Tune in to SEN now - KB to bring up tanking sanctions for Melb.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Hang on. A Carlton player makes unsubstantiated allegations about the Clubh that he cannot possibly prove. Its on an issue which Demoetriou is already satisfied about. How have we given him any ammo?? If anything the AFL are at risk here and they will hose it down. There is an old rule that you never set up an enquiry where you cannot control the outcomes and you could be mud splattered in the process.

Your reaction to this Billy with the 'end of the universe" approach is melodramatic. Its not fact at all. Its allegations from an embittered ex player. And in his role how would he possibly know what is going on and how could he possible prove his statements. Billy, I see all sides of the argument and I am cutting through the oceans of chaff on this.

And if the Club is rooted it will be for other reasons than some boofhead make accusations in public.

Look at the big picture RR. It's not JUST about what d!ckhead Mclean has said, or what Bailey has said, that could potentially put this Club in dire straits. Yes, that is a form of "ammo" that I was talking about, but so is;

* A reduction in membership figures, which I am predicting will drop again in 2013 due to poor performance

* The fact that our crowd levels for home games is getting lower (see above), making it hard to justify playing as many home games at the MCG

* The fact that the selling of our home game to the NT has seen a reduction in crowd figures (will we start to question the financial benefit of such an experiment?)

* The fact that we sit on the bottom of the ladder (discounting the 2 new franchise teams which the AFL will continue to pour money in to so they don't collapse)

* The fact that our major sponsorships were well under budget, so much that the club did indicate some areas would feel the impact of this cut in income (thanks Polis you rat)

* Sure, financially we are in an OK state, but we are far from well off. Our asset base isn't great, we don't have a "real" home base, we are trying to develop our supporter base in a very testing area. All it would take is for the AFL to reduce the amount of assistance they give to the lower Clubs, and all of a sudden, we're one that will be back in the red.

Not sure if the above is a soap opera, which you obviously think I'm trying to turn this in to, probably more of documentary actually.

Get your facts right about what I post - not once have I blamed this "incident" that is the McLean airing his McDirty laundry as the sole reason that I think "the sky is falling". So take some of your own advice, and stop fluffing up what I write to suit your arguement. That was my point about your lazy and pathetic posting.

[rpfc 28,542]

lol

What a great response from the Dees.

We have made it look like the AFL is investigating Brock and his comments as if they were outside the spirit of the game rather than what his comments might mean for us being investigated.

That's not a straight bat - that's a cover drive.

Very enjoyable.

Well done to whoever thought that simple statement up.

[ickey_11 145]

I am with the fat guy, I don't think tanking exists. Tanking is deliberately loosing. Resting players, developing kids and experimenting is not deliberately loosing. I believe every team has picked a kid to 'blood them' and that is not deliberately loosing. Force retiring a veteran player because you want another spot to develop a kid is not tanking.

The crazy thing is that Melbourne did all the above and Richmond took a kick after the siren to beat them in 2009.

[Range Rover 1,935]

I am with the fat guy, I don't think tanking exists. Tanking is deliberately loosing. Resting players, developing kids and experimenting is not deliberately loosing. I believe every team has picked a kid to 'blood them' and that is not deliberately loosing. Force retiring a veteran player because you want another spot to develop a kid is not tanking.

The crazy thing is that Melbourne did all the above and Richmond took a kick after the siren to beat them in 2009.

Tanking exists if Dean Bailey names names. He is the key to this and may be re-interviewed by the AFL in light of McLean's "fresh" allegations.

It is unlikely he will but you just never know.

[Viney12 196]

Adrian Anderson "So Brock, did you hear directly from the CEO, President etc. mouth that Melbourne were deliberately losing games all season in a hope to gain high picks in the draft"

Brock McLean "Ummmm, errrrrr....ya mum has AIDS"

[GRUN DEE 69]

Dee's might sue Brock for defamation!

Experimenting is not tanking. We have been experimenting this year too. Garland & Rivers forward. Woopee!

Team's do experiment through out the year. We experimented at the end! Big deal!

Richmond kicked a goal after the siren to beat us for flop sake.

Carlton are in the same boat.

Get over it Brockie u burn out king!

Edited July 31, 2012 by jungle dee

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

could we be any more pathetic - not only did we tank, we were the only ones dumb enough to get caight out for it, and it hasn't even paid off for us in the slightest. Great job guys.

