be mate. For Gods sake look where I have worked in the past and where I am now.

My comments were about managing Aboriginals better than the club does or at least has IMO in the past. IMO our club has the worst record for failure of Aboriginal players and its not good enough. I am trying to say that I hope the club appreciates this lads needs, should there be any, better thhan they have in the past. Or the put preventative measures in place to ensure he does not get home sick or want to leave the club.

Same as you mate!!

my sentiments  as well WAT, our record with young indigineous players has been deplorable, clearly the cultural challenges in shifting to major capital cities such as Melbourne combined with an elite sport environment have been overwhelming to the point that the likes of Marty mcgrath, relton roberts, Troy taylor, carl peterson and alroy gilligan all suffered a fairly inglorious exit from league ranks. suffice to say a completely different approach is warranted next time around

[Mr Magic]

Perfect type to take as a rookie. We're wising up!

Hope he works out.

[Loui Tufga]

my sentiments  as well WAT, our record with young indigineous players has been deplorable, clearly the cultural challenges in shifting to major capital cities such as Melbourne combined with an elite sport environment have been overwhelming to the point that the likes of Marty mcgrath, relton roberts, Troy taylor, carl peterson and alroy gilligan all suffered a fairly inglorious exit from league ranks. suffice to say a completely different approach is warranted next time around

If the kids can't handle it mentally then how is that the clubs fault?  The club has protocols to try and help these kids settle in as best they can but at the end of the day if they can't handle the change mentally then what more can we do??

At the end of the day every club has the same issues with these kids, it's not just us!

I think the club has really done there homework with Gibbo and the kid defiantly comes to the club in a far better state of mind then any of the above mentioned, to lump the kid in the that lot of mentally weak hacks before he's been at the club for 5 minutes is a disgrace and shows the clear lack of intelligence some of you folk have

[tony_montana]

my sentiments  as well WAT, our record with young indigineous players has been deplorable, clearly the cultural challenges in shifting to major capital cities such as Melbourne combined with an elite sport environment have been overwhelming to the point that the likes of Marty mcgrath, relton roberts, Troy taylor, carl peterson and alroy gilligan all suffered a fairly inglorious exit from league ranks. suffice to say a completely different approach is warranted next time around

If the kids can't handle it mentally then how is that the clubs fault?  The club has protocols to try and help these kids settle in as best they can but at the end of the day if they can't handle the change mentally then what more can we do??

At the end of the day every club has the same issues with these kids, it's not just us!

I think the club has really done there homework with Gibbo and the kid defiantly comes to the club in a far better state of mind then any of the above mentioned, to lump the kid in the that lot of mentally weak hacks before he's been at the club for 5 minutes is a disgrace and shows the clear lack of intelligence some of you folk have

some clubs do it better than others - clearly we're a club that for some reason or another has really struggled with indigenous lads over a period of time

[Coach]

Because we picked the wrong kids. Troy Taylor would have been the same wherever he went...except Carlton probably would have got him the house he was looking for

[bojangles17]

my sentiments  as well WAT, our record with young indigineous players has been deplorable, clearly the cultural challenges in shifting to major capital cities such as Melbourne combined with an elite sport environment have been overwhelming to the point that the likes of Marty mcgrath, relton roberts, Troy taylor, carl peterson and alroy gilligan all suffered a fairly inglorious exit from league ranks. suffice to say a completely different approach is warranted next time around

If the kids can't handle it mentally then how is that the clubs fault?  The club has protocols to try and help these kids settle in as best they can but at the end of the day if they can't handle the change mentally then what more can we do??

At the end of the day every club has the same issues with these kids, it's not just us!

I think the club has really done there homework with Gibbo and the kid defiantly comes to the club in a far better state of mind then any of the above mentioned, to lump the kid in the that lot of mentally weak hacks before he's been at the club for 5 minutes is a disgrace and shows the clear lack of intelligence some of you folk have

youve missed the point some, rather than blaming the club I was suggesting our record in developing these lads into seasoned AFL footballers is NO good to say the least...clearly a different approach is justified otherwise forget it...heres hoping young gibbo is in a good place and is ready to lauch a career as an elite professional sportsman...GOOD LUCK to him, he looks to be a talent

[tiga]

Because we picked the wrong kids. Troy Taylor would have been the same wherever he went...except Carlton probably would have got him the house he was looking for

Exactly!!  Its been more of a recruiting problem than a player management one.

[blaisee]

rookie draft picks by definition are a long shot to make it.

Indigenous boys from the alice are an even bigger long shot.

The fact that turner has lived as a boarder while studying in adelaide gives me some promise as far as that was young cyrils path to the afl( he boarded at scotch ).

Would be massive if he makes it as it addresses a critical need

[Owl]

The problem has mostly been homesickness and culture shock.

[Penelope]

Fair dinkum, before people group all the aboriginals together perhaps you should read Owls post.

Talking about bringing down an elder for troy. Hmm. that is eaxactly what owl was talking about. Troy Taylor did not grow up on in an aboriginal community. He grew up in darwin, his mother being a school teacher. He does not have any cultural disadvantage or any crap that indigenous people from remote communities have. He is just like any other person who does not make the most of his opportunities, black or white. He had a strong support network including mentoring from his uncle, Ernie Dingo and his sister moved down to Melborne to help him out. He simply isn't cut of the right cloth to become an elete sportsman.

The only thing these blokes mentioned have in common is they are not white. They are all individuals from different backgrounds and did not make the grade for differing reasons.

how about judging people on what they do rather that pre judging based on the color of their skin?

[1965]

how about judging people on what they do rather that pre judging based on the color of their skin?

It does seem like such a quite simple concept.

And given that some of our posters are quite simple then you would think they would understand.