At age 99, this Holocaust survivor just had his latest sporting win
With the flash of a grin, George Oshlack stares down his final putt, in his element on the green at a club he's been part of for more than six decades.
He swings, he sinks it, and he's won the tournament – the first victory in a while for the 99-year-old, and a much-needed one at that.
Oshlack is a legend in Melbourne's Jewish sporting community, smashing his way to becoming a three-time World Masters champion in squash, and scoring a hole in one three times in his 65 years as a member at Cranbourne Golf Club in Melbourne's south-east.
On Wednesday, the Holocaust survivor shot four under his 34 handicap to win the men's 18-hole competition, which attracted about 200 players. It was Oshlack's first win since before his wife, Rosa, died about eight months ago.
'I used to win a lot, but not since my wife got sick – I couldn't concentrate,' Oshlack said on Thursday.
'I tried my best. I just concentrated, properly, every shot. I didn't rush, and I made sure I'm hitting it properly. That's all.'
Oshlack drives the 45 minutes from his home in Toorak to the golf club up to five times a week, competing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and throwing in a couple of practice runs. He bought a new car last year, and got a 10-year warranty for good measure.
Until a recent injury, he was also playing squash at least four days a week.
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The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Train pain: when the trip home from Sydney takes longer than the leg to WA
I'm the daughter of a railwayman and a dedicated train lover, but that wore thin last Thursday night when it took longer to travel home from Central to Cockle Creek than from southwest Western Australia. After our 4.5 hour flight, which took five hours if you include security, we arrived at Central to experience an outage, albeit unscheduled. The ABC reported later it was over at 5.30pm. However, leaving Central for Hornsby at 10.15pm we afterward proceeded to leapfrog home on a series of train replacement buses of descending degrees of comfort and reliability. At 4.10am on Friday we got off a bus at Cockle Creek station. The taxi controllers could not provide any help at that time, so we walked through rainy Boolaroo with our luggage until one of us set out to fetch a garaged car from Speers Point and end the six-hour saga. Although we were the final passengers aboard, the bus driver was not permitted to let us off at the Five Islands Road junction, which would have shortened the walk home. This is not the first time we have had a delay getting home from Sydney after dark, but what a less-than-happy ending to a lovely cruise/ drive holiday. GREG Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5), I read your opinion as if I had written it myself. Like you, I have been a Knights supporter from day one. I even got two tattoos to prove it. I am 81 now and do not go to the games, but until this year I watched every Knights game. I made a decision to keep up my membership for both the NRL and NRLW, and have done so, but I have not watched or listened to any Knights games this year, although I will be listening to the Knights Women's team when their season continually lose young players to other clubs. I know we cannot retain every player coming through. But maybe one day. Now to Mr Dylan Brown and his bloody expensive contract. Who the hell got involved with that contract? I have mates who, like me, switched footy teams 37 years ago to follow the Knights. They are down in the dumps with Wests and the leadership groups that make up the Newcastle Knights. C'mon all you Knights supporters, get on the phone or email the Knights and let them know just how you feel. Wal Remington, Mount Hutton FOR those who are appalled at the destruction of Gaza and continual slaughter and starvation of its people by Israel, the hardest and most painful thing is to be branded antisemitic ("Israel pounds Gaza as Trump says 'people are starving", Herald, 16/5). This accusation rubs salt into wounds that already exist by witnessing the genocide of a race of people The horror felt by the systematic slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust must also cause justifiable outrage and anger at what is happening now to a nation of people in the Middle East. Two world-prominent American Jews, Ben Cohen who is co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Senator Bernie Sanders, continually make their voices of protest heard within US government circles. This is heartening, but the silence and inaction of world governments and people in high places is staggering. I WAS surprised to read in the opinion piece "Digging the states in even deeper" (Opinion, 17/5), that Australian states and territories are set to earn about $73 billion in mining royalties between 2024/25 and 2027/28. The authors also claimed that these royalties account for almost (less than) 5% of total general government revenue across all states and territories. It's not much, is it? Given the super profits that the mining companies have made for many years, I think it is time that they return a fair share to all the