Rohan Connolly: Real story isn't tanking, it's AFL incompetence

[Face Your Demons 175]

The AFL and the AFL alone are responsible for tanking. You bring in any rule in any sport and teams will find a way around it, be it a rule on the ground or a rule in the running of a club. Even the draft concessions given to GWS were bent to get Scully. I'm sure thats not what the AFL or any club believed would happen but it did. The only way tanking can be proven is if a coach says to the players DO NOT WIN. We have played players out of position in most games this year so if Bailey tanked than prove the Neeld has not tanked. The NBAs raffle for every team not in the finals is the way to go. Even the father son rule is now being abused by clubs trying to get a small advantage.

[jnrmac 20,186]

Good to know that you think there are hierarchies here, Jnr. Better to know that nobody else seems to.

But I'd better get back in my place, just in case.

Now you're just trying to get your thread count up

[Robot Devil 1,895]

Now you're just trying to get your thread count up

Yeah, but according to the media he should be reducing his post count to better prepare for next years threads.

[knoxville 20]

I could go on, but it seems that Ro-Ro (hes a Bombers fan don't ya know?) has missed giving the AFL a whack for handing out so many media passes to nuffies who have NFI.

Absolutely. Exhibit A: Jon Pierik (who?), author of this week's compelling series of Age back pages on Melbourne tanking. In Thursday's yarn alone, he:

- reported "there were calls for" MFC to be fined $1 million and banned from the draft, but neglected to elaborate on who had made these calls. Internet peanuts, mainly, one suspects.

- said we made 47 interchanges v Richmond (against season average of 92) "even though" we finished the game with three blokes unable to take the field. In other words, he's suggesting a team with one fit bloke on the bench should make MORE interchanges than a team with four fit blokes on the bench. (I am, however, putting this down to illiteracy.)

- claimed Robbo had declined to comment "because he is now employed by the club and feared being sacked". If Robbo told him that on the record I would be extremely surprised.

I realise many of their real journos are in London, but there's no excuse for that rubbish.

[knoxville 20]

And speaking of Age journos in London, have a read of Saturday's Caro interview with Demetriou. It is a new benchmark for arrogance.

AD finds it "faintly ludicrous" that anyone could question him having seven weeks off in the middle of the footy season.

"My family deserved some time," he says.

Why, Andy? Do they pay you $2.2 million a year as well?

Having been a guest of AFL sponsor Australia Post for week one of the games, he is now a guest of Foxtel. No wonder he's looking "tanned and relaxed" while having a coffee on top of Harvey Nicks. Any danger of dipping into your own kick?

"He believes the games have been beneficial ... commercially for the AFL in ways he does not detail." Perhaps because they don't exist?

Almost everyone in the game gives the bloke a free pass based on $1.2 billion for the media rights. The NRL, which has never had as big a following as Aussie rules, is a relatively unattractive game and has been woefully mismanaged for at least two decades, will easily get $1 billion when its deal is signed. The fact is that media rights for popular spectator sports are extremely valuable and getting more so. You don't have to be Don Draper to sell them.

Connolly's criticisms of the AFL are entirely valid, but Demetriou and his cronies will continue to mismanage with their current levels of arrogance and smugness until someone tells them to pull their heads in. Doubt that it will Mike Fitzpatrick.

A perfect example was the buffoon Anderson's indignance at criticism of the MRP. It was like, how dare anyone criticise a body headed by Mark Fraser? Well, let's see ... he's a failed player and failed umpire. So of course he'll be a successful MRP chairman.

The entire AFL judicial system is a joke, apparent to all except Andrew Demetriou, Gillon McLachlan and Adrian Anderson.

Someone in the media needs to launch a concerted campaign to explode the myth of AFL competence. I'm tipping it won't be Caro.

[Sir Why You Little 37,130]

And speaking of Age journos in London, have a read of Saturday's Caro interview with Demetriou. It is a new benchmark for arrogance.

AD finds it "faintly ludicrous" that anyone could question him having seven weeks off in the middle of the footy season.

"My family deserved some time," he says.

Why, Andy? Do they pay you $2.2 million a year as well?

Having been a guest of AFL sponsor Australia Post for week one of the games, he is now a guest of Foxtel. No wonder he's looking "tanned and relaxed" while having a coffee on top of Harvey Nicks. Any danger of dipping into your own kick?

"He believes the games have been beneficial ... commercially for the AFL in ways he does not detail." Perhaps because they don't exist?

Almost everyone in the game gives the bloke a free pass based on $1.2 billion for the media rights. The NRL, which has never had as big a following as Aussie rules, is a relatively unattractive game and has been woefully mismanaged for at least two decades, will easily get $1 billion when its deal is signed. The fact is that media rights for popular spectator sports are extremely valuable and getting more so. You don't have to be Don Draper to sell them.

Connolly's criticisms of the AFL are entirely valid, but Demetriou and his cronies will continue to mismanage with their current levels of arrogance and smugness until someone tells them to pull their heads in. Doubt that it will Mike Fitzpatrick.

