The night I finally lost the plot over those Milney comments

[Seaford_Saint]

I was standing behind the goals at Punt Road End, in amongst a pack of 50 odd Hawthorn supporters.

The constant highly offensive and personal filth coming out of this group of neanderthal's mouths directed at Riewoldt, Gilbert, Kosi and Milney was like nothing I've experienced from any public gathering in Australia before.

Once the coward commented that Milne should've been given 15 years jail (and his wife laughed with him), I finally lost the plot.

In one sense I'm not entirely proud of what came out of my mouth - but this coward, when confronted man to man, folded like a mouse....even to the point of saying "what's your problem, I didn't say anything, you said it, not me"..... like really, I'm going to say that sort of thing about one of my own players.

My wife - who was unfortunately on the wrong side of a sexual assault years ago - even spoke up and told him what she thought of him..... suffice to say, we didn't hear anything out of this COWARD for the rest of the night.

"Hawforn" supporters are in my opinion, the worst in the league. There were hoards of them in various pockets around the ground, unleashing highly abusive language all night from what I saw.

The sad thing is, I really loved the spirit my boys showed, and the way they fought against adversity - but tonight's experiece has just turned me off going again for a few weeks I reckon.

[saintbrat]

Did you consider ringing the offense line

[Seaford_Saint]

What's point Bratty..... there were a dozen "security" in the nearby area hearing everything, and they just ignored it

[Raph's Disciple]

No way, some hawk's fans are bad but Pies the worst by far, no ethics or morals whatsoever.

[saint75]

Hawthorn supporters are right up there with Carlton and Essendon supporters. Collingwood supporters are nowhere near as bad as those 3 teams. Where we were sitting on Level 2, it was all Saints supporters so we had no direct verbal abuse being hurled at our team. Could hear the booing though which peeves me off enough!

[ShanghaiSaint]

I was standing behind the goals at Punt Road End, in amongst a pack of 50 odd Hawthorn supporters.

The constant highly offensive and personal filth coming out of this group of neanderthal's mouths directed at Riewoldt, Gilbert, Kosi and Milney was like nothing I've experienced from any public gathering in Australia before.

Once the coward commented that Milne should've been given 15 years jail (and his wife laughed with him), I finally lost the plot.

In one sense I'm not entirely proud of what came out of my mouth - but this coward, when confronted man to man, folded like a mouse....even to the point of saying "what's your problem, I didn't say anything, you said it, not me"..... like really, I'm going to say that sort of thing about one of my own players.

My wife - who was unfortunately on the wrong side of a sexual assault years ago - even spoke up and told him what she thought of him..... suffice to say, we didn't hear anything out of this COWARD for the rest of the night.

"Hawforn" supporters are in my opinion, the worst in the league. There were hoards of them in various pockets around the ground, unleashing highly abusive language all night from what I saw.

The sad thing is, I really loved the spirit my boys showed, and the way they fought against adversity - but tonight's experiece has just turned me off going again for a few weeks I reckon.

good on you mate, i was in a pack of hawrks but was all decent. Just the nomal roo hate going non stop...

[Seaford_Saint]

Yeah.... arrogance I can handle (because let's face - if anyone's supporters should be arrogant after the last generation it's them)..... but the personal disgusting slurs coming from SO MANY DIFFERENT parts of the crowd is just sickening

[I Love Peter Kiel]

I was standing behind the goals at Punt Road End, in amongst a pack of 50 odd Hawthorn supporters.

The constant highly offensive and personal filth coming out of this group of neanderthal's mouths directed at Riewoldt, Gilbert, Kosi and Milney was like nothing I've experienced from any public gathering in Australia before.

Once the coward commented that Milne should've been given 15 years jail (and his wife laughed with him), I finally lost the plot.

In one sense I'm not entirely proud of what came out of my mouth - but this coward, when confronted man to man, folded like a mouse....even to the point of saying "what's your problem, I didn't say anything, you said it, not me"..... like really, I'm going to say that sort of thing about one of my own players.

