The AFL's draft system is the only thing that can go on trial, the clubs just do what is within the rules

As someone said earlier, Jim Stynes is the elephant in the room.

Now that would be an explosive allegation.

Would not shock me, he came in to do everything in the best interests of the club. I really believe that it was a mutual agreement by all involved, and that includes all the coaches. They probably thought by this stage they would be coaching a team of champions. Fact is if your winning you avoid the sh$# storm.

The interesting thing would be if DB names names ........goodbye Schwabb Connolly and the Board. Meanwhile McLardy is talking about Cloke!! Yesterday presumably, but this bloke is out of his depth

This is the thing, what does the AFL have to lose and/or gain by interviewing the likes of Dean Bailey, Brock McLean, perhaps Adem Yze, just to see if there are any consistencies in their stories. Further to that, what do those blokes have to lose and/or gain by opening up in a private forum?

I would imagine that Schwab and Connolly would be a little bit nervous at the moment. Is it justified? Maybe, maybe not. But at the end of the day, IF there was a strong directive from higher up at the Club in regards to doing the best thing for the Club in terms of results and draft picks, they could be in a world of shite.

I'm just going to sit back and watch how this unfolds, could be nothing, could be something large, could be anywhere in between, I have no idea really.

One thing I will say though, I'm sick of those people whinging about how the media are treating us poorly, especially compared to other teams that have acted in a similar fashion in the past. I don't give a toss about the other teams, this is about the MFC and we are in all sorts of trouble. We are a poor team, even Neeld apparently said at the 3/4 time huddle that it's about time this Club stood for something (or words similar), yet Roos is gwetting shot down for saying the MFC doesn't stand for anything. We are a rabble on field, management may have created this themselves, but I do not think for one minute that the media are being unfair. I actually think for the past 2 months or so they have been pretty bloody generous toward us by not kicking too hard. We deserve every degree of the heat that they are putting us under, and until the greater AFL community can see major improvements, we will continue to cop it, and SO WE SHOULD!

The interesting thing would be if DB names names ........goodbye Schwabb Connolly and the Board. Meanwhile McLardy is talking about Cloke!! Yesterday presumably, but this bloke is out of his depth

This is the thing, what does the AFL have to lose and/or gain by interviewing the likes of Dean Bailey, Brock McLean, perhaps Adem Yze, just to see if there are any consistencies in their stories. Further to that, what do those blokes have to lose and/or gain by opening up in a private forum?

I would imagine that Schwab and Connolly would be a little bit nervous at the moment. Is it justified? Maybe, maybe not. But at the end of the day, IF there was a strong directive from higher up at the Club in regards to doing the best thing for the Club in terms of results and draft picks, they could be in a world of shite.

I'm just going to sit back and watch how this unfolds, could be nothing, could be something large, could be anywhere in between, I have no idea really.

One thing I will say though, I'm sick of those people whinging about how the media are treating us poorly, especially compared to other teams that have acted in a similar fashion in the past. I don't give a toss about the other teams, this is about the MFC and we are in all sorts of trouble. We are a poor team, even Neeld apparently said at the 3/4 time huddle that it's about time this Club stood for something (or words similar), yet Roos is gwetting shot down for saying the MFC doesn't stand for anything. We are a rabble on field, management may have created this themselves, but I do not think for one minute that the media are being unfair. I actually think for the past 2 months or so they have been pretty bloody generous toward us by not kicking too hard. We deserve every degree of the heat that they are putting us under, and until the greater AFL community can see major improvements, we will continue to cop it, and SO WE SHOULD!

Herald Sun reporting that the AFL and Melbourne will likely make statements by the end of the day.

Should be fascinating to hear what they say.

Surely the newshounds will now pester DEan Bailey for comment.

This will go for on for days in a slow news week.

This is the thing, what does the AFL have to lose and/or gain by interviewing the likes of Dean Bailey, Brock McLean, perhaps Adem Yze, just to see if there are any consistencies in their stories. Further to that, what do those blokes have to lose and/or gain by opening up in a private forum?

I would imagine that Schwab and Connolly would be a little bit nervous at the moment. Is it justified? Maybe, maybe not. But at the end of the day, IF there was a strong directive from higher up at the Club in regards to doing the best thing for the Club in terms of results and draft picks, they could be in a world of shite.

