Mick Malthouse on the true value of sportsmanship

In the past week, we have seen fantastic and terrible examples of sportsmanship. Mick Malthouse reveals how attitudes to opponents have changed in his time in footy and why he found Ben Stratton’s pinching ‘utterly intolerable’.

Richmond players wish injured Josh Jenkins of the Adelaide Crows all the best.

If ever there was an act in Australian sporting history that epitomised sportsmanship, it was in the 1956 Australian Mile Championships when John Landy helped Ron Clarke up off the track after he tripped mid-race.

Landy went on to win, but it’s his unbelievable act of respect for a fellow competitor that has always been remembered and celebrated. Landy proved that no matter how big the sport or the occasion, sportsmanship lives beyond the result.

And so it should.

As the old saying goes: “Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.”

It’s something that should be taught at the junior level of all sport.

No one wants ugly scenes like those in the FIFA Women’s World Cup when the US team taunted its Thai opponents after each of their 13 goals. It was uncalled for, big-headed, humiliating and so very disappointing to see on a world stage.

In the AFL, in general, I believe there is great sportsmanship displayed.

Sydney Stack hugs Eddie Betts after his miraculous goal. Picture: Channel 7

When the AFL was the VFL, sportsmanship extended after the game when opposing teams and their families would gather together post-match for a drink and something to eat. We all loved going to Geelong for the country spread that was always on offer!

The post-match tradition continued for a little while when West Coast entered the competition, but it died out when clubs started travelling home immediately after interstate games.

Now, opposing teams stand on the ground, if only for a few minutes, to let off steam as one. When the siren goes they are no longer enemies and a handshake and quick catch-up chat is a show of respect.

Since the introduction of the Players’ Association the 1970s there seems to be a greater understanding of sportsmanship among the collective group of AFL players.

They still go hard at it during a game, there are still big hits and reportable tackles, but there is far more awareness and care taken to avoid head and neck injuries, and players are more prepared to stop and attend to an injured player.

The Richmond boys are to be applauded for gathering around injured Crow Josh Jenkins last week when it appeared that he had suffered a serious knee injury.

John Landy helps Ron Clarke in 1956.

And for those people getting all riled up about Sydney Stack’s reaction to some Eddie Betts brilliance, think about this: junior footballers watch AFL games and copy to a tee what they see.

In that moment, Stack role modelled what ultimate respect looks like. The goal was kicked, the ball was dead, there was nothing Stack could do to reverse it, so he was well within his rights to applaud greatness.

Sportsmanship and respect go hand-in-hand. As brutal as our game can be, that a player would acknowledge the brilliance of an opponent during a game was a marvellous gesture.

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Two of the world’s greatest tennis players, Roger Federer and Serena Williams, often applaud great shots by their opponents in grand slams. It shows class on their behalf.

Elite sport can’t all be about the mighty dollar. Showing sportsmanship isn’t a sign of weakness. It doesn’t mean that player isn’t focused on the game or can’t immediately switch back on. In many respects it reinforces the quality within the champion.

Remember the Wayne Carey-Glen Jakovich duels of the 1990s? Two champions of the game, who, despite being on-field rivals for a long time, had a connection between them that was built on the back of mutual respect.

Unfortunately, there is a flip side to sportsmanship.

Richmond players console injured Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins.

When an athlete crosses the white line, at times frustration can boil over. I can live with that. Though it often leads to regret.

But when someone pushes the boundary with a calculated act of unsportsmanlike behaviour, there is no room for it.

Niggling in football has been around since Adam was a boy. But we have grown up since the introduction of full-game coverage, scrutiny from every TV angle, and instant relay of information via social media.

Just as the great Don Bradman wouldn’t have tolerated the over-exuberant celebrations that go on in cricket these days, times change and there is less tolerance of the footy niggle now.

The Ben Stratton-type niggle is utterly intolerable.

Kids will emulate Sydney Stack and others, but the last thing I would want to see my grandson or his under-11 teammates do is copy Stratton’s pinching.

There is enough to like about Stratton’s defensive game for other players to study and replicate, but it only takes one act of stupidity for you to begin to doubt that player’s abilities.

I have always respected Hawthorn as a club and that respect has grown since CEO Justin Reeves publicly reprimanded his club captain in a powerful and direct message which let it be known that the Hawks’ wouldn’t stand for anything that was a bad look for the game.

It was refreshing and classy to see a person in Reeves’ position call out the player instead of trying to justify his actions.

Hawthorn captain Ben Stratton leaves the AFL tribunal.

Rightly or wrongly we do compare athletes in Australia, but it is not hard to see why there has been so much positive press surrounding World No.1 Ash Barty since her French Open triumph. Her humble nature and graciousness has made her a wonderful ambassador for Australian sport.

Compare that to Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, who continue to disappoint their home crowd with questionable behaviour and a disrespectful attitude.

Part way through my coaching journey I shook hands with the umpires pre-match. I wouldn’t have been their favourite person and at times they weren’t mine, but I had respect for their game-day job, and for them as people.

The gesture became a habit and other coaches joined in and it became a visual image of reverence. My only regret is that I didn’t do it from day one.

For all the negative news around Stratton there should be as much positive news around Stack, because, like the symbolism of the bronze statue of Landy and Clark outside AAMI Stadium, sportsmanship is the real hero of sport.

Originally published as Mick Malthouse on the true value of sportsmanship