AFL Employee leaked info about indigenous players

[Arsene Wenger 72]

I may be wrong but I beleive that Mifsud is a Maltese name, not a middle eastern one as one may suspect at first hearing.

Still, when it comes to AFL HQ, the conspiracy theory is always a good starting point. More often right than wrong.

He is part Maltese, part indigenous.

[Guest oldman emubitter]

would have been a good look if aaron was at the presser this morning

[jnrmac 19,328]

would have been a good look if aaron was at the presser this morning

What? To be fed to the marauding media pack?

Neeld is right. Kill the story. Move on. We have nothing to gain. It's an unwanted distraction.

We play West COast and that is going to be hard yakka.

[1 red eye 1 blue eye 759]

This whole thing is so vague that anybody with a gripe, be it with the MFC, MN or AD could have orchestrated this. Somebody mentioned the effect on future sponsorship and I immediately thought about the recent threats made re pulling a sponsor from under us. Could be anyone, but my opinion, this has come from outside the Club!

[Chook 14,616]

would have been a good look if aaron was at the presser this morning

That's the most idiotic idea since the Tom Scully press conference. Throwing players to the wolves like that is sheer lunacy, and it does nothing except give the jackals what they want.

[Guest oldman emubitter]

That's the most idiotic idea since the Tom Scully press conference. Throwing players to the wolves like that is sheer lunacy, and it does nothing except give the jackals what they want.

so neeld and davey sitting side by side, denying all the allegations, supporting each other.

wouldn't that be a show of solidarity

wouldn't that put the whole thing to bed.

now aaron has to duck the media for who knows how long

did you see the footage on the news, who was the bouncer keeping the press at bay?

wasn't a good look, and the press aren't going away

knock it on the head now, all i've seen so far is a very brief statement on the mfc website

representing a response from aaron

[Guest oldman emubitter]

That's the most idiotic idea since the Tom Scully press conference. Throwing players to the wolves like that is sheer lunacy, and it does nothing except give the jackals what they want.

an what do you know about the scully presser to claim it was idiotic?

[Buzzy 939]

so neeld and davey sitting side by side, denying all the allegations, supporting each other.

wouldn't that be a show of solidarity

wouldn't that put the whole thing to bed.

now aaron has to duck the media for who knows how long

did you see the footage on the news, who was the bouncer keeping the press at bay?

wasn't a good look, and the press aren't going away

knock it on the head now, all i've seen so far is a very brief statement on the mfc website

representing a response from aaron

If Davey had actually admitted he said SOMETHING and it had been taken out of context - and had Neeld admitted this too - then yes I think Davey could've fronted up at the presser.

But he is is saying NOTHING was said - so the club now wants the spotlight off him. So after Aaron denies the allegations again at the presser, there are no other relevant questions for him. Little point in being at a conference with nothing to say. Mind you, 90% of them turn out that way anyway.

[Chook 14,616]

an what do you know about the scully presser to claim it was idiotic?

It provided every media personality ammunition to use against him for the rest of the year, and for the rest of his career. Regarding the race issue, Aaron Davey has released a statement yesterday explaining his position. Why should he cowtow to the media when he's already answered all the questions he's likely to ask.

And besides all that, the press conference took place before training. I don't know about you, but participating in a media conference just before going out to train would inhibit my concentration and impede the development that training is for. Aaron Davey is a chance to be dropped this week, and only a great week on the track might save him from the axe. We should remember the club's focus (player development and winning games), and remove all player distractions which detract from that. Having Davey front up to deny (again) any involvement in the issue would be detrimental to this goal.

[binman 39,108]

Not returning multiple calls (and tweets) over a 3 week period from a club CEO (knowing full well what Schwab wanted to talk about) . Refusing to take Aaron Davey's calls or return messages from Tuesday on and then not wanting to participate in a mediation session his own employer had wanted to happen.