I'm just going to sit back and watch how this unfolds, could be nothing, could be something large, could be anywhere in between, I have no idea really.

One thing I will say though, I'm sick of those people whinging about how the media are treating us poorly, especially compared to other teams that have acted in a similar fashion in the past. I don't give a toss about the other teams, this is about the MFC and we are in all sorts of trouble. We are a poor team, even Neeld apparently said at the 3/4 time huddle that it's about time this Club stood for something (or words similar), yet Roos is gwetting shot down for saying the MFC doesn't stand for anything. We are a rabble on field, management may have created this themselves, but I do not think for one minute that the media are being unfair. I actually think for the past 2 months or so they have been pretty bloody generous toward us by not kicking too hard. We deserve every degree of the heat that they are putting us under, and until the greater AFL community can see major improvements, we will continue to cop it, and SO WE SHOULD!

Oh, quit the handwringing. We did what any other team would have done, we didn't do it as blatantly as Cartlton, as effectively as Hawthorn and Collingwood nor as yo-yoishly as West Coast.

Nothing will happen.

I would imagine that Schwab and Connolly would be a little bit nervous at the moment.

Definitely.

This is the thing, what does the AFL have to lose and/or gain by interviewing the likes of Dean Bailey, Brock McLean, perhaps Adem Yze, just to see if there are any consistencies in their stories. Further to that, what do those blokes have to lose and/or gain by opening up in a private forum?

I would imagine that Schwab and Connolly would be a little bit nervous at the moment. Is it justified? Maybe, maybe not. But at the end of the day, IF there was a strong directive from higher up at the Club in regards to doing the best thing for the Club in terms of results and draft picks, they could be in a world of shite.

I'm just going to sit back and watch how this unfolds, could be nothing, could be something large, could be anywhere in between, I have no idea really.

One thing I will say though, I'm sick of those people whinging about how the media are treating us poorly, especially compared to other teams that have acted in a similar fashion in the past. I don't give a toss about the other teams, this is about the MFC and we are in all sorts of trouble. We are a poor team, even Neeld apparently said at the 3/4 time huddle that it's about time this Club stood for something (or words similar), yet Roos is gwetting shot down for saying the MFC doesn't stand for anything. We are a rabble on field, management may have created this themselves, but I do not think for one minute that the media are being unfair. I actually think for the past 2 months or so they have been pretty bloody generous toward us by not kicking too hard. We deserve every degree of the heat that they are putting us under, and until the greater AFL community can see major improvements, we will continue to cop it, and SO WE SHOULD!

Billy those may be the truest words you have ever typed!

Could not agree more.

It amazes me that a large number of supporters seem blind to our current position.

There has to be major changes to the top levels of management / board at the MFC.

The current people have bought us to this position it is time they were moved on or were removed.

Oh, quit the handwringing. We did what any other team would have done, we didn't do it as blatantly as Cartlton, as effectively as Hawthorn and Collingwood nor as yo-yoishly as West Coast.

Nothing will happen.

That may well be rpfc

but the current management / board cannot not even cheat well.

In spite of all the tanking we have a team that could not fight their way out a wet paper bag.

If we were a good team I could wear it but we are pathetic.

Why should they stay?

The board / senior management have bought us to this fine spot.

So it is time they left so the ship can be righted as it is not going anywhere but backwards under this mob.

Billy those may be the truest words you have ever typed!

Could not agree more.

It amazes me that a large number of supporters seem blind to our current position.

There has to be major changes to the top levels of management / board at the MFC.

The current people have bought us to this position it is time they were moved on or were removed.

Maybe you could join the 'Hardtone' ticket.

Oh, quit the handwringing. We did what any other team would have done, we didn't do it as blatantly as Cartlton, as effectively as Hawthorn and Collingwood nor as yo-yoishly as West Coast.

Nothing will happen.

Whatever RP. For what it's worth, I don't support West Coast, Collingwood, Carlton or Hawthorn. One this about them though is the fact that they are successful (well, maybe not Carlton...yet), have won premierships recently, and look as though a few of them will be still winning them in the short term.

