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Soprano wrote: Swan....I dont think that Ablett Jnr whinged through the media about Crwoley tagging him. From what I recall he was commenting on Crowleys tagging techniques whilst watching a game. Pretty sure he was advising the fact that Ling was a better tagger as he played the ball as well, not just the man like Crowley. I am not agreeing with GAJ's points, other than Lingy was a better tagger, but I don't believe that is whinging.

Also "yet most, if not all, clubs have a similar type of player to Ballantyne"? Not sure that is correct. If you mean similar as in a small forward, then yes, but the majority of clubs do not have that kind of player who has a sole (maybe not sole) mission to antagonise their opponent into giving away free kicks. Their would definately be a couple in the AFL, but definately not "most, if not all"!!

Soprano he was complaining about Crowley via social media THE WEEK BEFORE his team played Freo. Any credible person would have taken his comments as a criticism by him of the umpiring insofaras he was saying that Crowley was breaking the laws of the game and he was not being penalised by the umpires.

With respect to Ballantyne's equivalent in other teams perhaps you need to dig a bit deeper. For starters try the Eagles and St Kilda and see if you can come up with any players with similar traits.

Complaining? I dont think he was complaining. Was just stating his position on the matter and on someones game. Not whinging or complaining. Are players not allowed to say what they think about anothers game? Is that whinging? Like when Campbell Brown called Matty Lloyd sniper, he was not complaining or whinging, just telling it how he sees it.

Obviously Milny would be an easy one to associate with ballantyne....but I dont see any others you could throw in there? Care to elaborate?

No Ballantyne at the Eagles.

If Ballantyne was playing in the 50's or 60's he certainly would not get a kick.

Demons Forever wrote: If Ballantyne was playing in the 50's or 60's he certainly would not get a kick.

Yes he would...right up the date! Someone would iron him out and he'd spend the rest of his career looking over his shoulder. That happened to snipers that hid behind the ump's whistle.

Spot on 58 Shark.

58s if we are talking about players who have get their comeuppance one needs only to look at the likes of John Worsfold. If he had played in the era of Boucher, he would have sweet nothings whispered in his ears that if he tried any of his sniping tricks on any of Ron's Swans' teammates he would not have left the ground walking.

All clubs have had Ballantyne type players.

As for the rationale that Ablett was only giving his opinion and not criticising the umpires their rationale should have started with: 'once upon a time'.

Perhaps we could go through the Eagles' players who would not have got a game for Swan Districts in the early 80s, or south Freo or Claremont for that matter.

swan42 wrote: 58s if we are talking about players who have get their comeuppance one needs only to look at the likes of John Worsfold. If he had played in the era of Boucher, he would have sweet nothings whispered in his ears that if he tried any of his sniping tricks on any of Ron's Swans' teammates he would not have left the ground walking.

All clubs have had Ballantyne type players.

As for the rationale that Ablett was only giving his opinion and not criticising the umpires their rationale should have started with: 'once upon a time'.

Perhaps we could go through the Eagles' players who would not have got a game for Swan Districts in the early 80s, or south Freo or Claremont for that matter.

Swannie, I never compare yesterday's players with today's - there's to many variables to make it anything but subjective opinion. However on this one occasion, it is my opinion that Worsfold is one player that would survive in any period of the game.