What's his role again? That's right community engagement. I don't see much evidence he knows much about engagement. Perhaps he could google the word (and whilst at the computer might also look up the words confidential and trust).

His "mate" Thomas might also consider looking up the word friendship as it would appear he has no idea what it means. With friends like that ......

Edited April 4, 2012 by binman

[robbiefrom13 877]

when Caro broached the subject with Neeld, Neeld told her to ring Aaron and ask him. Unless he was pretty sure of what Aaron would say, Neeld was playing Russian roulette.

If someone invites certain sorts of comments, in a confidential context, we may all find something to say, or insinuate. Natural enough - nothing sinister. Sometimes we just vent anyway, invited or not. Talking is bound to be going on. What happens if the management has someone on the payroll apparently to support us, and listen, with a view to building connections or community or some vague feely-touchy thing - aren't we ok talking to them? And won't we be guided by them as to what kind of stuff they are going to work with - what's the problem with talking, if they are supposed to be making things go better? I've heard that in Japan there are enlightened companies that provide their employees with venting rooms, complete with punching bags bearing the likeness of the boss: it's considered wholesome in a high pressure organisation. So, what was the context when player X allegedly spoke to Mifsud? Or when any other player was known to be bellyaching at any time? I imagine Neeld will have wanted to know about this, and whether there is anything he needs to worry about. Maybe he was on top of this already, when Caro rang him - it appears he was quite confident referring her to Aaron. Either that or he's one hell of a gambler.

As to what Mifsud says player X said, who cares? Mifsud and Vlad between them have no credibility left: we don't have to edit their crap. I imagine Neeld has asked his players, one by one maybe, "are we ok?" Enough said...

[furious d 447]

If Davey had actually admitted he said SOMETHING and it had been taken out of context - and had Neeld admitted this too - then yes I think Davey could've fronted up at the presser.

But he is is saying NOTHING was said - so the club now wants the spotlight off him. So after Aaron denies the allegations again at the presser, there are no other relevant questions for him. Little point in being at a conference with nothing to say. Mind you, 90% of them turn out that way anyway.

Can't believe people just want this to go away, no wonder we are the laughing stock of the league.

I have no idea wat has happened here but it can only be one of two things. Either Aaron has slandered our coach or Vlad and Mifsud have slandered Aaron. There is no other possibility and I don't want either swept under the carpet.

The club claims to be backing Aaron but I see very little evidence for that. If we won't back our people then Vlad was right, we stand for nothing. If it's because they think Aaron did say it then he should be removed from the group, no ifs or buts.

Sweeping this under the carpet will leave me with no option but to withdraw my financial support. If it's all to hard to deal with our culture or to defend our people from the AFL, then I'm afraid it's too hard for me to support the club.

[Biffen 12,436]

It's your simplistic view of his job I have the most trouble with.

You outline his job for me??

Chief Racial relations destroyer?

[Biffen 12,436]

Can't believe people just want this to go away, no wonder we are the laughing stock of the league.

I have no idea wat has happened here but it can only be one of two things. Either Aaron has slandered our coach or Vlad and Mifsud have slandered Aaron. There is no other possibility and I don't want either swept under the carpet.

The club claims to be backing Aaron but I see very little evidence for that. If we won't back our people then Vlad was right, we stand for nothing. If it's because they think Aaron did say it then he should be removed from the group, no ifs or buts.

Sweeping this under the carpet will leave me with no option but to withdraw my financial support. If it's all to hard to deal with our culture or to defend our people from the AFL, then I'm afraid it's too hard for me to support the club.

SEE YA.

[RickyJ45 392]

My thoughts of (alleged) events:

1 - Davey clearly says something in a catch up with Mifsud.

2 - I don't believe he was trying to be critical of Neeld.

3 - Mifsud twists it in some way & blurts it to someone, as part of his new position as AFL's chief dobber.

4 - Caro brings it to the club.

5 - Davey sorts it with Neeld and the issue is dealt with and should be closed.

