As if the AFL was going to find any evidence against itself… I mean, against Sydney… I mean, against both itself and Sydney.

It is also the same conflict that saw the AFL find no evidence of tanking by Melbourne despite Dean Bailey's comments a few months ago in much the same way as the Jack issue was handled.

There's an element of truth in that as well.

The AFL sat back when a list of clubs including Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs "tanked" and it sat back and did nothing when Carlton lost the last 11 games of 2007 including the infamous Kreuzer Cup of that year's Round 22. The AFL made no secret of the fact that the time was ripe for the Blues who draw big crowds to their blockbuster games when they're travelling well to return to being a power. The priority pick they received that year was instrumental in them gaining Kreuzer and Judd in the same draft/trade period after previously securing Murphy and then Gibbs.

Having turned a blind eye so many times to what those other clubs were doing, they could hardly smash the MFC over the head for doing the same thing.

Notwithstanding, it doesn't excuse the blatant manipulation of the situation with Tom Scully or the cavalier way in which the Kieren Jack matter has been swept under the carpet in the shadows of the Christmas break.

And no one is surprised.

Re the whole tanking issue: not Bailey, nor any MFC player actually passed the ball to McMahon, who then himself had to kick a difficult long after siren goal. We were leading when the siren blew. But for that pretty good difficult kick this discussion would not be happening.

But as for the conspiracy theory, I always like one - Lee Harvey Dimitrou taking aim at MFC basking in contentment in the open car, from the book repository: now all we need is Fat Phil Ruby to rid us all of him.

Correct. The corruption stems from the climate of secrecy and the arbitrary shifting of goalposts to suit the expansionist agenda. Demetriou arrogantly dismisses this notion as irrelevant quibbling, taking the autocratic line that a few noses being put out of joint while the bulldozers plough through the forest is a temporary annoyance. But the question remains ... just what collateral damage is this heavy handed approach doing to the fabric of the national game? Like the forest floor that becomes nutrient poor and eroded within a few years of being cleared, the AFL seems oblivous to the effect its unprincipled methods may be having on its own grassroots base of support.

nicely expressed rangey

i was surprised that lane took on dimwit in such a direct manner. normally the press seem more concerned with which side their bread is buttered on when it comes to openly challenging the afl.

The AFL is up to its neck in it as usual. Not GW$ this time but the $ydney $wans - All-clear on Jack deal can't be taken seriously.

Watch your back Tim Lane. Vlad does not like this sort of thing.

``A Festive Season snow job`` Quote of the year

Jim's article mid year coupled with the dodgy press conference always had me worried. It is all connected.

Minor correction - the article you're referring to was The Age, March 28. pre season effectively.

shortly after, I have heard rumoured, Jim confronted the Scully clan with a stern talking to in which the word loyalty made numerous appearances. It seems the club was well on to it through 2011.

... and in his day, if Jimmy had Scully's knees he would have played every game of the season ...

Tim Lane destroys AFL's credibilty

Great article in today's AGE by Tim Lane where he methodically disects the whole sorry Kieran Jack draft story. Can someone post the link ? The shenanigans are right up there with the $culls fiasco !!

Tim Lane destroys AFL's credibilty

Great article in today's AGE by Tim Lane where he methodically disects the whole sorry Kieran Jack draft story. Can someone post the link ? The shenanigans are right up there with the $culls fiasco !!

The AFL had credibility left to destroy?

Do you know for sure about that?

Tim Lane just pointed out that the Emperor has no clothes. The AFL destroyed its own credibility a long time ago.

Swings and roundabouts.

We benefitted from the AFL's suspect backing in the tanking scrutiny.

We've also been on the lucky side in relation to the Viney father-son hiring and the Liam Jurrah drafting.

I've no interest in witch-hunts concerning other teams.

Tim Lane destroys AFL's credibilty

Great article in today's AGE by Tim Lane where he methodically disects the whole sorry Kieran Jack draft story. Can someone post the link ? The shenanigans are right up there with the $culls fiasco !!

Fascinating read.

"What a tangled web weave when first we venture to deceive" -- get the stonemasons out now and prepare it for Vlad's headstone, not that I necessarily wish on him the early need for one....just get out of our competition and put it aside for later.

I assign to the socio-path theory

i.e. MFC was simply a vehicle for the ultimate pay-day. In the end we were manipulated and all we can do now is get strong, committed and win number 13, 14, 15.

I've no interest in witch-hunts concerning other teams.

Until they do something that hurts your club and smells fishy and then it's too late because they know they can get away with it.

The AFL's reason for giving the green light to the transaction despite the clear inconsistency of the statements from the Jack camp (lies?) was that other clubs had the chance but didn't draft him?