people of Australia. It is not an ideology to expect them to contribute to the society that allows them access to mine these resources. I am sure these international mining companies could afford to pay triple or quadruple what is currently being collected without a dent in their super profits. It is about time that they met their social obligations and paid more. SUSSAN Ley wants to make the Liberals electable again by having "a Liberal Party that reflects modern Australia and that ... meets the people where they are". It will be an impossible task because "the people" of modern Australia have seen past the incessant smokescreen, culture wars of the Coalition and voted for action on fast-tracking of renewables, the acceptance of science as a guide to policy, no nuclear, no Trump-style ideology, proper living wages and fair industrial relations policy, a well-funded health system, protection of our public servants and support of our trusted institutions like the CSIRO, the ABC and our public schools. The impossible part for Sussan is that all the areas that the electorate desires and supports are the antithesis of conservative ideology. Good luck turning that ship. THERE is still a lot of talk about the replacement of the basketball stadium. I wonder if any thought has been given to relocating the stadium to the Link Road out of Newcastle, to the left or right of the first roundabout? It would be a good location for access and seems high enough to avoid drainage issues. It would be more readily accessible to players coming from the south and north for competitions. I DON'T know if Carl Stevenson ("Don't write nuclear off too soon", Letters, 16/5), noticed a little thing called an election, but the Liberal party can say whatever they want about nuclear power. It's like the coalition now - entirely irrelevant. WELL written, Greg Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5). I would encourage all who may be interested in this article to read it. Although I have never claimed to be an expert of the game (far from it actually), it appears to be blatantly obvious to me that something is radically wrong with the current culture of the club. The Knights of old were really something and gave fans every reason to get excited and proud each time they played. I do realise that the game has certainly changed since those days, but surely something can be done by the "powers that be'' to restore that pride and confidence and give their loyal fans something more to cheer about. I'm the daughter of a railwayman and a dedicated train lover, but that wore thin last Thursday night when it took longer to travel home from Central to Cockle Creek than from southwest Western Australia. After our 4.5 hour flight, which took five hours if you include security, we arrived at Central to experience an outage, albeit unscheduled. The ABC reported later it was over at 5.30pm. However, leaving Central for Hornsby at 10.15pm we afterward proceeded to leapfrog home on a series of train replacement buses of descending degrees of comfort and reliability. At 4.10am on Friday we got off a bus at Cockle Creek station. The taxi controllers could not provide any help at that time, so we walked through rainy Boolaroo with our luggage until one of us set out to fetch a garaged car from Speers Point and end the six-hour saga. Although we were the final passengers aboard, the bus driver was not permitted to let us off at the Five Islands Road junction, which would have shortened the walk home. This is not the first time we have had a delay getting home from Sydney after dark, but what a less-than-happy ending to a lovely cruise/ drive holiday. GREG Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5), I read your opinion as if I had written it myself. Like you, I have been a Knights supporter from day one. I even got two tattoos to prove it. I am 81 now and do not go to the games, but until this year I watched every Knights game. I made a decision to keep up my membership for both the NRL and NRLW, and have done so, but I have not watched or listened to any Knights games this year, although I will be listening to the Knights Women's team when their season continually lose young players to other clubs. I know we cannot retain every player coming through. But maybe one day. Now to Mr Dylan Brown and his bloody expensive contract. Who the hell got involved with that contract? I have mates who, like me, switched footy teams 37 years ago to follow the Knights. They are down in the dumps with Wests and the leadership groups that make up the Newcastle Knights. C'mon all you Knights supporters, get on the phone or email the Knights and let them know just how you feel. Wal Remington, Mount Hutton FOR those who are appalled at the destruction of Gaza and continual slaughter and starvation of its people by Israel, the hardest and most painful thing is to be branded antisemitic ("Israel pounds Gaza as Trump says 'people are starving", Herald, 16/5). This accusation rubs salt into wounds that already exist by witnessing the genocide of a race of people The horror felt by the systematic slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust must also cause justifiable outrage and anger at what