Hopefully nothing will happen in regards to McLean's comments, I admire your confidence. That doesn't mean nothing should happen at the MFC though. This crap needs to be sorted once and for all so we can move forward as a Club. If that requires Neeld totally delisting "those" players impacted by the past, sobeit.

Maybe you could join the 'Hardtone' ticket.

Mate the last thing the MFC needs is an old crock like me.

But that does not mean I don't recognise a disaster when I see one.

Billy those may be the truest words you have ever typed!

Could not agree more.

It amazes me that a large number of supporters seem blind to our current position.

There has to be major changes to the top levels of management / board at the MFC.

The current people have bought us to this position it is time they were moved on or were removed.

It amazes me how people are getting sucked into the frivolous melodrama.

The sky is falling....The Sky is falling....The sky is falling.

Now where is that storm over the teacup photo?

That may well be rpfc

but the current management / board cannot not even cheat well.

In spite of all the tanking we have a team that could not fight their way out a wet paper bag.

If we were a good team I could wear it but we are pathetic.

Why should they stay?

The board / senior management have bought us to this fine spot.

So it is time they left so the ship can be righted as it is not going anywhere but backwards under this mob.

This is 2009 we are talking about.

We are bad right now because of poor recruitment and development from around 2000 to 2005 (players from that are still the best in the comp come from these drafts).

Not from what we did to secure a PP in 2009.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mgd/lowres/mgdn120l.jpg

http://joustthefacts.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/03/21/simpson_end_near.jpg

I would imagine that Schwab and Connolly would be a little bit nervous at the moment. Is it justified? Maybe, maybe not. But at the end of the day, IF there was a strong directive from higher up at the Club in regards to doing the best thing for the Club in terms of results and draft picks, they could be in a world of shite.

I'm just going to sit back and watch how this unfolds, could be nothing, could be something large, could be anywhere in between, I have no idea really.

One thing I will say though, I'm sick of those people whinging about how the media are treating us poorly, especially compared to other teams that have acted in a similar fashion in the past. I don't give a toss about the other teams, this is about the MFC and we are in all sorts of trouble. We are a poor team, even Neeld apparently said at the 3/4 time huddle that it's about time this Club stood for something (or words similar), yet Roos is gwetting shot down for saying the MFC doesn't stand for anything. We are a rabble on field, management may have created this themselves, but I do not think for one minute that the media are being unfair. I actually think for the past 2 months or so they have been pretty bloody generous toward us by not kicking too hard. We deserve every degree of the heat that they are putting us under, and until the greater AFL community can see major improvements, we will continue to cop it, and SO WE SHOULD!

It might be worth noting that this puts the 186 in a somewhat different context to the one that the admin managed to manipulate.

The players were sick of being the scapegoats for Schwabb and Connolly,to say nothing of the Board and their precipitous sacking of the Coach.

Even now the apologists on here want to blame Brock and Carltank as being the problem.

As noted above the AFL may do nothing so as to protect what they imagine is their reputation (it will actually confirm their reputation), but if MFC wants to develop its 'culture' and continue to have resources like Misson and Craig at their disposal so as to woo the likes of Cloke (!!!) then some heads must roll in house.. Schwabb (already with form) and Connolly would be a good start.

The greater sadness is to Jimmy's reputation and the fact that there dont appear to be powerful supporters willing to stand up and challenge the Board that has led MFC so ineptly down this road.

I hope the AFL don't strip us of our recent success!

Whatever RP. For what it's worth, I don't support West Coast, Collingwood, Carlton or Hawthorn. One this about them though is the fact that they are successful (well, maybe not Carlton...yet), have won premierships recently, and look as though a few of them will be still winning them in the short term.

Hopefully nothing will happen in regards to McLean's comments, I admire your confidence. That doesn't mean nothing should happen at the MFC though. This crap needs to be sorted once and for all so we can move forward as a Club. If that requires Neeld totally delisting "those" players impacted by the past, sobeit.

I think its a good point that you separated these issues Billy.

One is the issue of tanking... does it exist... and what the AFL will do about it (hint: MFC didn't invent tanking, we don't even do it well!!)

The second is about the MFC and whether this is another skeleton in the cupboard that has yet to be fully exposed. Internally supporters knew that the club had put the cue in the rack and were getting players fit for 2010, blooding youngsters etc. Does there need to be a question asked as to whether that was the football department doing what is prudent... or whether it was a directive from admin/board against the best wishes of the football department.....