The point is that he wasn't nominated for the national draft so the clubs couldn't pick him there and by the time the AFL sent out the memo that they could object to Sydney adding him as a rookie, most had finalised their lists. The AFL bent its rules in this case to the clear benefit of one club.

The benefit was achieved as a result of an apparent irregularity in a statutory declaration and if you lie when making such a declaration, you are committing a crime. Ask Judge Marcus Einfeld what that means - he did time for making a false statutory declaration about who was driving his car when an offence was committed.

The AFL's reasons for not taking further action in the matter constitute a whitewash and bear witness to its conflicted state. An independent body or perhaps a legal authority should be investigating this, not the AFL.

The AFL is up to its neck in it as usual. Not GW$ this time but the $ydney $wans - All-clear on Jack deal can't be taken seriously.

 

Watch your back Tim Lane.  Vlad does not like this sort of thing.

Great article...don't see much double barrel journalism any more and I love it.

 

I honestly think that MFC was unlucky that our number 1 draft pick came out of contract first ... IMO the money was just too good and he danced like a puppet in order to earn his 2mil next season, while aslo setting his old man up with a cushy overpaid job. I know I wouldn't be able to turn that down and I think most would be the same.

 

Seems to me that the AFL can no longer see the forest for the trees in terms of what is protecting the intrests of the game and what is a cover up of an incident to avoid uncomfortable conversations.

Realistically after dean baileys comments regarding MFC tanking there should have been an investigation and we probably should have recieved some kind of sanction ... except that we're already languishing down the bottom of the ladder and if we had of been stripped of draft picks or a decreased salary cap we would have failed harder for longer and our proud club, the oldest in the nation could well have folded.

So we, "got away with one" there just like Sydney is trying to get away with one. NSW (any league territory) has massive crosshairs on it and the AFL want in on the largest city in Australia. To do this they build a rival suburban team, however the Swans have only won that one premiership in the last 70 odd years, albeit recently. 

The AFL needs success in sydney in order to build interest in GWS and so Kieren Jack gets a pass. Because Sydney can't afford to lose one if their solid contributors let alone endure any additional sanctions which would no doubt come with it; the AFL will look the other way.

Personally I think it is time for an Independent Commission, I don't like having that opinion but Demetriou's been at the helm for 8 years now and he's been able to carve himself a nice little kingdom. He's done a lot of good things for the game and except for the sub rule the game has never been better  but its time to move him on or at least curb some of his power before his claws sink in too deep and he becomes a lifer.

Just one mans opinion.

With Jack nominated for the rookie draft only and Sydney having first dibs on all NSW registered players in that draft the result was a forgone conclusion. A con job with the help of the mob investigating whether there was cheating going on. Same goes for the crap they worked us over with on the Scully deal. Anyone trust that mob?

An appropriate motto for the AFL should be "whatever it takes".

As for out tanking game against Richmond. It just highlights how incompetent we were. Can't get the players to play well enough to win and can't get them playing bad enough to lose. Luck was on our side for this one.

Food for thought...and apologies as the word food after xmas day is fraught with danger !! lol If wee take the view that there has been a lot in recent times done by the AFL to fulfill its agenda and provide for its minnows and its empire building; then what still remains to unfold ? Only a simple simon would now think the AFL could rest on its laurels and allow things to develop 'naturally' as though a level playing field were in use. We know this to be manifestly un-so.

We ( that is MFC ) need to heed the lessons of these past few seasons and guard our assets ferociously. We need to take a 'shoot first' and ask second approach .

The Jackles and Hyhenas that be the AFL are everywhere. Vlad cant afford to have his beloved experimetns fail. We can see there is no limit to the scullduggery , the lies, the deceit , the hypocrysisy and double/triple standards that the AFL will go to to see out it ends.

The AFL knows no rules, it only meaures itself by its results. The AFLPA stuck to its guns and dealt Vlad a blow, he wont like that and will seek compensation to his hurt via other avenues.. Enron could have learnt much from the AFL

So what do we have in store for 2012 ??? im affraid to think...

The culture in AFL is about one thing $urvival.

To do this it needs to:

1. Ensure that it does not become bankrupt

2. Ensure nothing ruins or tarnishes it image

3. Ensure that it maintains and grows its business across all states in Australia

4. Ensures that its current clubs are sustainable and viable

It will do all within its power to ensure the above. This means as Lutz has said it's all swings and roundabouts and for any club that means at some point your up and at another point your down. The AFL don't like the term tanking because its ruins their image. Vlad will continue to tow this line because of this. The draft will continue to ensure that teams who are down can claw their way back.

