Caroline Wilson's descent into gutter journalism

[Northern Summer 292]

I am not just saying this because I barrack for the club, but the AFL will be making a very big mistake if it decides to impose draft penalties on Melbourne. The club has been a basket-case for want of a better word for the past 6 years. By imposing draft penalties will only ensure this continues, and in reality, will not do anybody any good. All it effectively does is punish the supporters - those who made the bright decision to 'tank' are still getting paid hefty salaries whether from Melbourne or another club now. They are in it as a business, so it doesn't really matter to them.

The only real option the AFL has is to clean out the administrators at the club that were around and had a bearing in these decisions back in 2009, so if that includes CS, CS and even JH, so be it.

Irrespective of what penalty the AFL imposes, I think Melbourne would have a fairly strong case if pursued through the courts, particularly because the AFL firstly is guilty of a lack of action years ago when this occurred, as well as not paying proper due diligence to other serious claims made at other clubs, particularly those claims by Liberatore and Wallace.

[BIG JIM 508]

Hells Gates can u please tell us what the players are thinking about all this?

I do understand if your cant mate cheers.

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

no your answer was an AFL stooge. I am talking about an elected board.

Why don't you share your own thoughts on the matter?

Frankly, the Board of the local Girl Guides chapter could probably do a better job than the current lot so I am not sure what difference it makes.

Howcroft and the other suits should have put a stop to things and taken over already. Unfortunately it seems he lacked the cojones and it is too late for them now. Although I'll admit that it would not have been a easy task to go up against the popular appeal of a dying cult hero and his friends so I can sort of understand it.

[Sir Why You Little 34,615]

Why don't you share your own thoughts on the matter?

Frankly, the Board of the local Girl Guides chapter could probably do a better job than the current lot so I am not sure what difference it makes.

Howcroft and the other suits should have put a stop to things and taken over already. Unfortunately it seems he lacked the cojones and it is too late for them now. Although I'll admit that it would not have been a easy task to go up against the popular appeal of a dying cult hero and his friends so I can sort of understand it.

i am not talking about anyone from the current board because of the same reasons you bring up.

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

i am not talking about anyone from the current board because of the same reasons you bring up.

So who are you talking about?

[stuie 7,374]

Keep up the good work. Nice to see balance to all the headbanging and denial around here. I truly hope the club does not get punished but the exit movement at the top has to happen or we will never move forward. We have only heard half the story so far.

Yet you're constantly calling for Schwab's head.... Hope you can see the hypocrisy in what you've written.

[Sir Why You Little 34,615]

So who are you talking about?

i am not sure who is out there tbh. That's why i asked you?

If you don't know, fine.

[dees189227 10,871]

So who is going to listen to venom denham tomorrow morning? I think I will give hm a miss.

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,078]

Not that I am in any way condoning this, but the best of tanking would have been to take all the players to a pub, get them [censored] and then suspend them for inappropriate behaviour...

[Norm Smith's Curse 2,078]

So who is going to listen to venom denham tomorrow morning? I think I will give hm a miss.

'That club's players, administrators and ever member of that club should be hung, drawn and quartered.' - count how many times you hear the word rabble...

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

i am not sure who is out there tbh. That's why i asked you?

If you don't know, fine.

I could suggest some worthy candidates but let's be honest, as soon as I did they would lose the support of most people on Demonland so it wouldn't make sense for me to name anyone who I would actually want to win. (Which is part of the reason why I think the whole agenda accusations thing is stupid).

If you think I am part of some conspiracy involving pre-selected candidates in the wings or something then I am sorry to disappoint you.

But as I said earlier, I'm not sure what difference it makes. Any change would be an improvement.

[dees189227 10,871]

I suspect the media will turn up to our training seesion tomorrow.

[rjay 23,932]

Currently Neeld has a millstone around his neck from the ugly pre 186 politics. He bought in to Schwab's game when he removed the old player leadership and put in junior players in their place. So hairbrained that it could only be a Schwab initiiative. And we told they were elected by their peers. He's backed himself into a corner.

I don't agree with you on Neeld and believe the reason the old leadership were moved on is simply because they weren't good enough not just as leaders but as players to take this club forward. Results of the last 5 years would bare that out.

I do want CS & CC out of the club as I feel they will always be divisive and attract bad news like a lighting rod. I think the board have been derelict in their duties and should be held to account.

Because I want Schwab and Connelly out doesn't make me part of any secret agenda or group or anything but someone who believes whole heatedly that they are bad for the club.

I don't agree with the view that we should support people who have screwed our club at this time in the name of stability, this view has been made at other times over the last year and a bit and all it has done is create more instability and I'm sick of it.

