Caroline Wilson's descent into gutter journalism

[hardtack 10,537]

There was an AGM last night?

[Lucifers Hero 39,819]

Schwab, McLardy and Connolly. Better start making arrangements to clear your offices.

I wonder what the recently departed former leadership group have to say about all this?

They became the fallguys for the inept recruiting, development, coaching and administration. Would include Junior, Bruce and a few high potential players just lost in the fallguy category.

[diesel 420]

Morally, we won that match against the tigers she was talking about.

In front at the final siren only to be done by the only straight kick Jordan McMahon did that day.

What part of that game suggests we tanked?

It's bulltish. The players were trying to win that day. tanking would have to prove corroboration at all levels.

I was there that day, not cheering at the siren but rather incredulous at the ridiculous position we were in (i.e. you loose, you win). In essence the AFL and their inaction on teams that went before us is to blame.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

The other thing is the question of what weight do you put on the evidence of coaches and players, some of who are now former employees who might not have left the club in happy circumstances? Were their actions sanctioned by clear instructions from club officials or were they acting off their own bats in the belief that they were seeking the best outcome? I note while the article says "league investigators re-interviewed several players and coaches", it does not indicate whether club officials or administrators have been interviewed.

If a key official (no not Brock) was prepared to sign a stat dec and his statements align with questionable actions on field then its trouble.

Whichever way this plays out, I suspect that heads will roll including possibly some high up and some of the witnesses themselves might also be in a spot of bother. If any of the coaches have admitted to involvement in tanking, I think they can kiss goodbye to their careers. One also can't dismiss the possibility of this playing itself out in a court of law if Melbourne finds itself punished hard for something that might have happened 3½ years ago.

This will apply to some club officials if found guilty.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Melbourne v Carlton - round 22, 2007 is the clearest example of tanking in any game in which I've ever seen the MFC participate.

You missed the Richmond game then?

We've traded all our draft picks away anyway. What are they gonna take off us?

Pick 4 and future drafts if found guilty.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

And surely you'd have to be worried about the prospects of winning any case in which Brock McLean was your key witness.

If MFC are found guilty then it will be on better evidence that McLean.

[GolfBoyPro 43]

Did we tank = definately. (Stick your head back in the sand if you think we didn't)

Argument that we won game against tiges with kick after siren = we would have lost to freo a few games later if mcmahon had missed

What stinks = All the other clubs that have tanked before us but we seem to cop the shite for it

[jabberwocky 2,301]

I would plead guilty on the terms that we would be stripped of our Pick number 4 in the 2007 draft.

[John Crow Batty 8,864]

In these kind of situations witnesses even though they may be collaborators tend to get off lightly or receive outright amnesty if they provide the required evidence to single out the main culprits.

[Jonesbag 487]

Can we angry mob outside the age headquarters?

Lets riot

[Face Your Demons 175]

The truth about Tanking has to be how fast a club turns it around the next year. West Coast anyone.

[Guest fitness]

Don't blame Caro writing this story. It's a solid story and obviously newsworthy. Blame the AFL for actually continuing to pursue such a farcical investigation, particularly in light of their admission that the system was flawed (evident by their changing of the priority pick rules at the start of this season).

Here's a more recent analogy for you (there are hundreds of examples): When Dani Pedrosa fell off his bike at Phillip Island on Sunday, Jorge Lorenzo knew that all he needed to do in order to win the 2012 Championship was not to fall off. So he decided that attempting not to pass Casey Stoner and not win the race was his best course of action for his long-term goal. So he didn't try to win. And in the end, he won

[beelzebub 23,377]

Don't blame Caro writing this story. It's a solid story and obviously newsworthy. Blame the AFL for actually continuing to pursue such a farcical investigation, particularly in light of their admission that the system was flawed (evident by their changing of the priority pick rules at the start of this season).

Here's a more recent analogy for you (there are hundreds of examples): When Dani Pedrosa fell off his bike at Phillip Island on Sunday, Jorge Lorenzo knew that all he needed to do in order to win the 2012 Championship was not to fall off. So he decided that attempting not to pass Casey Stoner and not win the race was his best course of action for his long-term goal. So he didn't try to win. And in the end, he won

solid story...get real...full of holes and inaccuracies.... Solid as sh!t !!

funny she regurgitates this vomit the minute a bad press story comes out of Richmond...Aaron says hello Caro

[brey9186 102]

Her hatred for CS blinds her vision sometimes

[beelzebub 23,377]

sometimes ??

[olisik 4,060]

We have just lost about 9 players off our list. Do you think that perhaps 1 or more of them decided to speak up since they were no longer on the list?

Bate? Moloney? Petterd?....Morton?

