I ran a very close second, very close, but my mummy and daddy never called me an accident. At least not a happy one.
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Because the afl didn’t need a distraction 3 weeks ago. Where as they are under heat this week. So the hey look over there bad stuff stunt.
Feel like I have seen it before…
If u take this hit Eddie we will have him back for finials, and keep the umpires blatantly looking after you.
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He self reported in the same way the efc did…
I think an appropriate penalty is very difficult to determine in these cases. What has Stephenson been found guilty of (what has he confessed to)?
- small amount gambling?
- creating the potential to match fix?
- suspicion of match fixing - ie trying to manipulate a result to win $$$s?
If it’s the latter, he deserves 5 years. If it’s the former, I think there is less intent to do harm than what pinchy did last week.
My guess is that no one knows his true intent, so they whacked him with 10 weeks to deter others, but allow him back for finals.
Its not right. But seriously how hard is it for an afl footballer to have a mate who gambles on games and a mate he happens to also talk footy with.
Personally i hate there is gambling on sports even if I dont mind the odd flutter.
Really we could all stick to games of pure chance.
Listening to Bucks, I feel guilty that I’ve never bet on a match I played in…
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Saints v Freo in Tassie?
Having a conflict of interest doesn’t require a conflict of action to be wrong.
Howe didn’t actually snitch, he gave him good advice on what he needed to do
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Agreed. My 2nd option was creating a conflict of interest ie an incentive or opportunity to manipulate a result for financial gain. Maybe this is what he is guilty of, rather than the act of gambling, he is guilty of creating the conflict of interest, with no evidence he acted on it.
What’s the right penalty for this?
It would need to be a bigger blow than Barry Hall on Saker to get 10 weeks for a deliberate violent act onfield.
Its ironical that the main reason to keep the integrity of the competition intact is because of the gambling outcomes. It doesnt really matter if teams dont win. There will always be a best team. But honest punters will desert the betting, leaving only the crooks fixing games.
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Future commentator for Crocmedia?
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One of the AFL’s rising stars, Jaidyn Stephenson, has been rubbed out of the competition for 10 matches after admitting to placing bets on matches he played with Collingwood.
Stephenson placed three unsuccessful “multi bets”, which cost him a total of $36.
An inconspicuous comment Stephenson made after a round nine clash, noticed by fellow Pies player Jeremy Howe, was the catalyst for the events which transpired.
The decision was the toughest sanction ever handed to an AFL player found to be betting on matches.
Since the verdict was made, much of the focus has been on the length of the ban.
All commentary unanimously agreed that a ban was required and that a message needed to be sent to all players, regarding the paramount integrity of the sport.
Accepting that, this story should be about more than just crime and punishment. It should focus on the elephant in the room — the sports betting agencies.
The Australian sporting landscape has changed rapidly.
The most obvious change has been the involvement and proliferation of sports betting agencies, which underpin sports on a number of explicit and implicit levels.
There are four points to be made.
Sport and the moral high ground
First, all sporting codes have attempted to generate more interest in their code.
While most of the focus has been at the spectator level (attracting new customers to attend games and watch on TV), some have been more successful than others.
The catch cries have been "diversity" and “inclusivity”. This has meant that authorities have been sensitive to issues that have tarnished the image of their game.
Israel Folau was sacked for espousing homophobic views on social media by the ARU; NRL players have been banned for sex videos; AFL games were last week patrolled by security to address perceived crowd behaviour concerns.
The codes have seen themselves as being great moralisers in our society.
It is agreed that their players should be great role models and the codes themselves should serve an important civic role in our society.
Clearly, the AFL has been a leader in this regard, with high rates of participation and spectatorship and a national competition that has “Indigenous”, “pride”, “multicultural”, “rural” and “volunteer” acknowledgement.
Where is the money coming from?
Secondly, while promoting “inclusivity” and “diversity” and taking the moral high ground on societal issues, all of the sporting codes have been happy to take money from anywhere and a sizeable portion of revenue is from sports betting agencies.
