Walsh: Tiger Jake king-hit by the AFL’s moral police Scott Walsh
From: The Advertiser
February 22, 2014 SO when did the idea of being part of a team suddenly mean handing in the keys to your life?
I’m not sure there’s a date on the calendar we can circle every year to celebrate, but I reckon the era began about the time a subset of self-starred moral police decided their only meaningful contribution to society was to become outraged. At anything. Or anyone. For doing anything.
Richmond’s Jake King has a mate in Melbourne who is a bikie figure.
In fairness, “bikie figure” probably undersells it. Toby Mitchell is reportedly a former Bandidos chief.
It’s not a brand new concept but the discussion about King’s brain capacity and social rights this week takes the debate to a head-scratching new level.
Luminaries from AFL boss Andrew Demetriou to Port Adelaide president David Koch have lined up to smash King for who he includes in his circle of friends and associates.
Demetriou says it “defies belief” that King hasn’t got the clue and wiped this guy with head, neck and arm tattoos from his phone and out of his life.
Koch, when put on the spot on his morning TV show on Friday, said if King was based at Alberton the Power would “get rid of him, absolutely”.
Port Adelaide Chairman David Koch has said he would have sacked Richmond's Jake King if the forward played for Power, given his links with a bikie gang member.
“Simple as that,” Koch said.
“Our leadership group would tear him to shreds and say either you stop doing this or you’re not part of our group anymore, simple as that.”
I haven’t really got an issue with Koch’s response. They’re tough words, sure, and leave no doubt where he stands on the issue.
But he didn’t suggest the Tigers should punt King from Punt Rd. Koch was simply stating the rules of the game as they apply at Port Adelaide. And that’s fine — Port Adelaide has every right to dictate the off-field standards for its players, just as Richmond has.
As for Demetriou publicly pooh-poohing a player’s selection of mates outside of football, it’s a line full of homemade clothes, shared wives and a doomsday prediction short of a cult.
Who needs the burden of free thought when someone with more authority can do it for you?
Society says outlaw bikie gangs are bad, I get it.
The police have special task forces to combat their criminal behaviour and its impact on the rest of the community.
But last I heard, King has never been charged or even suspected of drug use. Never been sprung running methamphetamine after being ordered to cough in an airport interview room.
Never started a drunken pub brawl, or transported weapons, or thrown a game for underground bookies.
As far as we know he’s never even done any sort of a “job” outside a bit of forward pressure for coach Damien Hardwick.
When King brought his bikie mate into the Richmond changerooms post-match last year, I’ll agree that overstepped a line.
During a game and immediately before and after, a player is on duty for the club and a representative of the AFL.
There’s obligations, from TV commitments, press conferences, fan interaction and much more. The club, and even the league, was quite right to put its foot down on who can and can’t enter areas of an AFL-accredited changeroom.
But what has followed since has been comical.
King’s career was last month apparently “in the balance” when cameras spotted him in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct with Mitchell. There they were, in daylight hours, in civilian clothes, drinking coffee.
That heinous act followed another interaction, at a Melbourne game of lingerie football. In the damning photos, the pair are sitting in the AAMI Park outer — in different rows, clearly plotting some nefarious scheme.
The AFL rightly has a desire and obligation to ensure its product is as clean, sparkly and free of corruption as possible.
King is an AFL player who has a small window in his life to be a professional athlete. He’s rewarded well for it, and certain sacrifices go with the territory.
Let clubs enforce drinking bans so players can perform at their best.
Late for training? Slap on fines. Fail skin-fold tests? Get the leadership group to reinforce club expectations. Locked up for being blotto in public? Suspensions, community service and all the public shaming that few others in society are ever exposed to.
When off-field behaviour impacts on-field performance, then it’s an issue. But can't we just hold the outrage for something slightly stronger than hypothetical social crimes?
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/walsh-tiger-jake-kinghit-by-the-afls-moral-police/story-fnelctok-1226834116044