My wife - who was unfortunately on the wrong side of a sexual assault years ago - even spoke up and told him what she thought of him..... suffice to say, we didn't hear anything out of this COWARD for the rest of the night.

"Hawforn" supporters are in my opinion, the worst in the league. There were hoards of them in various pockets around the ground, unleashing highly abusive language all night from what I saw.

The sad thing is, I really loved the spirit my boys showed, and the way they fought against adversity - but tonight's experiece has just turned me off going again for a few weeks I reckon.

Wish I'd been down there with you, Seaford. Could have made that assh&le eat his words.

Without doubt Hawthorn supporters are one of the most painful groups...arrogant, ignorant, rude and vindictive. I can't stand them.

Anyway, imagine spending your life barracking for piddle and p**p!

[gringo]

The crowed booed everytime he went near it. They were calling him rapist even when he didn't, I had my 6 yo with me and what the crowd were going with to the right of our cheer squad was really bad, worse than the Pies even including someone racially abusing Milera. If I could have worked out who it was I would have had them removed. Maybe he should have taken it up with Buddy and Cyril. There seemed a heap of pissed people there last night.

[philtee]

Yep, the booing was bizarre, especially when Milne scored his goal. Did these people know why they were booing?
Had they thought it through? Had there been charges, a trial and a conviction we hadn't heard about? They would
have loved it in the French revolution.

[HardSaint]

yep, they're worse IMO than Collingwood, and only just behind Carlton

they're smug and smarmy, travel in packs, with a great many of them only supporting this team because of a conscious decision somewhere in the 70s or 80s to follow a "successful" club

not too many there amongst them having inherited the burden of their club from their family and locale

the rapist thing, as always gets me too, if they'd done their homework they'd be aware the Burgoyne and his brother got off a particularly nasty incident in Adelaide years back with a whole lot of media hush surrounding it - the whole casting stones / hyprocrisy of most clubs and their supporters really gets on my goat in this respect

[ozrulestrace]

We were in M10 and yes we had security at least three times and they did their job, and the cops at least twice.

This what I sent off to the Hawthorn FC this afternoon, not that I expect a response. I know it's long winded but if any of you want to send something similar the address is hawthorn@hawthornfc.com.au

My names is ********and in my 47 years of attending football games I have never before found it necessary to contact a football club about the behaviour of one club's supporters, but after last night's supporters I decided enough was enough. If this is what the "Family Club" Hawthorn Football Club represents then god help all other AFL supporters.

I was seated along with other female St Kilda supporters in Section M 10 in the Southern Stand, in the back row. Therefore we had directly behind us the standing area full of Hawthorn supporters, they being the ones who create and yell out the chants which will no doubt make them identifiable to your club straight away. It is quite clear no other right thinking Hawthorn supporter would stand alongside because of their behaviour.

I start off with the comments coming from directly behind me with Stephen Milne approaching the football to hear the comment from behind me of "rapist" . To turn around to find myself looking into the face of a twelve to thirteen year old boy who had made the comment was bad enough, to see his ten year old sister not far away, made it worse and then to listen to both parents justifying the comment as "it was a joke mate" made the whole situation even more appalling. Subsequently I spoke to the MCG attendant who requested Security to attend and speak to these people which they did. I thank the gentleman from Securecorp and the police who had to attend later on at least two occasion to speak to these people as they did their jobs and everything I asked of them.

