Ignore Jeff. He wants a reaction.

  On 04/08/2011 at 03:25, dees189227 said:

Was on the radio this morning and basically said we should have been investigated more for our tanking and if it was Hawthorn or any other club, the AFL would have come down on them hard like a ton of bricks.

Said the AFL let it go because Of Jimmys health. Now I can handle Jeff saying about our tanking but dont bring Jimmys health into it and say thats the reason and besides Adrian Anderson cleared us.

'Besides Adrian Anderson cleared us'. I think that's exactly what Jeff Kennett was alluding to! lol

Take his coach from under his nose.

Then watch his constituents go mental.

Jeff is the ultimate narcissist, ignore him, don't give him oxygen, in fact shouldn't even post about him, he just wanted some attention

Approaching Sheedy-esque levels of irrelevance

He's an oxygen thief.

Kennett is less than human. He has never passed up the chance to sink the boot in when Melbourne are at a low ebb, not to mention our "Jimmy"

I hope now Alistair Cookson gives the Kennetts Kingdom the flick and throw himself at US.

What an arshole Kennett is?

  On 04/08/2011 at 07:32, caddypgt said:

The Presidents of both (currently strong and well performing) clubs, whose coaches may be eyeing a career at Melbourne beyond this year, have made a point lately of trying to flame the MFC in the media.

And been more than a little hypocritical about it too.......

Perhaps he's upset that we may be after Clarkson? Typical get in first attack dog tactic of his.

  On 04/08/2011 at 03:30, Rhino Richards said:

The AFL could have investigated WCE, MFC, Carlton and Hawks to name a few over the past 5 years. They did not and wont.

The AFL have nothing to gain by proving that they have been asleep at the wheel when there was commentary and circumstantial evidence that this could have been happening over the years.

And given the disposition of Stynes and his watermark on the rebuild of MFC, they are going to look extremely mean fisted and poor in the public's eyes if they attack MFC.

In the absence of a really big cache of proof then its another storm in the teacup.

If the AFL really want to deal with "tanking" they should eliminate the PP.

"Let he who is without sin throw the first stone." I wonder if Kennett has ever heard that Biblical quote?

  On 04/08/2011 at 05:50, 1858 said:

Once JK finishes up with Hawthorn will he dwindle in to oblivion or will he actually get worse?

We're all hoping he just disappears.

Kennett knows how to get his face in the news, and by extension Hawthorn some publicity. He knows how to keep the Hawthorn brand out there.

He does not actually believe a word he says. By kicking the longest known sports club, with an ill President and some footy club growing pains in the guts, he effectively washes MFC of the news pages and replaces it with Hawthorn.

Regarding the actual art of tanking, Anderson knows that footballers are playing for their livlihoods so will play at their given best at the time.

So what should any 'tanking' club be punished for? Developing players ability to work in an unfamiliar position? Getting some games into some raw talent?

No, Kennett is good for keeping Aussie Rules in the public arena, so he can go his hardest. Like Eddie.

If I wanted an opinion from Jeff Kennett I would feed a very sick monkey lots of beans.

  On 04/08/2011 at 07:08, pantaloons said:

I'd happily see Melbourne lose Scully for nothing if it meant I got to see Kennett's face when Hawthorn is stripped of the 2008 Premiership for tanking. Others have covered some of the key issues here, but fundamentally, I see nothing wrong with what any club has done regarding their own list management during the priority pick era or before. Eliminating the priority pick (with or without a lottery system in place) will at least get rid of the stigma around 'tanking'. Lo and behold, clubs down the bottom will still shelve injured players and play kids for the future because it is in the best interest of the club. Kennett has a basic and flawed understanding of list management, a short memory, and a woeful inability to keep himself out of the business of others.

That is the point that is lost with a lot of people. We didn't "tank" as such, because that would mean the players were told not to win. We developed players, tried people out in different positions to see how they would cope. What is wrong with that when it is a dead rubber. Won't matter if priority picks are removed, why not test players out when you have nothing to win, but may gain something from experimentation.

  On 04/08/2011 at 07:31, Cozmo1964 said:

What great lateral thinking. I'm impressed!

Only cause it benefits the MFC B)

  On 04/08/2011 at 05:37, old dee said:

I have a different theory on Jeff and the MFC,

I actually think he does it to stir us into action.

Believe it or not i think he has a soft spot for the Dees.

Some of what he said holds water e.g. what will Gary achieve it 3 months?

I think he is trying to push Gary into a longer committment.

Yeah right. The bloke is an absolute peanut and as Garry Lyon said a bully.

I'd pay to see Kennett and Geepa go at it in the ring. No love lost there at all. Even at Hawthorn Kennett is an irrelevant, soon to be gone, pea brain. Anyone that has a head like his needs to get it reshaped.

He's a jockey of knobs of the highest order, and needs to fade away before even his own people are shaking their heads in disbelief at him. Oh wait, they already are....

I bet the afl and everyone else will breath a sigh of relief when Kennett quits next year.

  On 04/08/2011 at 05:37, old dee said:

I have a different theory on Jeff and the MFC,

I actually think he does it to stir us into action.

Believe it or not i think he has a soft spot for the Dees.

Some of what he said holds water e.g. what will Gary achieve it 3 months?

I think he is trying to push Gary into a longer committment.

The only soft spot he has is in his head!!!!

  On 05/08/2011 at 02:26, Wadda We Sing said:

I bet the afl and everyone else will breath a sigh of relief when Kennett quits next year.

Personally I hope he stays with the hawks. They deserve him.

To be honest, I may be giving Kennett far too much credit, but I think these things he says are quite calculated and selfless.

He's not that stupid that he wouldn't understand how it would be viewed - him making an unsolicited public attack on a well-liked figure.

I think Jeff is used to being the villain, and he chose to play that role in a way that could provide Lyon with a vehicle to make a stand, giving him the appearance of strength, and deflecting some of the bad press the club is getting.

Essentially, Jeff saw a club in trouble, and knew he could play the familiar role of bad guy, helping them steal the focus from all the bad that has been done, and shift it to the return of a prodigal son making a valiant attempt to rebuild bridges.

Jeff's words were the catalyst for that transition.

Maybe I'm completely wrong and it wasn't intended at all, but that is the net result.

Articles today are not about the implosion of a club, but of Lyon rightly telling Kennett to step off, and his first moments back at the club.

A much more positive result for MFC.

I dont mind Jeff...in the main...but he has an annoying habit of forgeting ( or not understanding ) when to take the foot off the pedal. At thses points in time the mouth aligns fairly and squarerly with his foot and the two unite..

He is a tad blinkered also.