is happening now to a nation of people in the Middle East. Two world-prominent American Jews, Ben Cohen who is co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Senator Bernie Sanders, continually make their voices of protest heard within US government circles. This is heartening, but the silence and inaction of world governments and people in high places is staggering. I WAS surprised to read in the opinion piece "Digging the states in even deeper" (Opinion, 17/5), that Australian states and territories are set to earn about $73 billion in mining royalties between 2024/25 and 2027/28. The authors also claimed that these royalties account for almost (less than) 5% of total general government revenue across all states and territories. It's not much, is it? Given the super profits that the mining companies have made for many years, I think it is time that they return a fair share to all the people of Australia. It is not an ideology to expect them to contribute to the society that allows them access to mine these resources. I am sure these international mining companies could afford to pay triple or quadruple what is currently being collected without a dent in their super profits. It is about time that they met their social obligations and paid more. SUSSAN Ley wants to make the Liberals electable again by having "a Liberal Party that reflects modern Australia and that ... meets the people where they are". It will be an impossible task because "the people" of modern Australia have seen past the incessant smokescreen, culture wars of the Coalition and voted for action on fast-tracking of renewables, the acceptance of science as a guide to policy, no nuclear, no Trump-style ideology, proper living wages and fair industrial relations policy, a well-funded health system, protection of our public servants and support of our trusted institutions like the CSIRO, the ABC and our public schools. The impossible part for Sussan is that all the areas that the electorate desires and supports are the antithesis of conservative ideology. Good luck turning that ship. THERE is still a lot of talk about the replacement of the basketball stadium. I wonder if any thought has been given to relocating the stadium to the Link Road out of Newcastle, to the left or right of the first roundabout? It would be a good location for access and seems high enough to avoid drainage issues. It would be more readily accessible to players coming from the south and north for competitions. I DON'T know if Carl Stevenson ("Don't write nuclear off too soon", Letters, 16/5), noticed a little thing called an election, but the Liberal party can say whatever they want about nuclear power. It's like the coalition now - entirely irrelevant. WELL written, Greg Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5). I would encourage all who may be interested in this article to read it. Although I have never claimed to be an expert of the game (far from it actually), it appears to be blatantly obvious to me that something is radically wrong with the current culture of the club. The Knights of old were really something and gave fans every reason to get excited and proud each time they played. I do realise that the game has certainly changed since those days, but surely something can be done by the "powers that be'' to restore that pride and confidence and give their loyal fans something more to cheer about. I'm the daughter of a railwayman and a dedicated train lover, but that wore thin last Thursday night when it took longer to travel home from Central to Cockle Creek than from southwest Western Australia. After our 4.5 hour flight, which took five hours if you include security, we arrived at Central to experience an outage, albeit unscheduled. The ABC reported later it was over at 5.30pm. However, leaving Central for Hornsby at 10.15pm we afterward proceeded to leapfrog home on a series of train replacement buses of descending degrees of comfort and reliability. At 4.10am on Friday we got off a bus at Cockle Creek station. The taxi controllers could not provide any help at that time, so we walked through rainy Boolaroo with our luggage until one of us set out to fetch a garaged car from Speers Point and end the six-hour saga. Although we were the final passengers aboard, the bus driver was not permitted to let us off at the Five Islands Road junction, which would have shortened the walk home. This is not the first time we have had a delay getting home from Sydney after dark, but what a less-than-happy ending to a lovely cruise/ drive holiday. GREG Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5), I read your opinion as if I had written it myself. Like you, I have been a Knights supporter from day one. I even got two tattoos to prove it. I am 81 now and do not go to the games, but until this year I watched every Knights game. I made a decision to keep up my membership for both the NRL and NRLW, and have done so, but I have not watched or listened to any Knights games this year, although I will be listening to the Knights Women's team when their season continually lose young players to other clubs. I know we cannot retain every player coming through. But maybe one day. Now to Mr Dylan Brown