As for the Hawthorn supporters behind us, for the rest of the game, they continued making made futher comments directed at my two St Kilda friends as welll as two other ladies further along in the row, baiting and taunting us for the entire game, by directing the word "bitches" from the female supporters in that standing room area directed or dropping down within earshot of my friends delivering comments like "well at least Buddy isn't a rapist" or "at least Cyril isn't a rapist" for the rest of the game. We were offered the opportunity to move, but out of sheer principal we chose not to move as it was our home game, we have paid to sit in these allocated seats, so we stayed to the end and we didn't slink away from these low life supporters.
We stood and faced them and maintained eye contact with this group of pathetic imbeciles at the end of the game and as my friend said to me "we may have lost the game, but we didn't lose the battle"

So I make my approach to your club for the following reason-
I do not accept that you will not know who these supporters are. They are clearly identifable to each other and anyone who has had to deal with them either at the MCG or Etihad Stadium where we've had trouble with them before. Somewhere they will be on a Hawthorn blog, rallying and organising their members to meet in a certain section and plan the vile comments in order to antagonise the opposition supporters. They are clearly organised and lead for the want of a better term by somebody and everybody loves to make a contribution to the taunting of opposition supporters.

I do not accept that as a club you will say that you are unable to deal with the matter or them as individual supporters. I know that at St Kilda when we've had issues re opposition supporters in our area, emails have been sent to supporters reminding them of the terms and conditions of St Kilda membership and that the club has the right to revoke allocated seating. So maybe you can consider warning these people with revokation of their memberships and access to any finals.

I believe the Hawthorn Football Club has a moral and corporate responsibility to deal with the people either by a representative attending M10 for a game and having a look themselves or printing off fliers and handing them out to these members reminding them their behaviour is a blot on the entire Hawthorn Football Club. There are people like me and my fellow supporters have decided these people are worse than the average Collingwood supporter which is saying something! You have to do something to address this issue and not look to the police or Securecorp to do your dirty work in dealing with these people.

I notice there is an upcoming Melbourne vs Hawthorn game and it is Melbourne's home game. Do you not think these people will not use the late Jim Stynes to try and provoke the Melbourne supporters who sit in M10? I have no doubt they will has they have no moral boundaries as to what is proper behaviour.

In conclusion my final observation about these people, is this. The chant about "Cyril" something like "Oh Cyril, we just wanna be, just like you" No they don't. No they don't to jump into Cyril Rioli's skin, and live his life experience both through living in an Aboriginal community and dealing with racist comments from other team's supporters and yes probably some St Kilda supporters as well . They just want to back slap him and say what a great bloke he is, but underneath, I would question their integrity not to start racist comments should he ever leave Hawthorn and pull on another jumper. Because they would be the first to hurl racist comments at him if they had the chance and then they would show their "true colours"

On very angry St Kilda supporter.

[Bayside Nick]

Great letter. Shattered about the spelling mistake at the end.
I think the AFL and the clubs need to do stand up and do something about opposition fans booing in the course of normal play. Other than for a rough tackle or a poor umpiring decision, fans should be strongly frowned upon for booing. Heck we were booed when we entered the ground, lined up for goal and at the end of half time. Awful sportsmanship Hawks supporters

[spert]

It is very irritating to hear this kind of rubbish from opposition supporters in front of children, why don't you offer to take them and their children to the rooms after the game and they can repeat what they said face to face to the players while their kids look on..naturally the cowards wouldn't take up the offer. The best way to counter that rubbish from opposition supporters is for our club to win and shove it back in their faces- unfortunately our club has little ammunition.

[Behind Play]

What do you expect, when their previous president was a Baffoon

[saint66au]

M10 and behind the goals at the Punt Rd end have been issues for ages...last yar the M10 hawks fans were deplorable..they congregate there cos its close to the bar..nuff said

Good on you for your steadfastness...keep us posted if you hear anything back. I know if the MW behaved like that the Club would rightfully jump on us quick smart

[samuraisaint]

I too had my say Seaford Saint. I had my wife and two kids under 6 with me at the Punt Rd End level 1. In the last quarter when the chant went up after Milne kicked his goal - I stood up and faced the pack and reminded them of a few Hawk indescretions of late. They didn't respond to me but it was only when the cops went up to them that they stopped.

Maybe our Prez could have got stuck in ...

[Mrs_Seaford_Saint]

All I will say is I am glad I made a stand - I wasn't rude and didn't use offensive language but he got the message - I am over people through around the "rape" or "rapist" word like it has no meaning.