In regards to whether there is a conspiracy theory in this whole saga, I reckon we may be giving to much credit to the AFL's intelligence in being able to manipulate events over a long period of time. Very rarely does any business or organisation the size of the AFL have much control over events as their is alot of external forces that need to be controlled. The Sydney and Kieren jack issue can be swept under the carpet but they still have no control over Tim Lane and what he writes. (as is evident)

All the AFL can do (like most big business) is react to the issues as they enfold, be seen to be doing things when bad things occur and celebrate the good things. Everything else is just like the penguin called "Skipper" from Madagascar say "Just smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"

MFC involvement in my opinion was to keep trying to get the Administration and Football Department sorted out which they have done and get some good news about these changes out into the public to offset the whole HWFUA (i hope thats right) issue. Their lack of noise about the obsurdity of what occured with the issue to me was perfect time to employ Skipper's Advice because in the end it was just a single player.

The culture in AFL is about one thing $urvival.

To do this it needs to:

1. Ensure that it does not become bankrupt

2. Ensure nothing ruins or tarnishes it image

3. Ensure that it maintains and grows its business across all states in Australia

4. Ensures that its current clubs are sustainable and viable

It will do all within its power to ensure the above. This means as Lutz has said it's all swings and roundabouts and for any club that means at some point your up and at another point your down. The AFL don't like the term tanking because its ruins their image. Vlad will continue to tow this line because of this. The draft will continue to ensure that teams who are down can claw their way back.

In regards to whether there is a conspiracy theory in this whole saga, I reckon we may be giving to much credit to the AFL's intelligence in being able to manipulate events over a long period of time. Very rarely does any business or organisation the size of the AFL have much control over events as their is alot of external forces that need to be controlled. The Sydney and Kieren jack issue can be swept under the carpet but they still have no control over Tim Lane and what he writes. (as is evident)

All the AFL can do (like most big business) is react to the issues as they enfold, be seen to be doing things when bad things occur and celebrate the good things. Everything else is just like the penguin called "Skipper" from Madagascar say "Just smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"

MFC involvement in my opinion was to keep trying to get the Administration and Football Department sorted out which they have done and get some good news about these changes out into the public to offset the whole HWFUA (i hope thats right) issue. Their lack of noise about the obsurdity of what occured with the issue to me was perfect time to employ Skipper's Advice because in the end it was just a single player.

I reckon you are pretty close to the mark here Felix. I just hope we are putting together a similiar blueprint to that which Geelong has built. A decade ago the cats were done as a business till Cook & Costa arrived.

We must aim to be a club with a loud voice not a charity organization.

So far so good.

Scully can't kick anyway, HA!

Just watched the MFC Vs Ess 2011 Scully= very good player but the club is bigger than the individual and I think we will be better off in the long run.

Just watched the MFC Vs Ess 2011 Scully= very good player but the club is bigger than the individual and I think we will be better off in the long run.

$cully played 31 disjointed games in a very ordinary team let's be honest. By him defecting to GW$ i am hoping to see more of the same. There list will not help his cause at all.

The culture in AFL is about one thing $urvival.

To do this it needs to:

1. Ensure that it does not become bankrupt

2. Ensure nothing ruins or tarnishes it image

3. Ensure that it maintains and grows its business across all states in Australia

4. Ensures that its current clubs are sustainable and viable

It will do all within its power to ensure the above. This means as Lutz has said it's all swings and roundabouts and for any club that means at some point your up and at another point your down. The AFL don't like the term tanking because its ruins their image. Vlad will continue to tow this line because of this. The draft will continue to ensure that teams who are down can claw their way back.

In regards to whether there is a conspiracy theory in this whole saga, I reckon we may be giving to much credit to the AFL's intelligence in being able to manipulate events over a long period of time. Very rarely does any business or organisation the size of the AFL have much control over events as their is alot of external forces that need to be controlled. The Sydney and Kieren jack issue can be swept under the carpet but they still have no control over Tim Lane and what he writes. (as is evident)

All the AFL can do (like most big business) is react to the issues as they enfold, be seen to be doing things when bad things occur and celebrate the good things. Everything else is just like the penguin called "Skipper" from Madagascar say "Just smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"

MFC involvement in my opinion was to keep trying to get the Administration and Football Department sorted out which they have done and get some good news about these changes out into the public to offset the whole HWFUA (i hope thats right) issue. Their lack of noise about the obsurdity of what occured with the issue to me was perfect time to employ Skipper's Advice because in the end it was just a single player.

You can delete point 2 and point 4 is not applicable to all clubs.