and his bloody expensive contract. Who the hell got involved with that contract? I have mates who, like me, switched footy teams 37 years ago to follow the Knights. They are down in the dumps with Wests and the leadership groups that make up the Newcastle Knights. C'mon all you Knights supporters, get on the phone or email the Knights and let them know just how you feel. Wal Remington, Mount Hutton FOR those who are appalled at the destruction of Gaza and continual slaughter and starvation of its people by Israel, the hardest and most painful thing is to be branded antisemitic ("Israel pounds Gaza as Trump says 'people are starving", Herald, 16/5). This accusation rubs salt into wounds that already exist by witnessing the genocide of a race of people The horror felt by the systematic slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust must also cause justifiable outrage and anger at what is happening now to a nation of people in the Middle East. Two world-prominent American Jews, Ben Cohen who is co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Senator Bernie Sanders, continually make their voices of protest heard within US government circles. This is heartening, but the silence and inaction of world governments and people in high places is staggering. I WAS surprised to read in the opinion piece "Digging the states in even deeper" (Opinion, 17/5), that Australian states and territories are set to earn about $73 billion in mining royalties between 2024/25 and 2027/28. The authors also claimed that these royalties account for almost (less than) 5% of total general government revenue across all states and territories. It's not much, is it? Given the super profits that the mining companies have made for many years, I think it is time that they return a fair share to all the people of Australia. It is not an ideology to expect them to contribute to the society that allows them access to mine these resources. I am sure these international mining companies could afford to pay triple or quadruple what is currently being collected without a dent in their super profits. It is about time that they met their social obligations and paid more. SUSSAN Ley wants to make the Liberals electable again by having "a Liberal Party that reflects modern Australia and that ... meets the people where they are". It will be an impossible task because "the people" of modern Australia have seen past the incessant smokescreen, culture wars of the Coalition and voted for action on fast-tracking of renewables, the acceptance of science as a guide to policy, no nuclear, no Trump-style ideology, proper living wages and fair industrial relations policy, a well-funded health system, protection of our public servants and support of our trusted institutions like the CSIRO, the ABC and our public schools. The impossible part for Sussan is that all the areas that the electorate desires and supports are the antithesis of conservative ideology. Good luck turning that ship. THERE is still a lot of talk about the replacement of the basketball stadium. I wonder if any thought has been given to relocating the stadium to the Link Road out of Newcastle, to the left or right of the first roundabout? It would be a good location for access and seems high enough to avoid drainage issues. It would be more readily accessible to players coming from the south and north for competitions. I DON'T know if Carl Stevenson ("Don't write nuclear off too soon", Letters, 16/5), noticed a little thing called an election, but the Liberal party can say whatever they want about nuclear power. It's like the coalition now - entirely irrelevant. WELL written, Greg Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5). I would encourage all who may be interested in this article to read it. Although I have never claimed to be an expert of the game (far from it actually), it appears to be blatantly obvious to me that something is radically wrong with the current culture of the club. The Knights of old were really something and gave fans every reason to get excited and proud each time they played. I do realise that the game has certainly changed since those days, but surely something can be done by the "powers that be'' to restore that pride and confidence and give their loyal fans something more to cheer about. I'm the daughter of a railwayman and a dedicated train lover, but that wore thin last Thursday night when it took longer to travel home from Central to Cockle Creek than from southwest Western Australia. After our 4.5 hour flight, which took five hours if you include security, we arrived at Central to experience an outage, albeit unscheduled. The ABC reported later it was over at 5.30pm. However, leaving Central for Hornsby at 10.15pm we afterward proceeded to leapfrog home on a series of train replacement buses of descending degrees of comfort and reliability. At 4.10am on Friday we got off a bus at Cockle Creek station. The taxi controllers could not provide any help at that time, so we walked through rainy Boolaroo with our luggage until one of us set out to fetch a garaged car from Speers Point and end the six-hour saga. Although we were the final passengers aboard, the bus driver was not permitted