What the?....Whateley!

[Simon Templar]

Reference Gerald's Gratuitous article this morning's paper, and I haven't seen my letter to editor under the article's blog yet, either. It goes like this...."This is an interesting argument but it's deviation as premise to support the argument that Milne should stand down is bollocks, sorry. I'll tell you why. Interesting bit of verbal gymnastics, Mr. Whateley, to justify your eye grabbing headline for the article. The premise that (an employee) "In most forms of public life a person in such a position would be stood down from duty on full pay" Hullo.....who are we talking about?

You Gerald? Are you held to be in public life, so to speak? If such an allegation was made about you would you be stood down or would you stand down?..... Whether or not the allegation saw the light of day in the media. Should you be expected to? You are not guilty, you say, you are only a journalist. Or are you a world champion golfer, test cricketer or (Essendon - let's not go there) footballer?

Or are you a Member of the Police Force or Armed Services? How about CFA or Ambulance Service? Same apply for each service or just one or two?

How about Craig Thompson....looks like he is guilty of lots from what we've read. Or maybe Theo Theophanous.....looked like he was guilty from what we read, there you go..how wrong were we !!? Oh well, his career's over anyway...shame about that....good allegation though. After all, where there's smoke there's fire !

And it's very trite of you to comment "Footballers were suggested to be different. Last week proved why they are not." You are referring to S. Milne. How about J. Watson the same week (or week before)?....That matter's still unresolved as well.....oh hang on, it's not sex related.....is that it because for all your you beaut argument, your hypothesis is flawed."

[saint66au]

His comments about changing your opinion dependant on who you support were spot on however.

[kosifantutti]

Any chance of providing a link or narrow it down to a particular newspaper?

His name is Gerard by the way.

[evertonfc]

I hate how (most) people's opinions of this subject appear driven by whether they're a St Kilda fan or not.

It's an ethical issue, not a football one.

[cwrcyn]

Gerard has gone from nervous dork to smug, self satisfied know-it-all over the past couple of years. Someone has been blowing a lot of smoke up his arse. Someone should bring you a ladder Gerard, it's time to climb down.

[SainterK]

I also admit the last couple of lines resonate for me.

[WinnersOnly]

I'm a Saints fan and I agree with him (Whattley).

If Milne remains on the list while it drags out through the courts it will cost the club $$$$ possibly millions in corporate standings. Remember no individual is bigger than the club and whether he is found guilty or not, it is his actions that brought this angst to himself, team mates and the club.

It's an unfortunate situation Milne is in, but his issues shouldn't be to the detriment of the long term future of the club. The public opinion is so resounding against him playing on it would be an unfair burden on the whole team/club.

We all want the best new kids recruited in the draft - if you we're a parent of a young draftee would you want your son going to a club that has idolised a player on rape charges. Not a good look IMO.

I am one who believes he should be encouraged/told to retire at the seasons end so he and the club can part with what dignity there is left in this matter. He has been a champion footballer but at best he has one season left so it would be best for all involved if he retired at seasons end !

[Wayne42]

Regardless of the rape allegations I would like to see Milne retire at years end, we need to develop the future forward line, no point dragging it out for another year.

He's been a great player for the Saints, Milne, but, there comes a time for ALL players, Scott will tell us all when it is Milne's time to move on and that could be soon.

[saintspremiers]

Wasn't his nickname once "Sideshow Milne". How apt is that now ?

[samuraisaint]

If you are charged with a felonius offence and you are a teacher, police officer, health care worker, or something allied, I believe you are suspended on full pay to protect the rights of other individuals. However, football is none of those things. I remember a Carlton player drank drove and a pedestrian was killed. He played while these charges were pending. Innocent until proven guilty here. In Europe and Japan the opposite is true, and if that was the case he would not probably be playing. The thing is though, the wheels of justice turn extremely slowly, and he has to be able to earn a living until such time as the court case takes place - and IF it takes place. No winners in this, him, the alleged victim, his family, the football club, the young children supporters who have to listen to idiots yelling out all the time...I heard the 'C' word being yelled out from directly behind me and if I had had my children with me I would have said something. Kids shouldn't have to listen to that stuff at the footy.

[bergholt]

I hate how (most) people's opinions of this subject appear driven by whether they're a St Kilda fan or not.

It's an ethical issue, not a football one.

Yep.

Personal feeling is that Milney shouldn't play until he's cleared of the charges. He might have destroyed someone else's life and personally I'm uncomfortable cheering him if that's the case.

[saintbrat]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl ... 6682145112

[saintspremiers]

Lets face it if it was a high profile player from another club on rape charges we'd be abusing the crap out of him also.

