The AFL has reportedly admitted an Israeli flag mustn’t have been allowed at Saturday’s recreation between North Melbourne and West Coast.
Kangaroos rookie Harry Sheezel starred on debut, racking up 34 disposals in North’s five-point win in a battle between two groups who’re anticipated to contend for this 12 months’s picket spoon.
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The spectacular debut noticed him develop into the primary debutant to report 30 or extra disposals since Michael Barlow recorded 33 in 2010.
It’s probably the most disposals by a debutant since Greg Williams’ 38 touches again in 1984 and locations him third all-time on probably the most disposals recorded by a first-game participant.
Sheezel was the deserved recipient of the Round 1 Rising Star nomination, however his breakout debut has now been marred by a flag controversy.
During the sport at Marvel Stadium, at the very least one Israeli flag was noticed within the crowd in a present of help for Sheezel.
The No. 3 draft decide, the primary Jewish participant to enter the AFL in additional than 20 years, was the topic of anti-Semitic abuse on social media after being drafted late final 12 months.
Sheezel mentioned throughout the recreation in opposition to the Eagles, he observed North followers brandishing flags and packets of Cheezels in help of him.
“As the game went on I heard the chants and I saw a few flags and Cheezel packets around the ground, which was cool to see,” Sheezel instructed Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“It just made me feel so supported and loved and made me feel a part of it, which was great.”
But the presence of an Israeli flag has reportedly upset some AFL followers, together with North Melbourne supporters, who consider the league shouldn’t be condoning shows of political, spiritual or nationalist actions at matches.
SEN stories AFL safety lead Alistair Meldrum despatched an e-mail to 1 fan conceding the flag mustn’t have been allowed underneath the stadium’s situation of entry.
“Once identified, it should then have been requested to be seized/confiscated or the patron in possession requested to leave if they refused to surrender the flag,” Meldrum wrote.
“This has been communicated to MSL Venue Management.”
The AFL’s ticket and entry circumstances state that patrons should not “wear or otherwise display commercial, political, religious or offensive signage or logos of any kind”.
News.com.au has contacted the AFL for remark.
Dad of supporter slams ‘woke’ AFL
The father of the younger fan who displayed the Israeli flag instructed Neil Mitchell’s 3AW program any AFL edict banning the flag could be “ridiculous”.
He defined he and his son barrack for Carlton however Josh needed to help Sheezel as a result of he too is Jewish.
“He just wanted to support Harry,” the fan’s father Gary mentioned.
“Josh is very friendly. He checked with police days earlier. He said he’s making up a sign, he’s going to take the sign, would that be OK? The police said it’s not an issue unless you’re doing it to incite.
“If you’re just going to support Harry and you want to hold up a flag for him. He actually had permission, you could call it, from police.
“The blue and white on the Israeli flag is the same as North Melbourne so it blended in. It looked really good.”
Neil Mitchell identified the American flag has been noticed at video games in help of Collingwood’s Mason Cox.
“The AFL is a joke,” the fan’s father mentioned.
“Can they get any more woke or politically correct. It’s frustrating, it really is.
“With all the anti-Semitism going on, I said him, ‘You don’t have to take the Israeli flag, you could just take the Star of David’. But he also did the sign that said ‘Mazel Tov Harry’. “Where’s it going to end? Are they going to ban signs that say ‘Mazel Tov Harry?
“I mean, it’s getting ridiculous. We’ve got a lot of South Sudanese players playing. Are we going the South Sudanese flag? Are we going to ban the Australian flag?
“The AFL’s a joke, they really are. The AFL just make up the rules are they go along, they really do. What are they taking offence at?
“I’m annoyed but not surprised by anything the AFL does. They can’t get any more woke. Are we going to be wearing T-shirts in four months time supporting the Voice to Parliament? “They just pick and choose. They do what they think is popular. It’s not surprising at all.”
Originally printed as ‘Woke’ AFL slammed as ‘ridiculous’ flag storm sparks furore
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
