Ugly pattern ruining one Australian city’s sporting reputation
The behaviour of Adelaide sports fans is once again in the headlines after Collingwood player Isaac Quaynor was booed during Thursday night’s AFL game.
Crows fans routinely booed every time Quaynor touched the ball, in what seemed to be some kind of retaliation to an incident last year when the Magpies star was the victim of a homophobic slur from Adelaide player Izak Rankine.
Isaac Quaynor gets a kick away at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night. AFL Photos
Rankine was banned for four games at the end of last season over the incident, but it was Quaynor who felt the wrath of disgruntled Crows fans on Thursday.
It left a sour taste in the mouths of everyone who wasn’t involved in the ugly practice.
“It probably says more about the crowd than it does about Izak,” Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury said post-game.
Magpies coach Craig McRae was dumbfounded.
“My understanding is he was the victim of a homophobic slur, and he’s getting booed for that? It’s a fascinating world we live in,” he said.
Pendlebury said Quaynor “probably knew it was going to come” and, sadly, it seems even Adelaide knew its fans were about to do something the wider sporting community would condemn.
“We ask our supporters to just enjoy that and get involved with that part of it and then be respectful, like we ask of all our players – be respectful,” Crows coach Matthew Nicks said on the eve of the game.
In response to request from nine.com.au, the Crows released a statement on Friday.
“Our club loves the passion and emotion our members and supporters bring to Adelaide Oval and the atmosphere they help create,” club CEO Tim Silvers said.
“We also strongly believe there is a line between passionate support and behaviour that falls short of our values and those of the game.
“We want our people to be vocal, engaged and passionate, but to do so respectfully.
Angus Anderson of the Magpies celebrates a goal. Getty Images
“The overwhelming majority of our members and supporters represent the club exceptionally well.
“However, the behaviour of some crossed the line last night. Put simply, it was inappropriate and not good enough.
“Respect for all players, coaches, officials and fellow supporters is paramount, and it is a standard we must all uphold.”
The AFL was also contacted for comment on Adelaide crowd behaviour.
“AFL footy fans are some of the most passionate in world sport, and that passion is one of the things that makes our game so special,” AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said in a statement to nine.com.au.
“But the targeted booing last night should not have happened and is not what we want to see in our game.
“We see the best of our fans every single week at matches across the country as they cheer, barrack and support their respective clubs, however, what we saw last night at Adelaide Oval fell well short of that. Collingwood and Adelaide have addressed this issue, as is appropriate. ”
Thursday night’s ugly act was simply the latest in a pattern of behaviour at one of Australia’s best sporting grounds.
Clashes with AFL coaches
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick had a verbal altercation with a Crows supporter just a fortnight ago, and he wasn’t the first to have an issue with fans in Adelaide.
Damien Hardwick chats back to a fan after comments come his way through the crowd. Fox Footy
The stadium set-up means coaches have to effectively walk through the crowd when they head from the box to the field.
Hardwick, the veteran Gold Coast mentor, was walking down the steps when he abruptly stopped and had a verbal exhange with a fan.
“Walking through here, and I understand people are going to say stuff, and I’ve got to be better, but end of the day, those sorts of people are the guys that live in their mum’s basements and type on bloody social media forums and all that sort of stuff,” Hardwick later told media.
“I’ve got to be better, like I said, but we’ve got to do something about it. It’s a dangerous position to put us in, first and foremost, security is OK, but we don’t need people being peanuts about it. Get out of the basement, mate.”
Adelaide coach Nicks also slammed the fan by saying, “we’re not here for that”, while AFL great David King said those type of people were “ruining it” for others.
Earlier this season, Geelong coach Chris Scott also clashed with a fan or fans at Adelaide Oval.
“This is one of the best stadiums in the world. I love it, but no, it’s an oversight that coaches should have to walk through the crowd,” Scott said.
“They’re nuffies, but that’s OK.”
In 2015, then-Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson had to be held back when he reacted to heckling from a Port Adelaide fan while walking outside his hotel.
Police cleared Clarkson of any wrongdoing.
“Having been confronted and threatened by a group of intoxicated men and after politely asking several times for some space, I regret that I pushed away one particular individual,” Clarkson said at the time.
“While the behaviour of the group was antagonistic, aggressive and completely unwarranted, I wish that I had continued to walk away and removed myself from the situation.”
Allegations of racism and abuse
Perhaps the ugliest Adelaide Oval incident in recent memory came in 2016 when Indigenous icon Eddie Betts had a banana thrown at him by a Port Adelaide supporter.
Betts was celebrating his 250th AFL game that night, and the Crows superstar kicked a goal then turned to the crowd to celebrate, before a woman lobbed the banana over the fence.
Port Adelaide boss David Koch condemned the woman and banned her from the stadium for two years, while then-South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill lashed the “idiot” for a “particularly nasty form of racist comment”.
Eddie Betts had a banana thrown towards him in this moment at Adelaide Oval. nna\cdesilva
Other AFL fans around the woman at the time were said to have called her out, and she abruptly left the scene shortly afterwards.
There were more allegations of racism in 2022 when Carlton player Adam Saad reported being called a “terrorist” by a Crows supporter.
Adelaide at the time said it, “strongly condemns any type of anti-social behaviour”, while Carlton and the AFL took aim at the “disgraceful” and “unacceptable” incident.
Last year during Gather Round in Adelaide, Geelong’s Bailey Smith gave a middle-finger salute to a section of Crows fans as he walked off the field.
He said it was in response to his captain Patrick Dangerfield being abused over the fence.
Adelaide Oval is one of the best stadiums in Australia. AFL Photos via Getty Images
“There’s only so much you can cop,” Smith later said.
“That wasn’t anything untoward toward Adelaide Crows in general, just the one bloke that was making a big effort to get stuck into Danger.
“You can judge performance and stuff as much as you like but when you start getting into some deeper details it’s probably a bit far.”
And it’s not just in footy
While there have been several unsavoury incidents at AFL games over the years, there have also been allegations of poor behaviour at other sporting events, too.
During the Ashes in 2017, England player Moeen Ali claimed, “Somebody (in the crowd) asked me what time my kebab shop opened”.
Nine.com.au is not suggesting poor behaviour is limited to the Adelaide Oval.
Patrons have also been accused of racist or abusive incidents at grounds including Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart in recent years.
However, the pattern of poor behaviour in Adelaide seems to be growing, and it’s starting to put a stain on the city’s reputation.