Whatever RP. For what it's worth, I don't support West Coast, Collingwood, Carlton or Hawthorn. One this about them though is the fact that they are successful (well, maybe not Carlton...yet), have won premierships recently, and look as though a few of them will be still winning them in the short term.

Hopefully nothing will happen in regards to McLean's comments, I admire your confidence. That doesn't mean nothing should happen at the MFC though. This crap needs to be sorted once and for all so we can move forward as a Club. If that requires Neeld totally delisting "those" players impacted by the past, sobeit.

So you are appalled at the moral of it all, OD is appalled because we didn't do it well enough to be good three years later, and I am more than comfortable that we did what any professional organisation would do to maximise the benefits of being crap - within the rules of course (don't want to be seen as cheaters) - and we all move on.

Only MFC supporters would still be uneasy about it.

You may not care about what other clubs do, but we are competing with these other clubs and they did what we did without hesitation or equivocation and to great success.

Fate has somewhat ruined our 'ill-gotten gains' but still we cringe.

If you want punishment - we have had it. HWFUA decided to FUA and so karma has been served.

And the cosmos is at peace.

Patrick Smith is losing the argument. Thanks to all the Melbourne people that have rung up and flogged him with logic.

I didn't hear any of it. What did our mob do by way of countering Smith's drivel?

It amazes me how people are getting sucked into the frivolous melodrama.

The sky is falling....The Sky is falling....The sky is falling.

Now where is that storm over the teacup photo?

This is just lazy, pathetic posting RR. The supporters that are concerned for the wellbeing of the MFC aren't acting like the sky is falling, it's because we have genuine concerns for the state of our Club. The AFL are ruthless if they want to be, you nor I have any control over what Vlad does and wants. At the moment, if it's on his agenda to remove one Vic-based team from the league, we would be frontrunners. I for one want to bring my children up being able to support the Melbourne Demons as I know it, but if things don't change, and let's face it, they are dramatic changes, I don't know if I'll get that chance.

It's quie interesting that the regular posters who are concerned for the health of the MFC are generally "older" posters, such as Old Dee, WYL, and myself. Perhaps it's the majority that need to stop living in fantasy land and realise this is bloody serious. The future of the MFC is far from certain, yet some continue to think that we are immune from potential folding/merger.

Nb. I'm not saying that we're screwed, I'm just seeing it from all angles.

It amazes me how people are getting sucked into the frivolous melodrama.

The sky is falling....The Sky is falling....The sky is falling.

Now where is that storm over the teacup photo?

This is just lazy, pathetic posting RR. The supporters that are concerned for the wellbeing of the MFC aren't acting like the sky is falling, it's because we have genuine concerns for the state of our Club. The AFL are ruthless if they want to be, you nor I have any control over what Vlad does and wants. At the moment, if it's on his agenda to remove one Vic-based team from the league, we would be frontrunners. I for one want to bring my children up being able to support the Melbourne Demons as I know it, but if things don't change, and let's face it, they are dramatic changes, I don't know if I'll get that chance.

It's quie interesting that the regular posters who are concerned for the health of the MFC are generally "older" posters, such as Old Dee, WYL, and myself. Perhaps it's the majority that need to stop living in fantasy land and realise this is bloody serious. The future of the MFC is far from certain, yet some continue to think that we are immune from potential folding/merger.

Nb. I'm not saying that we're screwed, I'm just seeing it from all angles.

If you want punishment - we have had it. HWFUA decided to FUA and so karma has been served.

Won't karma be served in around 2015 when we find out what pick 4 and 12 are like?

Interesting to see that there is not a single no. 1 draft pick at a top 8 team as the ladder sits right now. Not even sure if there are any priority picks, maybe hawthorn with Franklin / Roughhead. Looking at the ladder, it looks to me that the majority of early picks are at clubs in the bottom half. Top teams have had early picks, but none excessively so. Perhaps airing the truth will help the club more than it will set them back. I doubt there will be any ramifications from Brocks comments, it has been speculated on in the past, surely the AFL has looked at it before.

I'm a little over pinning my hopes on early draft picks, we just do nothing with them.