6 - Mifsud blurts it again, this time to Grant Thomas.

7 - Sh*t gets hectic.

8 - Mifsud backtracks because he knows he has dumped Davey in it and misconstrued his words (not necessarily lied)

9 - Neeld claims in a presser today that he still doesn't know who the source is. Suddenly he's not concerned about it. Hmm that's odd Mark. Because we all know it was Davey?

I get that he has to close ranks around Davey to maintain a club unity but I would prefer he didn't fib to us all in the meantime...

Of course I could be wrong about some or all of this - but I think it may be the chain of events from what I can work out?

It annoyed me in the Neeld presser today when he said he didn't care about finding out who the original source was.

Don't forget the more than sizeable contribution of the age to this mess.

That peice of work Caro is at it again ---

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/grand-old-stoush-demons-take-on-afl-20120404-1wd8f.html

Not only has Neeld main it v.clear it is done and dusted, she keeps on going.

She and Gleeson have both played cringeworthy, non-objective roles in this hole saga :

1. Pathetically protecting their source miffedud, misled, misfired mifsud under the guise of journalistic ethics. The 'only' possible answer is that Davey is a liar .... yeah right. Just becuase they calimed the 'Rendell' scalp story does no justice to this blind obedience.

2. Claiming our 'please explain' phone call to Mifsud is a showdown with the AFL??? The only reason Mifsud won't answer our calls is because Davey hung him out to dry and the poor sensitive soul has lost all confidence in human nature and so insulted by this that he is beyond discussing with Davey until he receives an apology.

To quote AFL/Caro (same thing) "Any suggestion that he(Mifsud) failed to attend to attend a mediation session is mischievous and false". Good grief. Pick up the phone big boy.

3. Failing to focus on the real issue such as how can unverified claims of serious idigenous issues reach AFL executive meetings unsubstantiated, unverified or kept non-confidential? Also, the treatment of Neeld in his second real week of coaching by the media frenzy.

4. Expect more of this from Caro in the future - sucking up to Demetriou and Eddie keeps her in a strong position. Great journalistic integrity.

She has lost a lot of respect as an incisive researcher. Now she is feeding and leading the piranha pack. She and her esteemed colleagues have sucked more than a few of us in.

Please can we move on.

3 Basically she has figured out there is no point asking the reals

[RickyJ45 392]

Can't believe people just want this to go away, no wonder we are the laughing stock of the league.

I have no idea wat has happened here but it can only be one of two things. Either Aaron has slandered our coach or Vlad and Mifsud have slandered Aaron. There is no other possibility and I don't want either swept under the carpet.

The club claims to be backing Aaron but I see very little evidence for that. If we won't back our people then Vlad was right, we stand for nothing. If it's because they think Aaron did say it then he should be removed from the group, no ifs or buts.

Sweeping this under the carpet will leave me with no option but to withdraw my financial support. If it's all to hard to deal with our culture or to defend our people from the AFL, then I'm afraid it's too hard for me to support the club.

I think AFL has come out of this vbadly. If this turns into an internal MFC witch hunt the media and our enemies have won.

I think we can trust Aaron's word on this. Taking on city hall is OK for well reourced clubs but mostly it is a loosing battle and a distraction for a first term coach.

Sometimes it is best to pick your battles.

The most likely scenario is that Aaron or someone (it doesn't matter) said something which was misconstrued, misunderstood and ultimately of little value and it was unchecked before reaching the AFL exec meeting. Improving the administrative efficiency, accuracy and honesty of the AFL is not ours to fight, that is left to the community at large and I think they are generally responding.

Lets not get sucked in to this burn Aaron or burn Mifsud vitirol. Lets hold the journos and AFL auditors accountable.

[dee-luded 2,958]

I may be wrong but I beleive that Mifsud is a Maltese name, not a middle eastern one as one may suspect at first hearing.