to let us off at the Five Islands Road junction, which would have shortened the walk home. This is not the first time we have had a delay getting home from Sydney after dark, but what a less-than-happy ending to a lovely cruise/ drive holiday. GREG Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5), I read your opinion as if I had written it myself. Like you, I have been a Knights supporter from day one. I even got two tattoos to prove it. I am 81 now and do not go to the games, but until this year I watched every Knights game. I made a decision to keep up my membership for both the NRL and NRLW, and have done so, but I have not watched or listened to any Knights games this year, although I will be listening to the Knights Women's team when their season continually lose young players to other clubs. I know we cannot retain every player coming through. But maybe one day. Now to Mr Dylan Brown and his bloody expensive contract. Who the hell got involved with that contract? I have mates who, like me, switched footy teams 37 years ago to follow the Knights. They are down in the dumps with Wests and the leadership groups that make up the Newcastle Knights. C'mon all you Knights supporters, get on the phone or email the Knights and let them know just how you feel. Wal Remington, Mount Hutton FOR those who are appalled at the destruction of Gaza and continual slaughter and starvation of its people by Israel, the hardest and most painful thing is to be branded antisemitic ("Israel pounds Gaza as Trump says 'people are starving", Herald, 16/5). This accusation rubs salt into wounds that already exist by witnessing the genocide of a race of people The horror felt by the systematic slaughter of Jews in the Holocaust must also cause justifiable outrage and anger at what is happening now to a nation of people in the Middle East. Two world-prominent American Jews, Ben Cohen who is co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and Senator Bernie Sanders, continually make their voices of protest heard within US government circles. This is heartening, but the silence and inaction of world governments and people in high places is staggering. I WAS surprised to read in the opinion piece "Digging the states in even deeper" (Opinion, 17/5), that Australian states and territories are set to earn about $73 billion in mining royalties between 2024/25 and 2027/28. The authors also claimed that these royalties account for almost (less than) 5% of total general government revenue across all states and territories. It's not much, is it? Given the super profits that the mining companies have made for many years, I think it is time that they return a fair share to all the people of Australia. It is not an ideology to expect them to contribute to the society that allows them access to mine these resources. I am sure these international mining companies could afford to pay triple or quadruple what is currently being collected without a dent in their super profits. It is about time that they met their social obligations and paid more. SUSSAN Ley wants to make the Liberals electable again by having "a Liberal Party that reflects modern Australia and that ... meets the people where they are". It will be an impossible task because "the people" of modern Australia have seen past the incessant smokescreen, culture wars of the Coalition and voted for action on fast-tracking of renewables, the acceptance of science as a guide to policy, no nuclear, no Trump-style ideology, proper living wages and fair industrial relations policy, a well-funded health system, protection of our public servants and support of our trusted institutions like the CSIRO, the ABC and our public schools. The impossible part for Sussan is that all the areas that the electorate desires and supports are the antithesis of conservative ideology. Good luck turning that ship. THERE is still a lot of talk about the replacement of the basketball stadium. I wonder if any thought has been given to relocating the stadium to the Link Road out of Newcastle, to the left or right of the first roundabout? It would be a good location for access and seems high enough to avoid drainage issues. It would be more readily accessible to players coming from the south and north for competitions. I DON'T know if Carl Stevenson ("Don't write nuclear off too soon", Letters, 16/5), noticed a little thing called an election, but the Liberal party can say whatever they want about nuclear power. It's like the coalition now - entirely irrelevant. WELL written, Greg Mowbray ("Knights leadership must give fans something to believe in", Opinion, 16/5). I would encourage all who may be interested in this article to read it. Although I have never claimed to be an expert of the game (far from it actually), it appears to be blatantly obvious to me that something is radically wrong with the current culture of the club. The Knights of old were really something and gave fans every reason to get excited and proud each time they played. I do realise that the game has certainly changed since those days, but surely something can be done by the "powers that be'' to restore that pride and confidence and give their loyal fans something more to cheer about.