Thank You to my lovely husband who stood up for me and Milney xx

[Teflon]

M10 and behind the goals at the Punt Rd end have been issues for ages...last yar the M10 hawks fans were deplorable..they congregate there cos its close to the bar..nuff said

Good on you for your steadfastness...keep us posted if you hear anything back. I know if the MW behaved like that the Club would rightfully jump on us quick smart

This.

I sat there last year and had to hear filth from Geelong fans all night with kids everywhere.

I just go to the footy, ignore the opposition and focus on my team - I clap when when we do well, I get frustrated and shout when I see us play dumb footy...normal fans stuff.

I never go to games and yell "rapist" at opposition players - even if that were the case its inappropriate.

This area at the MCG "the peoples ground" is disgusting. Concrete bars, concrete terrace with filth laden supporters spewing bile while kids and families are trapped in front of them. For the MCG to condone this is disgusting.

Id save any letters for the MCG -Hawthorn will do nothing.

By the way..........Bombers arent any better.

[TJMcCarthy]

It is very irritating to hear this kind of rubbish from opposition supporters in front of children, why don't you offer to take them and their children to the rooms after the game and they can repeat what they said face to face to the players while their kids look on..naturally the cowards wouldn't take up the offer. The best way to counter that rubbish from opposition supporters is for our club to win and shove it back in their faces- unfortunately our club has little ammunition.

That's a great idea. I'm sick of the nasty crap these opposition fans say about Milne. I'm gunna offer the next slagger a on one meeting with Steven himself (even though I won't be allowed anywhere near him) I expect the bluff will work. At least make the troll stop and think about speaking the same s*** to someones face.

[Con Gorozidis]

All I will say is I am glad I made a stand - I wasn't rude and didn't use offensive language but he got the message - I am over people through around the "rape" or "rapist" word like it has no meaning.

Thank You to my lovely husband who stood up for me and Milney xx

top stuff. people should be very thoughtfulbefore they throw that crap aorund. agree.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

All due respect about the letter I highly doubt any club (even ours) would take the time to bother resolving the problems you outlined as honestly it's a footy match and it's all part of the game .. Yes it's annoying to be taunted especially over the Milne stuff but I can't see those taunts ending anytime soon especially because everyone knows it gets up our noses like nothing else ... My suggestion is to ignore it and concentrate on the game fighting back or pulling them up will only add fuel to their fire ... Take the higher moral ground the fact they get a reaction out of you justifys their taunts in their eyes ...

[Life Long Saint]

All due respect about the letter I highly doubt any club (even ours) would take the time to bother resolving the problems you outlined as honestly it's a footy match and it's all part of the game

Maybe around 20 years ago!

In these days of socially acceptable comments anything that is offensive should be dealt with. Especially if the comments are said in a family area.
AFL clubs and the AFL in general are sanitising the game to remove the yobbo element. They want women and children to come to the games so they expect the crowd not to behave as if they are in the public bar of the local pub.

I refuse to go to Collingwood games for this very reason. I can't stand supporters that are more intent on baiting the opposition supporters that they are on cheering their own team. Venues now have a "hotline" where you can report "socially unacceptable" behaviour. They don't have that becuase the comments and behaviour occur at a footy game and are "all part of the game".

As our last coach said (and I am paraphrasing)...just becuase you draw an oval line and put some sticks at each end it doesn't mean that socailly unacceptable behaviour goes unpunished.

[SainterK]

Can't agree St Trav.

That word should not be thrown around at the footy.

It just shouldn't.

[Selhurst Saint]

One of the M10 girls punched a StKilda woman at the football several years ago and ripped an earing out of her ear. It was a completely unprovoked attack.

There were many witnesses and she was charged.

She pleaded Not Guilty and wanted her day in court. When the court date arrived she went to water and pleaded guilty and received a good behaviour bond citing family abuse for her problems.

The prosecuting officer was disgusted with the system and told us that she had several other football violence charges pending.

The frightening thing was that she is a "Primary School Teacher".