The figures are large and increasing each year.
The dark side of sports gambling
Third, the destructive nature of sports gambling has now been noted in academic research.
Stephenson did the wrong thing. But the @AFL can spare me. Constant promotion of gambling, despite knowing it ruins the lives of many of it’s players and supporters, yet they still support it, purely because it feeds the pockets of the likes of Gill. Hypocrites.
See Joshua Harrington’s other Tweets
Like all forms of problem gambling, it destroys individuals, families and communities. Academic literature and governmental reports have documented an explosive rise in Australian sports betting due to heavy marketing and advertising, but also the easy and convenient nature of online sports betting with smartphones and all forms of “exotics”.
Stephenson placed a multi which included “head to head”, “margin”, and “goalkicker”. The possibilities are boundless.
There is a symbiotic relationship between sporting codes hungry for money and commercial agencies; they will happily turn a blind eye to whatever the industry is: sports betting, junk food or alcohol.
There is even recent talk of the tobacco industry moving back into motor racing.
A paradox at the heart of the issue
Fourth and finally, there is a paradox here.
22 weeks, 12 suspended, will miss 10 games in total. Seems harsh given the @afl message on gambling to everyone (picture by @WLudbey ) #gopies #Stevo #afl
29 people are talking about this
The AFL happily take sports betting sponsorship and the players themselves understand that sport is a business that ultimately is about making money.
Yet Stephenson and other professional players are bombarded by sports betting messages.
They see the sports gambling everywhere; on jerseys, on stadium billboards, in stadium TAB outlets, while they are watching AFL matches on TV, in social clubs and more.
This bombardment and the legitimisation of sports betting that their employers confirm through sponsorship with betting agencies must surely confuse some … and add to the temptation to bet.
So do we really expect professional players to abide by a code of practice, which if you read very carefully places the blame of match-fixing on “organised crime” — a far cry from a personal flutter?
If the AFL wants to hang out to dry players such as Jaidyn Stephenson, they should do; but this is only reasonable if they themselves cut ties with the sports betting agencies.
Steve Georgakis is a senior lecturer in Pedagogy and Sports Studies at the University of Sydney.
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I reckon I saw that ad 100 times before I was able to work out what he was actually saying.
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Buckley revealed he found out around “three weeks ago” about Stephenson’s issue, but added he didn’t know the full details and never contemplated leaving the forward out of the senior team.
He said it was only this week when he had the first discussion with Stephenson about the latter’s betting, but insisted he’s “not angry with him”.
…
So Bucks finds out 3 weeks ago about the Stephenson issue, continues to coach him seeing him multiple times a week, plays him in games and only got round to discussing this with him this week?? LOL
Not even a “hey Jaidyn, are you betting against us or for us?.. for us, not probs, carry on”
I guarantee you Bucks had money on himself for the Brownlow 5 years straight before he actually won it - the look on his face every time he didn’t win was a highlight each year.
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None of this sits under any law. And the AFL would never let any outside organisation interfere and risk the health and welfare of any of its employees…
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a head coach should know about everything happening at a footy club and be responsible for it apparently, then be sacked for it as well!!!11!!!1
the james hird rule.
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AFL Says Odds Of Another Player Betting On Game Now Out To $10.80!
The AFL says the tough penalty it imposed on Collingwood player Jaidyn Stephenson for betting on a game has had an immediate impact, pushing the odds of a further player discretion out to over $10.
In a joint statement with betting partners Sportsbet, Easybet, Crownbet, Unibet, Betfair, Neds, William Hill and TAB, the AFL said now was a good time to have a punt on the next player caught, with some special promotions in the offing.
“Pick a player, choose your betting amount, and if your player gets caught before the end of the month, you can double your winnings,” an AFL spokesperson said.
AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said the AFL had sent a strong signal about the appropriateness of betting. “We’ve been very visible about this. At every game, at every telecast, on every AFL website, you’ll see how seriously we take gambling”.
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Why didn’t the AFL stand him down after he confessed to betting on his matches?
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