Sydney Morning Herald
11-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
AFL 2025: Fremantle Dockers captain Alex Pearce shared a post from Kneecap, this is what happened next
A clip emerged showing a band member on a London stage in November draped in a Hezbollah flag, another video surfaced of a band member appearing to shout during a gig 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah', while the group posted a social media photo in February of a balaclava-clad group member reading a book of statements by slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin called on Kneecap to 'urgently clarify' their position, to which the band quickly responded: 'Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah'. Kneecap: Mo Chara, DJ Provai and Moglai Bap, in Melbourne. Credit: PENNY STEPHENS Pearce was soon criticised by members of the Perth Jewish community in an article in The West Australian for causing them anger and disappointment because he shared Kneecap's social media post. By the time Fremantle played their next game, a 61-point loss to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on May 2, the controversy had spilled into Melbourne. Freelance journalist Ronny Lerner, who works as a contributor for the Herald Sun , asked Dockers coach Justin Longmuir whether Pearce would apologise at 'any stage' for causing the Jewish community 'significant offence and distress'. Lerner has expressed strident pro-Israel views on social media, posting on X in December that 'Israel's a liberal democracy fighting a war of self-defence'. But Longmuir deflected Lerner's question. He said the club had held discussions with the captain, but he would not elaborate any further. A refusal to acknowledge the issue in AFL circles has become a standard response. Fremantle, Pearce's manager Tim Hazel, the AFL and the AFL Players Association have all declined to comment. One of the few groups willing to discuss Pearce's situation was the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, a peak body that represents about 200 Jewish schools, synagogues, sporting clubs, and cultural organisations. Caleb Serong and Alex Pearce leave the field after their loss to St Kilda. Credit: AFL Photos 'It is immensely disappointing when someone who is admired for their skill and talent and has amassed a wide platform on that basis, uses that influence to advance divisive, objectionable political positions,' ECAJ co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin told this masthead. 'Mr Pearce will probably feel his endorsement of Kneecap is an expression of support for free speech or concern for Palestinians. 'But backing a group that fawns over Hezbollah and Hamas and used the occasion of a music festival to vilify Israelis when hundreds of young Israelis were slaughtered and violated at a very similar event, is jarring. 'I hope Mr Pearce will take the time to engage with the Jewish community to understand our perspective and perhaps make better choices in future.' Whether Pearce will heed that suggestion is unknown. On The Agenda Setters TV program, The Age 's Caroline Wilson said members of the AFL's Jewish community were offended by Pearce's actions, but no individuals have been identified publicly. Fremantle are not a club known for having major sponsors with links to the Jewish community. Nor is the club known to have high-profile Jewish supporters. It has been more aligned, according to one former club insider, to Indigenous culture. But there was one person inside the AFL who was prepared to express an independent view – AFLW reporter and digital news producer Sophie Welsh. She posted on X: 'As a Jewish person in the AFL community, I'm very upset that people are conflating being against mass slaughter perpetrated by Israel with anti-Semitism. As a people, we have been subject to genocide ourselves, and perpetrating genocide in Judaism's name is revolting.' It was a similar sentiment offered in February by sportsman Usman Khawaja, the first Muslim and Pakistan-born cricketer to represent Australia. 'Standing up for the people of Gaza is not anti-Semitic nor does it have anything to do with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia but everything to do with the Israeli government and their deplorable actions,' Khawaja posted on Instagram. 'It has everything to do with justice and human rights.' There are other individuals who have supported Pearce, such as former independent member of the Australian parliament Phil Cleary, who was a member of Coburg's 1979 premiership side and coached the club to consecutive VFA/VFL premierships in 1988-89. Former independent MP for Wills and Coburg premiership coach Phil Cleary. Credit: Luis Ascui 'Alex Pearce simply retweeted a Kneecap post that reflected what millions of people around the world – Jewish people included – think about what the Israeli army is doing in Gaza,' Cleary told this masthead. 'It was a post in defence of innocent women and children, not terrorism. 