[Range Rover 1,935]

could we be any more pathetic - not only did we tank, we were the only ones dumb enough to get caight out for it, and it hasn't even paid off for us in the slightest. Great job guys.

What do you call picks 4 and 12 in the upcoming draft?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Look at the big picture RR. It's not JUST about what d!ckhead Mclean has said, or what Bailey has said, that could potentially put this Club in dire straits. Yes, that is a form of "ammo" that I was talking about, but so is;

* A reduction in membership figures, which I am predicting will drop again in 2013 due to poor performance

* The fact that our crowd levels for home games is getting lower (see above), making it hard to justify playing as many home games at the MCG

* The fact that the selling of our home game to the NT has seen a reduction in crowd figures (will we start to question the financial benefit of such an experiment?)

* The fact that we sit on the bottom of the ladder (discounting the 2 new franchise teams which the AFL will continue to pour money in to so they don't collapse)

* The fact that our major sponsorships were well under budget, so much that the club did indicate some areas would feel the impact of this cut in income (thanks Polis you rat)

* Sure, financially we are in an OK state, but we are far from well off. Our asset base isn't great, we don't have a "real" home base, we are trying to develop our supporter base in a very testing area. All it would take is for the AFL to reduce the amount of assistance they give to the lower Clubs, and all of a sudden, we're one that will be back in the red.

Not sure if the above is a soap opera, which you obviously think I'm trying to turn this in to, probably more of documentary actually.

Get your facts right about what I post - not once have I blamed this "incident" that is the McLean airing his McDirty laundry as the sole reason that I think "the sky is falling". So take some of your own advice, and stop fluffing up what I write to suit your arguement. That was my point about your lazy and pathetic posting.

The tanking news of the moment and the financial state of MFC are seperate issues. Its melodramatic to try and draw a long bow between them.

Others have already chided you for hand wringing. I am not sure the relevance from trotting out the bleedin obvious issues for MFC. No one is or should be happy or satisfied with that.

The allegations by McLean are more an issue about him making unprovable allegations which is not in the position to make. Anderson and the AFL should be very happy with him.

By the way I made the "sky is falling" comment about old dee. But feel free to smear some on you if you feel you need to

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

could we be any more pathetic - not only did we tank, we were the only ones dumb enough to get caight out for it, and it hasn't even paid off for us in the slightest. Great job guys.

We have not been caught for anything beyond tarred with media hoopla.

[old dee 23,801]

The tanking news of the moment and the financial state of MFC are seperate issues. Its melodramatic to try and draw a long bow between them.

Others have already chided you for hand wringing. I am not sure the relevance from trotting out the bleedin obvious issues for MFC. No one is or should be happy or satisfied with that.

The allegations by McLean are more an issue about him making unprovable allegations which is not in the position to make. Anderson and the AFL should be very happy with him.

By the way I made the "sky is falling" comment about old dee. But feel free to smear some on you if you feel you need to

RR if the sky was falling I have no doubt you would be standing under it telling us not worry we are only changing the colour scheme

[John Crow Batty 8,871]

We have not been caught for anything beyond tarred with media hoopla.

Tar is tar no matter who applies it.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

This is a time when we should be circling the wagons and throwing our support behind the club; God knows there are enough on the outside throwing rocks at us. As the saying goes, it is what it its, we are in a pickle and need to work hard to get out of it so all i can suggest is we back the club stop the hysteria and let Neeld and the other coaches do what needs to be done.

We all knew, at least those that have half a brain did, that our list was pretty ordinary and it's proved to be so; not only that we have had a heap of injuries and played some of the dumbest football ever seen in any competition.

The Coach has said he will cull the list at the end of the year and will be active in the trade circle so we don't know what next year will be like until the dust has settled and the pieces have fallen in place. Until then we will lose games and lose them by a fair bit; part of that is because of injuries and part is because our list is inadequate, but I have seen a quarter or two this year that has shown what we can do and if we do have a few additions and a few less injuries we may be ok.

The constant call for the Coach's head and the call for a player to be included then dropped the following week if he's not BOG are getting to the ridiculous stage.

It's very hard being a Melbourne supporter and I've been as despondent as anyone but we've come this far so don't drop off now.

[old dee 23,801]

This is a time when we should be circling the wagons and throwing our support behind the club; God knows there are enough on the outside throwing rocks at us. As the saying goes, it is what it its, we are in a pickle and need to work hard to get out of it so all i can suggest is we back the club stop the hysteria and let Neeld and the other coaches do what needs to be done.

