VAFA Premier C – Williamstown CYMS v Old Camberwell: Conspiracy theories?

Hell, we even believed that the umpires hated us (I am not sure that some of our supporters have moved on from this theory). But to be fair to those of us who sat around the imaginary cauldron squawking “Double, double toil and trouble,” there were some rules that heavily favoured the old school-boys teams. Particularly the rules around “professional” players being “reinstated” as an amateur. But on the whole, it was more about the CYs failing to adapt to the rules of the VAFA, rather than the VAFA making concessions to a new kid on the block with a chip on its shoulder.

A turning point in our relationship with head office presented itself as a result of a particularly interesting under-19 match during which a few of our players were racially vilified. I know they were, because I was there. And I attended the subsequent tribunal hearing at Elsternwick Park, which stretched into the early hours of the morning. The subject of racial abuse was a nascent topic in those days, but then VAFA CEO Phil Stevens backed us to the hilt; the tribunal found the opposition player guilty and he was suspended for an Andrew Gaff-like period. So much for conspiracy theories.

However, I will admit that sometimes, I do find myself thinking back to the days when it was “us” against “them” (whoever “them” were!). It certainly gave us someone to blame when we underperformed and was a convenient cop-out when things at the club went pear-shaped: “The Ammos just don’t like us!”