A perfect example was the buffoon Anderson's indignance at criticism of the MRP. It was like, how dare anyone criticise a body headed by Mark Fraser? Well, let's see ... he's a failed player and failed umpire. So of course he'll be a successful MRP chairman.

The entire AFL judicial system is a joke, apparent to all except Andrew Demetriou, Gillon McLachlan and Adrian Anderson.

Someone in the media needs to launch a concerted campaign to explode the myth of AFL competence. I'm tipping it won't be Caro.

Really?? He is on 7 weeks leave!!

I am o/s myself so was unaware of that.

"unf$&kingbelievable" as ford fairlane once said.

[binman 43,779]

"My family deserved some time," he says.

Then one wonders why he didn't go camping or to dream world. Swanning about in London whilst the games are on (as guests of corporations who no doubt expect him to attend various functions etc) does not seem the best way to spend quality time with the kids. Sort of like me taking my kids to Flemington and telling my wife we are having quality family time.

Edited August 4, 2012 by binman

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

Yeah, but according to the media he should be reducing his post count to better prepare for next years threads.

Tanks for noticing.

Sorry, I'll stop it now.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,300]

Then one wonders why he didn't go camping or to dream world.

Or perhaps, gasp, go on holiday in the off-season!

[Cheesecake 92]

Absolutely. Exhibit A: Jon Pierik (who?), author of this week's compelling series of Age back pages on Melbourne tanking. In Thursday's yarn alone, he:

- reported "there were calls for" MFC to be fined $1 million and banned from the draft, but neglected to elaborate on who had made these calls. Internet peanuts, mainly, one suspects.

- said we made 47 interchanges v Richmond (against season average of 92) "even though" we finished the game with three blokes unable to take the field. In other words, he's suggesting a team with one fit bloke on the bench should make MORE interchanges than a team with four fit blokes on the bench. (I am, however, putting this down to illiteracy.)

- claimed Robbo had declined to comment "because he is now employed by the club and feared being sacked". If Robbo told him that on the record I would be extremely surprised.

I realise many of their real journos are in London, but there's no excuse for that rubbish.

And speaking of Age journos in London, have a read of Saturday's Caro interview with Demetriou. It is a new benchmark for arrogance.

AD finds it "faintly ludicrous" that anyone could question him having seven weeks off in the middle of the footy season.

"My family deserved some time," he says.

Why, Andy? Do they pay you $2.2 million a year as well?

Having been a guest of AFL sponsor Australia Post for week one of the games, he is now a guest of Foxtel. No wonder he's looking "tanned and relaxed" while having a coffee on top of Harvey Nicks. Any danger of dipping into your own kick?

"He believes the games have been beneficial ... commercially for the AFL in ways he does not detail." Perhaps because they don't exist?

Almost everyone in the game gives the bloke a free pass based on $1.2 billion for the media rights. The NRL, which has never had as big a following as Aussie rules, is a relatively unattractive game and has been woefully mismanaged for at least two decades, will easily get $1 billion when its deal is signed. The fact is that media rights for popular spectator sports are extremely valuable and getting more so. You don't have to be Don Draper to sell them.

Connolly's criticisms of the AFL are entirely valid, but Demetriou and his cronies will continue to mismanage with their current levels of arrogance and smugness until someone tells them to pull their heads in. Doubt that it will Mike Fitzpatrick.

A perfect example was the buffoon Anderson's indignance at criticism of the MRP. It was like, how dare anyone criticise a body headed by Mark Fraser? Well, let's see ... he's a failed player and failed umpire. So of course he'll be a successful MRP chairman.

The entire AFL judicial system is a joke, apparent to all except Andrew Demetriou, Gillon McLachlan and Adrian Anderson.

Someone in the media needs to launch a concerted campaign to explode the myth of AFL competence. I'm tipping it won't be Caro.

Only 7 posts since 2006, Knoxville? One of the many regular-readers but occasional-posters, I guess. Bit like myself.

May I say, if the standard of these^ posts is anything to go by, it's a huge shame that you don't post more often. Keep it coming, mate.

[Harrisonrules 273]

He forgot:

* The amount of journalists reporting on AFL far outweighs those reporting on Australian politics. More quantity = less quality.

* The journalists ready & willing to insert themselves into the headlines by editorializing news stories.

* Journalists making news stories based on what they or other journalists say.

* Journalists blatantly taking [censored] out of context.

* Journalists reporting on the gossip of the game & not what happens on the field. Caro being AFL-drip fed the North to the Gold Coast story in 07 & then her blatant anti-Brayshaw agenda since is a fine illustration of this.

* The amount of bias being inserted into the AFL commentariat - I don't even know who you are Andy Maher so I couldn't care less that you're a passionate Blue. Whatever happened to impartiality?

I could go on, but it seems that Ro-Ro (hes a Bombers fan don't ya know?) has missed giving the AFL a whack for handing out so many media passes to nuffies who have NFI.

I'm right with you on this one. The AFL is merely an arm of the sponsors. The chief sponsor is the media headed by the TV. They have set up the extraordinary media ethos 24/7 so that the games are virtually secondary to the media. The TV now controlls the fixturing. etc etc. That's what happens when one looses sight of the values that underly a competition. I'll right my book on this topic one day I'm retired