There has been a lot of discussion this week about a commentary piece that was published in Monday’s edition of the Northern Daily Leader sports section with the headline “AFL North West: Bulldogs gun Jake Spackman pays price for starring performance against the Swans”.
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If you are not accustomed to Mark Bode's style of writing, he often draws upon satire to make commentary.
The events depicted in the Swans’ loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday were not meant to be taken as real events, and were not meant to cause offence.
The clubs involved respond here.
Tamworth Swans AFC
I write this with some presumption that there remains an editorial function at the Northern Daily Leader, though the article published on the 2nd of July 2017 reporting on our match the previous day at Gunnedah raises questions as to whether this is still the case.
This article, titled ‘Spackman: the tragedy of being so good’ was, I imagine, intended to be a humorous report.
Instead it is a lazy and base piece that bears little resemblance to reporting on a sporting match.
It is offensive in the ridicule of our Club and its members, who braved a trip to face a very good opponent under very trying circumstances.
Had Mr Bode bothered to research any background into our circumstances, he would know that we went into the match without our four main ball-winners, three of whom have suffered season ending injuries.
This is equivalent in rugby league to losing your hooker, lock, half and five-eighth.
He would know that we took a bare 14 players, the minimum required to field a team, to face Gunnedah, a team that had beaten us by 120 points at home earlier in the season, and that one of those players was struggling with a bout of the flu.
He would know that we had to talk one of our long term injured players out of strapping up for the game.
He would know that, excepting the near-40 year old held together with sticky tape that should be retired, our team had an average playing experience of 23 games.
Regardless, they took to the field knowing full well what the outcome was likely to be.
Forfeiting would have been the easy option, but one that not even considered.
If Mr Bode had bothered to travel across to Gunnedah to witness what he was reporting on, he would know that despite all those circumstances those 14 battled away right to the final siren.
I don’t know what Mr Bode would have made of the bravery of the Lighthorsemen who got two strides before being gunned down at The Nek.
Perhaps he would have found humour that they barely left the trenches.
History remembers them for having the courage to climb over the parapet to an inevitable fate.
If we are trading analogies, I would suggest this is more relevant than referencing the sufferings of a child in a third world country.
We do not shy away from our results.
They are reflective of where we are against our better opponents.
But I maintain immense pride in our effort and our resilience, and our Club and our members deserve better from your publication.
Josh McKenzie
President
Tamworth Swans AFC
Gunnedah and District AFC Bulldogs
Your article put to print Monday the 3rd of July in the Northern Daily Leader has left a detrimental effect on the AFL North West community.
I feel as though an apology from yourself is warranted for the actions you have taken against the North West AFL competition, The Gunnedah and District AFC Bulldogs, The Tamworth Swans AFC and also the sacrificial lamb in Jake Spackman.
In correlation with Tamworth Swans president Josh Mackenzie, the steps you took in degrading their club was appalling, and whilst you have eliminated the African child metaphor from your article there are still raw pieces of fictional references such as supposedly quoting a Gunnedah Bulldogs player/official, and also hanging our coach out to dry.
As a matter of fact, our Coach Greg Piggott has the utmost respect for the competition, and as Josh stated, if you took the time to fully research the match that day you would have been aware that Greg congratulated Josh before and after the match on his efforts in bringing a side to play.
Not to mention Greg is the coach of the representative side that play North Coast this weekend, you really believe he would put the Tamworth Swans to shame as a the leading coach of the AFL North West?
Of course you’ve made this up yourself.
Whilst it is acknowledged throughout the competition that our midfielder Jake Spackman is an elite footballer, the derogatory stance you took against Jake has impacted him socially.
It was not that long ago that our club was in a similar position to where the Swans are now and what this competition and all clubs need is the support of our local media, not cheap shots at clubs that are doing their best in tough times.
In finishing I deem it certainly necessary, if not obligatory that you apologise to all mentioned beforehand, that the article immediately be removed from your NDL website [Note: the article has been removed the NDL website], and in future take the care and knowledge of who may be affected by your ridiculous “satire” writing.
Matthew Pengilly
President
GDAFC