'Since the murder of my sister, Vicki, nearly 38 years ago, I have condemned the murderous war on women and children ravaging our society, and I'm not about to turn a blind eye to it in Gaza, or anywhere else. 'It took great courage for the Fremantle captain to stand in solidarity with the children – and the women – of Gaza. 'It makes him the kind of man, I'd want to be standing alongside at the annual, Vicki Cleary – End Men's Violence Against Women – Day, at Coburg.' It is easy on face value to see how Pearce was drawn to Kneecap, a band who attracted more than 10,000 people to Melbourne's Federation Square for a free concert in March. Pearce is one of six Indigenous players to have captained an AFL club, having traced his heritage to the Palawa people of Tasmania. Kneecap – Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), and DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh) – have outspoken views on colonialism and the British rule of Northern Ireland. They are supportive of Indigenous cultures throughout the world. Usman Khawaja has supported the people of Gaza. Credit: AP Clips have been shown of the band waving an Aboriginal flag on stage, and 32-year-old Ó Cairealláin was quoted as saying: 'There has been such a shame around Indigenous languages for so long because obviously western societies would like to claim it was savage'. The problem for Pearce is that Kneecap are a political minefield for a footballer who might want to express his own political views. When they performed at 170 Russell in Melbourne this year, the severed head from a statue of King George V, stolen from King's Domain last year, was brought on stage. That was one of their less controversial moments. After Coachella, they were accused of being dangerous, amoral and spreading hate speech. It led them to post the three-page statement on Instagram that was shared by Pearce. It read: 'Since our statement at Coachella – exposing the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people – we have faced a co-ordinated smear campaign. For over a year, we have used our shows to call out the British and Irish governments' complicity in war crimes. 'The recent attacks against us, largely emanating from the US, are based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods. We are taking action against several of these malicious efforts. 'We do not give a f--- what religion anyone practices. We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are. What we care about is that governments of the countries we perform in are enabling some of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes – and we will not stay silent. Loading 'No media spin will change this. Our only concern is the Palestinian people. The 20,000 murdered children and counting. The young people at our gigs see through the lies. They stand on the side of humanity and justice. And that gives us great hope.' Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
The Age
11-05-2025
- The Age
Alex Pearce shared a post. Jewish groups took offence. The AFL said nothing
A clip emerged showing a band member on a London stage in November draped in a Hezbollah flag, another video surfaced of a band member appearing to shout during a gig 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah', while the group posted a social media photo in February of a balaclava-clad group member reading a book of statements by slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin called on Kneecap to 'urgently clarify' their position, to which the band quickly responded: 'Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah'. Pearce was soon criticised by members of the Perth Jewish community in an article in The West Australian for causing them anger and disappointment because he shared Kneecap's social media post. By the time Fremantle played their next game, a 61-point loss to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on May 2, the controversy had spilled into Melbourne. Freelance journalist Ronny Lerner, who works as a contributor for the Herald Sun, asked Dockers coach Justin Longmuir whether Pearce would apologise at 'any stage' for causing the Jewish community 'significant offence and distress'. Lerner has expressed strident pro-Israel views on social media, posting on X in December that 'Israel's a liberal democracy fighting a war of self-defence'. But Longmuir deflected Lerner's question. He said the club had held discussions with the captain, but he would not elaborate any further. A refusal to acknowledge the issue in AFL circles has become a standard response. Fremantle, Pearce's manager Tim Hazel, the AFL and the AFL Players Association have all declined to comment. One of the few groups willing to discuss Pearce's situation was the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, a peak body that represents about 200 Jewish schools, synagogues, sporting clubs, and cultural organisations. 'It is immensely disappointing when someone who is admired for their skill and talent and has amassed a wide platform on that basis, uses that influence to advance divisive, objectionable political positions,' ECAJ co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin told this masthead. 