Edited October 29, 2012 by olisik

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,786]

Melbourne v Carlton - round 22, 2007 is the clearest example of tanking in any game in which I've ever seen the MFC participate.

Pity it was Carlton that tanked it though.

As a result, we got Cale Morton with pick 4. Carlton managed to get Kreuzer AND Judd.

Straighten up Ms Wilson - you strike me as not particularly astute. Bring some balance to your reporting - at present, it's far too inductive.

People may say she's an okay AFL journalist, but let's face it - sports journalism in this country sets a pretty low bar. In fact, I find the standard of all journalism to be depressingly bad in this country, but AFL journalism sets lows that make the weather systems over New York at the moment look like they might bring reasonably clear skies.

Are you suggesting we've already been punished enough?

[beelzebub 23,377]

The truth about tanking is there is NO tanking. There are practices to benefit your list, there are practices and strategies to 'experiment' and expose your weaknesses, but this can be argued as a legitimate fact finding exercise. if you arent up for a September gig there are no rules,. There is NO one way to play the game.

Of all people even Vlad understands the vagaries implied and utilised to further your position. its called tactics. People simply fail to want to understand the game is a season, indeed seasons, not just a singularity in isolation. BOOKIES might think that way but personally f#*k them !! its not about them.

There are far too many subtleties to the game that unless there is a clear directive, an unmistakable instruction or clear cut ruse then the reality is its all fair game.

There is but one real goal..The premiership and youre surely entitled to do what you can and must to position yourself for the best shot at it.

Some people just dont get so much is sometimes scares me.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,786]

There is a germ of a new and possibly damaging story in Caro's article. She refers to a meeting occurring at which something relevant to tanking might have been discussed. If that meeting existed and was not disclosed to the AFL during the previous investigation there is a secondary but important issue of the club failing to be honest with the AFL. As Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton both found out, it's not necessarily the initial action which can bring you undone - it's being caught out lying later on. Nevertheless, there are a few 'ifs' to be resolved first...did such a meeting happen? was it relevant to tanking? if it happened, did we not mention it, or worse, did we deny it took place?

[stinga81 210]

I don't see why they're is any angst against Caro here. As some posters have already posted when writes on a situation/issue she usually has a pretty good handle on it and has some facts on it.

We all know we tanked. Everyone knows we tanked!

We all know Carlton, Collingwood etc tanked.

The only reason why we're being investigated is because we have past players/coaches/admin staff that might have been burnt at the Club therefore have no reason to stick fat by us. They couldn't care less if they put us in the shite..

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

We have just lost about 9 players off our list. Do you think that perhaps 1 or more of them decided to speak up since they were no longer on the list?

Bate? Moloney? Petterd?....Morton?

Not enough to be the smoking gun. Look to the coaching panel or senior executives.

The truth about tanking is there is NO tanking. ...Some people just dont get so much is sometimes scares me.

Me too. Its just a pity that the truth may be different than what you want it to be.

[Mac7 309]

I would expect that if there are sanctions handed out the the MFC over this BS that we will end up in court. That is real court not the AFL's Kangaroo Court!!

There is no way we should feel the brunt of any 'statements' being made by the AFL without not only undeniable solid evidence that we were guilty, but also that we are alone in the past decade of similar actions.

[dees189227 12,394]

The way this year has been going i wouldnt be surpised if we get a punishment. But you cannot base the tanking on the richmond game. WE were winning with 2 seconds to go. I still maintain the siren went before Jordans mark. ALso you cant say the supporters were cheering when the goal went through. The fans are different from the players.

Also whats wrong with players in different positions. Clearly its called experimentation. YOu want to know if they can play in different roles. geez did we tank this year because we played Rivers and GAland up foward.

Also was Brian Royal part of the coaching staff then? Has he been interviewed because he is the only assistant left.

[reynolds46 1,250]

I would expect that if there are sanctions handed out the the MFC over this BS that we will end up in court. That is real court not the AFL's Kangaroo Court!!

I think the AFL know that this is a distinct possibility and therefore nothing will come out of it

[nutbean 8,838]

We have just lost about 9 players off our list. Do you think that perhaps 1 or more of them decided to speak up since they were no longer on the list?

Bate? Moloney? Petterd?....Morton?

And say what ? I would not be as bold to suggest that a "strategy" was not discussed at the highest level and even with Bailey. But I cannot believe that Bailey would have told players not to win or try. Unless players heard something of that nature from the coaching staff then what they have to say is as interesting as what Brock said - " geez no one said tanking but some of the positional moves were funny". Yet more opinions with no foundation.

(I repeat - I would not dismiss that a strategy on how to get top picks into the club was discussed at the higher levels - just not with the players)