Why is this club always in the headlines for all the wrong reasons?

Boy what a great start to 2012 we have had!

Exactly, why can't we ever just play footy!! It seems as if there is a media hawk constantly circling us to find and pick on any little issue. We have gone from a lot of positive and encouraging press in the preseason, which has lead to a lot of hype and excitement in supporters to surely one of the lowest lows our club has seen in a sustained period of time, I'm talk like over the last month! Sure we had 186, but there was swift action on this, now I feel with Jimmy's passing, this racial issue creeping up, our first game against Brisbane, I just can't be upbeat at the moment, I know it's horrible, it's draining trying to be optimistic all time! But I'll hang in there because I am a passionate Dee's man!

For the good of all the matter is being swept under the carpet. The mess will be cleaned up when no ones looking.

No, no, no! Don't let the story die here. Don't let the AFL turn the story from 'MFC Coach is racist' to 'MFC player lied about coach to AFL'!

If you believe Aaron Davey, Cameron, then don't let him take the firing squad that was intended for Neeld.

Show rpfc that this club stands for something, show the AFL this club stands for something.

Listened to presser.

1. Surprised there was no back up ....McLardy? Schwab? Aren't we supposed to be a club/team and stick?

2. MN believes it's done and dusted is a worry. The press will not leave this alone from here. It will just grow and fester until they get the full story, especially the who (source). Hope MN and the whole MFC, including every player, are ready to bunker down if he's sticking with that decision.

3. The AFL may have put the heavy on some of the brass at the MFC.... and sadly we've rolled over like a dog in poo

For the good of all the matter is being swept under the carpet. The mess will be cleaned up when no ones looking.

Good of all?

If this story dies as is, the AFL gets away from the mess clean and we get more mud thrown at us.

Old Dee wants to get out of the mud, well letting more mud come our way isn't going to help.

No, no, no! Don't let the story die here. Don't let the AFL turn the story from 'MFC Coach is racist' to 'MFC player lied about coach to AFL'!

If you believe Aaron Davey, Cameron, then don't let him take the firing squad that was intended for Neeld.

Show rpfc that this club stands for something, show the AFL this club stands for something.

I have changed my stance on this, it is time for the Melbourne Bubble, we deal with issues is our way under strict confidence and any one that breaks that confidence is shown the door. It is time to close ranks and get the players focused on what they are employed to do.

Good of all?

If this story dies as is, the AFL gets away from the mess clean and we get more mud thrown at us.

Old Dee wants to get out of the mud, well letting more mud come our way isn't going to help.

The problem is all parties have been backed into their own corner. No one has come out looking good so far. A Mexican stand off of sorts.

Listened to presser.

1. Surprised there was no back up ....McLardy? Schwab? Aren't we supposed to be a club/team and stick?

2. MN believes it's done and dusted is a worry. The press will not leave this alone from here. It will just grow and fester until they get the full story, especially the who (source). Hope MN and the whole MFC, including every player, are ready to bunker down if he's sticking with that decision.

3. The AFL may have put the heavy on some of the brass at the MFC.... and sadly we've rolled over like a dog in poo

I totally agree with everything you said today, a senior board member or our CEO should've been there, my only thinking that they weren't is because they were off trying to get to the bottom of all this. I fear that we look like we have no back bone and that the AFL can just walk all over us, if I was MN I would not be happy with the way the AFL handled the situation... More needs to be said to put out this ridiculous, now almost out of control fire...

I have changed my stance on this, it is time for the Melbourne Bubble, we deal with issues is our way under strict confidence and any one that breaks that confidence is shown the door. It is time to close ranks and get the players focused on what they are employed to do.

We have been living in The Melbourne Bubble since I can remember.

It's shrinking, it's stuck in the mud, and the AFL told us a few years ago it "stood for nothing."

Are they right?

The AFL calls our player a liar.

Should we go back to our bubble?

I don't believe any of what we're hearing.