'Mr Pearce will probably feel his endorsement of Kneecap is an expression of support for free speech or concern for Palestinians. 'But backing a group that fawns over Hezbollah and Hamas and used the occasion of a music festival to vilify Israelis when hundreds of young Israelis were slaughtered and violated at a very similar event, is jarring. 'I hope Mr Pearce will take the time to engage with the Jewish community to understand our perspective and perhaps make better choices in future.' Whether Pearce will heed that suggestion is unknown. On The Agenda Setters TV program, The Age 's Caroline Wilson said members of the AFL's Jewish community were offended by Pearce's actions, but no individuals have been identified publicly. Fremantle are not a club known for having major sponsors with links to the Jewish community. Nor is the club known to have high-profile Jewish supporters. It has been more aligned, according to one former club insider, to Indigenous culture. But there was one person inside the AFL who was prepared to express an independent view – AFLW reporter and digital news producer Sophie Welsh. She posted on X: 'As a Jewish person in the AFL community, I'm very upset that people are conflating being against mass slaughter perpetrated by Israel with anti-Semitism. As a people, we have been subject to genocide ourselves, and perpetrating genocide in Judaism's name is revolting.' It was a similar sentiment offered in February by sportsman Usman Khawaja, the first Muslim and Pakistan-born cricketer to represent Australia. 'Standing up for the people of Gaza is not anti-Semitic nor does it have anything to do with my Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia but everything to do with the Israeli government and their deplorable actions,' Khawaja posted on Instagram. 'It has everything to do with justice and human rights.' There are other individuals who have supported Pearce, such as former independent member of the Australian parliament Phil Cleary, who was a member of Coburg's 1979 premiership side and coached the club to consecutive VFA/VFL premierships in 1988-89. 'Alex Pearce simply retweeted a Kneecap post that reflected what millions of people around the world – Jewish people included – think about what the Israeli army is doing in Gaza,' Cleary told this masthead. 'It was a post in defence of innocent women and children, not terrorism. 'Since the murder of my sister, Vicki, nearly 38 years ago, I have condemned the murderous war on women and children ravaging our society, and I'm not about to turn a blind eye to it in Gaza, or anywhere else. 'It took great courage for the Fremantle captain to stand in solidarity with the children – and the women – of Gaza. 'It makes him the kind of man, I'd want to be standing alongside at the annual, Vicki Cleary – End Men's Violence Against Women – Day, at Coburg.' It is easy on face value to see how Pearce was drawn to Kneecap, a band who attracted more than 10,000 people to Melbourne's Federation Square for a free concert in March. Pearce is one of six Indigenous players to have captained an AFL club, having traced his heritage to the Palawa people of Tasmania. Kneecap – Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), and DJ Próvaí (JJ Ó Dochartaigh) – have outspoken views on colonialism and the British rule of Northern Ireland. They are supportive of Indigenous cultures throughout the world. Clips have been shown of the band waving an Aboriginal flag on stage, and 32-year-old Ó Cairealláin was quoted as saying: 'There has been such a shame around Indigenous languages for so long because obviously western societies would like to claim it was savage'. The problem for Pearce is that Kneecap are a political minefield for a footballer who might want to express his own political views. When they performed at 170 Russell in Melbourne this year, the severed head from a statue of King George V, stolen from King's Domain last year, was brought on stage. That was one of their less controversial moments. After Coachella, they were accused of being dangerous, amoral and spreading hate speech. It led them to post the three-page statement on Instagram that was shared by Pearce. It read: 'Since our statement at Coachella – exposing the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people – we have faced a co-ordinated smear campaign. For over a year, we have used our shows to call out the British and Irish governments' complicity in war crimes. 'The recent attacks against us, largely emanating from the US, are based on deliberate distortions and falsehoods. We are taking action against several of these malicious efforts. 'We do not give a f--- what religion anyone practices. We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are. What we care about is that governments of the countries we perform in are enabling some of the most horrific crimes of our lifetimes – and we will not stay silent.