[Thomas]

I'm a Saints fan and I agree with him (Whattley).

If Milne remains on the list while it drags out through the courts it will cost the club $$$$ possibly millions in corporate standings. Remember no individual is bigger than the club and whether he is found guilty or not, it is his actions that brought this angst to himself, team mates and the club.

It's an unfortunate situation Milne is in, but his issues shouldn't be to the detriment of the long term future of the club. The public opinion is so resounding against him playing on it would be an unfair burden on the whole team/club.

We all want the best new kids recruited in the draft - if you we're a parent of a young draftee would you want your son going to a club that has idolised a player on rape charges. Not a good look IMO.

I am one who believes he should be encouraged/told to retire at the seasons end so he and the club can part with what dignity there is left in this matter. He has been a champion footballer but at best he has one season left so it would be best for all involved if he retired at seasons end !

You say no individual is bigger than the club and I agree. On the other hand "innocent until proven guilty" is a sacrosanct right in our legal system, so Milne should not be the sacrificial lamb to the almighty dollar, and when this is over and "hopefully" he is cleared of any wrong doing our club can hold it's head high for standing up for the right of the individual.

[mr six o'clock]

He said this on the abc sunday morning show " the offsiders" last week !
So seeing it in print form today means he just trying to get as much mileage as he can from stating the bleeding obvious !

What is never addressed is that if the saints or the afl denied him being able to play , then he , with the backing of the players association would sue !
He would most likely win , that would be more embarrassing for the afl !

[BigMart]

He's written two feature articles with StK in the gun in the last two weeks.... Moron Nerd

His POV on cricket is not worth reading either....

[felix]

He is the new Eddie everywhere.

[cwrcyn]

Personally, I think Milne should retire at year's end, not for the good of the game but for the good of his football club, and many of us share that view on here. Whately's focus seems more on the wider community view on the matter, and I think most people agree that there is no right answer, as the presumption of innocence is central to our justice system. Would Whately's attitude be the same if James Hird had been charged with a similar offence? I think we all know the answer to that one.

Whately sees himself as the intellectual and the moral beacon in a football media filled with ex players and boozer journos. However, just like them, he has his favourites and is compromised by his allegiances to certain people in the game, one notable example being Mick Matlhouse.

[thejiggingsaint]

I find him (most times) to be one of the more fair-minded and knowledgeable sports writers. Don't always have to agree with him to have respect for him. I remember when first arriving in Melbourne (1990) reading the sports pages with great interest and enjoyment. The journos have in the last eight-ten years seemed to become ever-more concerned with their own levels of verbosity and perceived "expert" status than actually REPORTING the game. If one looks at the pre-season forecasts made by these "pundits" and how they have panned-out, then one is left to draw the conclusion, that apart from the ability to string together a few cohesive paragraphs in print, and the resources to do research 24/7 there is not an awful lot to differentiate between the posters on here, or barrackers in general and these "Gurus", (In my humble opinion of course!)

[bergholt]

Personally, I think Milne should retire at year's end, not for the good of the game but for the good of his football club, and many of us share that view on here. Whately's focus seems more on the wider community view on the matter, and I think most people agree that there is no right answer, as the presumption of innocence is central to our justice system.

Unfortunately our justice system isn't perfect, and that's especially true in the case of rape charges. It's pretty tough to get a conviction beyond reasonable doubt when it's one person's word against another's, so people get away with it. That's where the real moral ambiguity comes in here.

[stinger]

Gerard has gone from nervous dork to smug, self satisfied know-it-all over the past couple of years. Someone has been blowing a lot of smoke up his arse. Someone should bring you a ladder Gerard, it's time to climb down.

bet he's either a methodist or presbaterian (?)...one of those holier than thou bible bashes......

[sunsaint]

....
What is never addressed is that if the saints or the afl denied him being able to play , then he , with the backing of the players association would sue !
He would most likely win , that would be more embarrassing for the afl !

I think that conclusion would be a long bow to draw, and only true "if" found innocent and was not paid in full during the time.

[Old Mate]

Funny looking bloke isn't he? Needs to lift some weights he's got the body of a 12 year old girl.

[Scollop]

Funny looking bloke isn't he? Needs to lift some weights he's got the body of a 12 year old girl.

Bloke? Nah...I think he's all woman.

I think one day he might realise it too

[bigcarl]

A lot of people do not seem ti get the concept of "presumption of innocence."

It means that until Milne stands trial and is proven guilty, he is innocent before the law. So, form permitting, he's entitled to play.

If St Kilda did not play him because of the rape charge it would be be a presumption of his guilt ... which imo is worse