We all knew, at least those that have half a brain did, that our list was pretty ordinary and it's proved to be so; not only that we have had a heap of injuries and played some of the dumbest football ever seen in any competition.

The Coach has said he will cull the list at the end of the year and will be active in the trade circle so we don't know what next year will be like until the dust has settled and the pieces have fallen in place. Until then we will lose games and lose them by a fair bit; part of that is because of injuries and part is because our list is inadequate, but I have seen a quarter or two this year that has shown what we can do and if we do have a few additions and a few less injuries we may be ok.

The constant call for the Coach's head and the call for a player to be included then dropped the following week if he's not BOG are getting to the ridiculous stage.

It's very hard being a Melbourne supporter and I've been as despondent as anyone but we've come this far so don't drop off now.

Probably right RobbieF

I only hope there are enough like you left to keep the wolves at bay.

Carn the Dees

[Bitter but optimistic 22,242]

Just when you think we might have reached the bottom of the shitwell down we go again and take another big swallow!

[Guest bluey]

Fools, the MFC is guilty, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it, buffoonery at best.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,235]

Fools, the MFC is guilty, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it, buffoonery at best.

Put spaces between your "favourite players" so it doesn't overflow into the thread.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Put spaces between your "favourite players" so it doesn't overflow into the thread.

It's not the spaces between the players, it's the space between Bluey's ears that's the problem.

[waikikkamukau 62]

Demetriou said tanking doesn't exist. I highly doubt the man with an ego the size of his pay packet is going to be forced in to doing any back flips any time soon. It's also going to be impossible to prove anything conclusively.

Correct!

Plus they have already investigated and came up with nothing. Not to mention they would have to dredge up every game of every year for the teams that made it from the bottom of the ladder to the top in a short time for example Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn and West Coast.

Funny how this comes up towards the end of the year before a game we should win and we have two compensation picks in this years draft.

We have been assassinated this year via media. Shouldn't the media be building up the run home to the finals!

Go Dees

[Range Rover 1,935]

It's not the spaces between the players, it's the space between Bluey's ears that's the problem.

Damn I wish I'd thought of writing that first

[Range Rover 1,935]

One thing to consider with the AFL's decision to 'investigate' is that they could easily have come out with a statement to the effect that they had "reviewed the comments of player McLean but in light of previous discussions with his former coach Dean Bailey, we remain satisfied that the MFC has no case to answer for". End of discussion . Case closed.

Sure, a few talking heads might've kept the issue burning for a couple of days but if you listen to the McLean interview he never explicitly says that Bailey spilled his guts to him. Never says that he personally was privy to orders given to Bailey from the top brass. His comments still have that 'list management/experimenting' ambiguity about them.

The AFL could've easily taken a more dismissive line today.

The million dollar question is ... why didn't they?

Edited July 31, 2012 by Range Rover

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

could we be any more pathetic - not only did we tank, we were the only ones dumb enough to get caight out for it, and it hasn't even paid off for us in the slightest. Great job guys.

Love your attitude.

Hide all sharp objects and remove your shoelaces.

Keep punching (yourself in the face) !

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,602]

Storm in a teacup created by Melbourne haters (a growing section of the media) and Patrick on SEN who'se only currancy is taking controversial opinions and running with them.

Brock has about as much credibility as any other player who recently told a random punter on the net that he caught aids off his mother.

MFC have done the right thing but have already been investigated with no findings of 'tanking.'

But to put in context - In the Kruezer cup we WON against Carlton who allowed Travis Johnstone to gain 40+ possessions and was never tagged - a clear display of coaching to lose. Libba then came out and openly said Carlton were tanking. Nothing happened.

Terry Wallace basically said that Richmond tanked to get Cotchin. Nothing happened.

Every year teams that know their finals chances are over blood players, move players in odd positions to see how they go and experiement.

Any tiny fragment of respect I had for Brock is gone now. Why bring it up? Surely we all swalled Scully being able to leave as an indirect consequence of karma from tanking??

Alternatively all it would take is an ex richmond, west coast or carlton player with a grudge to come out and say the same thing then I wonder how Kev and Patrick will be whinging about the blight on the game and match fixing.

[monoccular 17,438]

If they take away our draft picks...then we are stuffed.

And I bet they will.

[tonatopia 278]

Fools, the MFC is guilty, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it, buffoonery at best.

You carnt really argue with that.

Edited July 31, 2012 by tonatopia