Magpies head urges solidarity as cup win soured by online hate
NORTH Geelong president Jeff Czajkowski has urged clubs and players to end the bickering and come together as a cricket community amid the global coronavirus crisis.
With his club awarded the GCA1 premiership as the season was abandoned before the finals series, Czajkowski said he was left frustrated by the lack of respect from cricketers across the region while the GCA board deliberated on whether to void the season.
Club representatives and players fired shots across the bow of rivals as the GCA carefully worked through the process over two days last week, making for an ugly fallout to the season.
The Magpies were eventually awarded local cricket’s top prize, and while Czajkowski was thrilled to welcome the flag to Osborne Park, he admitted the behaviour of some had left him with a sour taste in his mouth.
“I really what to emphasise that our headspace around this is love and positivity,” Czajkowski said.
“In the last three days (last week) it has really been disappointing with the amount of niggling and people wanting to one-up each other on social media with their responses to the premiership cups.
“It was disappointing to have it all dragged down into a hole of negativity and hate. As a cricket community and our club being awarded a premiership, it’s all just positive.
“We’re awarded winners and rewarding players for hard work and we need to turn that way, rather than the hate that has been spewed out.”
Turning to social media to express his views, Czajkowski said he had been inundated with messages from leading players and coaches who applauded his positive stance.
“Some of the best cricketers in Geelong — Chris Young, Chris Williams and Andy Hughes — have liked my post or gone one further and reached out to me saying, ‘ Your club has been the best all year and it would be stupid if you’re not awarded the premiership’,” Czajkowski said.
“This is what good people are saying, but those guys aren’t in the habit of jumping on social media and writing stuff for the sake of it.”
While acknowledging it was a hollow ending to a fine season for his club, Czajkowski stressed that the GCA board had made the correct decision in awarding flags to the minor premiers across the grades.
“The ultimate in cricket is to be out there in the middle when the final wicket falls or you get that last run — there’s no doubt about that — but all you can do is deal with what is put in front of you,” he said.
“This crazy situation has come up, but all clubs were given the opportunity to contest 13 games in all grades across Division 1, and all we could control was putting our best foot forward in the games we were able to compete in and we did that.
“Points-wise, we did that better than any other side in the comp this year.”