1. I don't believe the club is racist. I think our openness and acceptance of Indigenous players in the past is and always has been one of the best in the league.

2. I do, however, believe there is a possibility that there was a leak from within the club, in response to consistent rhetoric regarding the stern approach by Neeld.

3. This originally led me to believe that it might have been Davey, out of frustration at essentially being told his time at the club would most likely end at the end of 2012.

4. I still believe it was a player at the club.

5. I wouldn't be surprised if the AFL was pushing Mifsud to admit he spread the rumour, to end any speculation.

6. The media doesn't seem to want to let it go, which makes me believe even more that it was a player.

Even without all of this, I think it's quite obvious that the rumour started from within the club. It seems like a far too serious thing to just come out of no where. Even though it's not true, it certainly seems to fit in with queries regarding Neeld's aggressive and no-excuses approach, which may have had a negative affect on some (probably senior) players (as we've heard rumours about), and caused the wrong words to come out.

Maybe what was said was taken out of context, or the tone was misinterpreted, but I don't believe for a second that the source isn't a Melbourne player.

The problem is all parties have been backed into their own corner. No one has come out looking good so far. A Mexican stand off of sorts.

No-one looks good, but who is the main protagonist?

At the beginning it was a racist Coach, and now it has settled on two people who might have lied - the AFL have backed their horse - ordering councilling for Davey on Mifsud's words.

If this is a Mexican standoff, we just got shot at, and I would like us to start shooting back.

Back Davey or Sack Davey.

Stand for something.

We have been living in The Melbourne Bubble since I can remember.

It's shrinking, it's stuck in the mud, and the AFL told us a few years ago it "stood for nothing."

Are they right?

The AFL calls our player a liar.

Should we go back to our bubble?

You have to remember, there is a chance our player is a liar. In which case, the club would want to shut this down.

There is also a greater chance that Mifsud is a self-important and unsophisticated "player", and he interpreted some comments in a way that suited his end. In that event, our player stands to be embarrassed by any more oxygen on his involvement in the situation, so I can understand why the club would want to shut this down in this case too.

If the player was squeaky clean, and Mifsud had simply lied, then I suggest this would have evolved a bit differently. Even in that case, though, MFC gains nothing by pouring oxygen on the fire.

I don't believe any of what we're hearing.

1. I don't believe the club is racist. I think our openness and acceptance of Indigenous players in the past is and always has been one of the best in the league.

2. I do, however, believe there is a possibility that there was a leak from within the club, in response to consistent rhetoric regarding the stern approach by Neeld.

3. This originally led me to believe that it might have been Davey, out of frustration at essentially being told his time at the club would most likely end at the end of 2012.

4. I still believe it was a player at the club.

5. I wouldn't be surprised if the AFL was pushing Mifsud to admit he spread the rumour, to end any speculation.

6. The media doesn't seem to want to let it go, which makes me believe even more that it was a player.

Even without all of this, I think it's quite obvious that the rumour started from within the club. It seems like a far too serious thing to just come out of no where. Even though it's not true, it certainly seems to fit in with queries regarding Neeld's aggressive and no-excuses approach, which may have had a negative affect on some (probably senior) players (as we've heard rumours about), and caused the wrong words to come out.

Maybe what was said was taken out of context, or the tone was misinterpreted, but I don't believe for a second that the source isn't a Melbourne player.

Or, possibly a former player speaking to Mifsud about what he had heard....

Hopefully we can get new informations about this development from Damien Barrett in footy show.

Whether you like him or hate him, he is the best news breaker in AFL.

Hopefully we can get new informations about this development from Damien Barrett. Whether you like him or hate him, he is the best news breaker in AFL.

What about Grant Thomas...

Since the AFL has been deeply embarrassed over this it may be to our advantage. By killing off the sordid situation we could extract more favourable treatment. Happens in politics all the time. As for Aaron if he is convinced he is totally innocent and has been left high and dry then he can go to the courts. Some how I don't think he has the stomach to do this.