Still, when it comes to AFL HQ, the conspiracy theory is always a good starting point. More often right than wrong.

He is maltese, with Some Indig.

And Malta is south of Sicily, Just north of Libya, where many nations have traveled & conquered causing much DNA transfer.

Look again a see what you see.

This is not an criticism dislike or anything, but Norse people identify with other Norse, Asian with other Asian, American Indian with other American continents Indians.

I don't have any problems with Norse, Indians, Arabs, Indig, or any other race per se, and won't avoid making remarks I think could have some relevance.

Edited April 5, 2012 by dee-luded

[1 red eye 1 blue eye 759]

We're all pink on the inside,

[Akum 2,660]

The point here is that Misfired didn't blab this story once, as a slip of the tongue. He blabbed it to at least 3 media people on separate occasions. He broke his source's confidence 3 times, and when it didn't hit the news the first 2 times, he made sure he blabbed it to someone with less scruples. He apologises to Neeld, but there is no remorse whatsoever with breaking confidence with his source (whom it seems he claims to be Aaron).

And has anybody raised the question about the coincidence that the day he slinks off to Warrnambool rather than confront mediation, the Ben Polis story (about remarks which have apparently been on facebook since 2010) breaks?

[Range Rover 1,935]

Meanwhile ... Back at HQ ... *detetetete (newsroom sound)

The AFL's Indigenous Affairs Liaison/Special Multicultural Officer/Professional Blabbermouth guy or whatever you want to call him ... STILL refuses to return calls from the MFC or respond to Aaron Davey's request for sit-down talks. Instead he has ... according to Caroline Wilson (http://www.theage.co...0404-1wd8f.html), packed off down to Warnambool, "too distraught" to tackle the issue head on.

Aside from being staggeringly incompetent ... what a coward!

Edited April 5, 2012 by Range Rover

[Sir Why You Little 34,965]

Meanwhile ... Back at HQ ... *detetetete (newsroom sound)

The AFL's Indigenous Affairs Liaison/Special Multicultural Officer/Professional Blabbermouth guy or whatever you want to call him ... STILL refuses to return calls from the MFC or respond to Aaron Davey's request for sit-down talks. Instead he has ... according to Caroline Wilson (http://www.theage.co...0404-1wd8f.html), packed off down to Warnambool, "too distraught" to tackle the issue head on.

Aside from being staggeringly incompetent ... what a coward!

And Vlad refused to accept his resignation....

[daisycutter 28,700]

Meanwhile ... Back at HQ ... *detetetete (newsroom sound)

The AFL's Indigenous Affairs Liaison/Special Multicultural Officer/Professional Blabbermouth guy or whatever you want to call him ... STILL refuses to return calls from the MFC or respond to Aaron Davey's request for sit-down talks. Instead he has ... according to Caroline Wilson (http://www.theage.co...0404-1wd8f.html), packed off down to Warnambool, "too distraught" to tackle the issue head on.

Aside from being staggeringly incompetent ... what a coward!

interesting how caro talks of the leaking to Thomas but not of the leaking to her or Smith

i think she might have some double standards here or at least a conflict of interest

[sue 8,478]

interesting how caro talks of the leaking to Thomas but not of the leaking to her or Smith

i think she might have some double standards here or at least a conflict of interest

She also states Milsfud is not lying which implies the Melbourne source is. But she gives no justification for this conclusion.

She also implicitly rejects the quite real possibility that what was said was misinterpreted.

Why?

[nutbean 8,837]

How can Dimwit defend his ongoing actions - yesterday AD condemned his actions but wouldnt accept his resignation. Today he lets he scamper from the problem.

Sack this incompetent.

[daisycutter 28,700]

She also states Milsfud is not lying which implies the Melbourne source is. But she gives no justification for this conclusion.

She also implicitly rejects the quite real possibility that what was said was misinterpreted.

Why?

shytestirring probably.......it sells newspapers