No, no, no! Don't let the story die here. Don't let the AFL turn the story from 'MFC Coach is racist' to 'MFC player lied about coach to AFL'!

If you believe Aaron Davey, Cameron, then don't let him take the firing squad that was intended for Neeld.

Show rpfc that this club stands for something, show the AFL this club stands for something.

Exactly the AFL deflected all this back on to the MFC and Thomas - Thomas is an idiot but he knew what he was doing.

Mifsud has been described this morning as a "rising star" in the AFL - the guy has proven to be a dishonest worm not just over this issue but several recent issues and must be banished from the organisation.

There are comments on BF stating that Mifsud is very good mates with Ali Fahour - Fahour's brother Ahmed is CEO & Managing Director of Australia Post (an AFL partner Partner who just a couple of weeks ago announced a joint multicultural ambassador program) & former ceo of NAB.

The story here is not about the MFC - the story is about an AFL employee who at the very least breached the privacy of a player by going to the media and at the most completely altered the story to suit his own agenda. Either way he can no longer be trusted by the players and clubs and his position within the organisation is untenable. Not only that but Vlad is now condoning his actions with a slap on the wrist because he is a protected species with mates in high places who has been ear-marked for a future governing role within the AFL. The whole think is more corrupt than the ALP.

I just hope Mark Neeld already knows the source of this leak, and will deal with it his own way.

If he just wants it to go away..i don't like his chances.

Is Aaron going to play for the coach? We will know soon.

We must back the coach 100%

Since the AFL has been deeply embarrassed over this it may to our advantage. By killing off the sordid situation we may extract more favourable treatment. Happens in politics all the time. As for Aaron if he is convinced he is totally innocent and has been left high and dry then he can go to the courts. Some how I don't think he has the stomach to do this.

Do we want favourable treatment and forever reliant on the AFL? Or do we want to grow a backbone and stand on our own two feet?

Cant believe Davey is one of the highest paid MFC players.

He had maybe 2 good seasons, i think he is a drain on the team, a drain on the energy of the place, a drain on the budget and membership fees.

I remember when he was threatening to leave the MFC, all he seems to care about is himself. I don't think i have ever seen him even congratulate a team mate for a good play, even when he was VC.

Waste of the rumored 500-600k per year.

This presser was the normal weekly one. Coach sits there and is asked question before training. No need for CS or Don McL to be there

We have been living in The Melbourne Bubble since I can remember.

It's shrinking, it's stuck in the mud, and the AFL told us a few years ago it "stood for nothing."

Are they right?

The AFL calls our player a liar.

Should we go back to our bubble?

We need to move forward, we need to deal with any un-resolved issues internally, we need to take away the distraction from our playing group. They have dealt with the Death of Jimmy, being thumped and now this, it is the clubs job to get our players focused on performing on the field, the competition is that tight that if we are not 100% mentally right we will get thumped.

Do we want favourable treatment and forever reliant on the AFL? Or do we want to grow a backbone and stand on our own two feet?

You are just trotting out one of the most overused and meaningless cliches in the game. We won't grow a backbone till we start winning and attracting hoards of supporters. Have to play minor party politics in the meantime.

Do we want favourable treatment and forever reliant on the AFL? Or do we want to grow a backbone and stand on our own two feet?

Damn straight.

The AFL is using us as their own damage control.

I can see it, it's already happening with Gleeson and Smith in the papers.

What are we going to do?

Back Him or Sack Him.

Cant believe Davey is one of the highest paid MFC players. He had maybe 2 good seasons, i think he is a drain on the team, a drain on the energy of the place, a drain on the budget and membership fees. I remember when he was threatening to leave the MFC, all he seems to care about is himself. I don't think i have ever seen him even congratulate a team mate for a good play, even when he was VC. Waste of the rumored 500-600k per year.

Great time to rag on him.

Dr. Who started a completely misguided and roundabout thread about 'buy-in' but maybe defending a senior player from a public lynching from the footy public so the AFL can save its own arse is what he was alluding to.