I think our best option is for the AFL to step in and appoint an administrator to defuse the vindictive attacks on us and create a breathing space to allow the FD time to do what they do without all the drama that has surrounded it since they have been appointed and let the players play. Sorry but democratic has us in nowhere land at the moment, I wouldn't trust any of our supporter group to step up at this time but hope once things settle the right people will become obvious to all.

It will also let us get back to supporting the club and getting back to normal football arguments like should Clarke spend more time in the ruck should we pick Wines or O'Rourke, all the good stuff that people who support normal clubs do.

[daisycutter 28,612]

Don't think we will have Wednesday Whiteboard in 2013 - think the author maybe unemployed...

could be expensive jcb - 2 years of contract to pay out and no option of trading

[pantaloons 2,019]

I suspect the media will turn up to our training seesion tomorrow.

Hopefully Neeld turns up in a tank and steamrolls them all.

[binman 38,616]

Sorry, but I disagree.

Natural justice is required in adminstrative (ie government) and criminal law. The AFL is a public company limited by guarantee, and the same rules apply to it as any other corporation. On what basis is the AFL bound to give anybody what is being called 'natural justice'?

I'm happy to stand corrected if, for example, the licences granted to the clubs actually state this, but I don't think it is legally correct.

I'm not talking about natural justice. What i'm saying is that we would have legal redress if any sanction is manifestly unfair or based on poor evidence. That's to say we could sue them or seek a court injunction. This one of the reasons the AFL has been so wary of issues such as restraint of trade when it comes to the draft.

[Sir Why You Little 34,615]

I could suggest some worthy candidates but let's be honest, as soon as I did they would lose the support of most people on Demonland so it wouldn't make sense for me to name anyone who I would actually want to win. (Which is part of the reason why I think the whole agenda accusations thing is stupid).

If you think I am part of some conspiracy involving pre-selected candidates in the wings or something then I am sorry to disappoint you.

But as I said earlier, I'm not sure what difference it makes. Any change would be an improvement.

no i am over agendas to be honest. I was being straight. We all need to sort this out.

You could be anyone Hazy, like me. You do seem to be on the back foot a lot in here which is why people are wary. But that is your right.

[rjay 23,932]

could be expensive jcb - 2 years of contract to pay out and no option of trading

...and what a laughable decision that was. Will bring stability to the club, pigs....look at it now.

[BarnDee 287]

no i am over agendas to be honest. I was being straight. We all need to sort this out.

You could be anyone Hazy, like me. You do seem to be on the back foot a lot in here which is why people are wary. But that is your right.

hey the bloody pair of ya open a thread just for you two will ya i am trying to keep up with all this , your little [censored] fight is making it a bit hard , bugger off the pair of ya meow scratch meow , , ffs give it a break ,

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Caroline Wilson has just written another article. I'm mobile so hard to do a link, but again she has provided nothing new, or no evidence.

She's still flogging the "vault" horse.

[Lucifers Hero 37,179]

This is the latest article where she comments on things of interest in this thread. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/we-tried-to-stop-tanking-20121031-28kea.html

[Supermercado 2,617]

This is the latest article where she comments on things of interest in this thread. http://www.theage.co...1031-28kea.html

Apparently we've got pick 1 and 2. Will come as a surprise to GWS.

Also according to this article we delisted Gysberts, which will be news to North.

It's not to say that the main event of the article isn't correct but I find it hard not to think she's embellishing it a bit.

[John Crow Batty 8,266]

I don't agree with you on Neeld and believe the reason the old leadership were moved on is simply because they weren't good enough not just as leaders but as players to take this club forward. Results of the last 5 years would bare that out.

I do want CS & CC out of the club as I feel they will always be divisive and attract bad news like a lighting rod. I think the board have been derelict in their duties and should be held to account.

Because I want Schwab and Connelly out doesn't make me part of any secret agenda or group or anything but someone who believes whole heatedly that they are bad for the club.

I don't agree with the view that we should support people who have screwed our club at this time in the name of stability, this view has been made at other times over the last year and a bit and all it has done is create more instability and I'm sick of it.

I think our best option is for the AFL to step in and appoint an administrator to defuse the vindictive attacks on us and create a breathing space to allow the FD time to do what they do without all the drama that has surrounded it since they have been appointed and let the players play. Sorry but democratic has us in nowhere land at the moment, I wouldn't trust any of our supporter group to step up at this time but hope once things settle the right people will become obvious to all.

It will also let us get back to supporting the club and getting back to normal football arguments like should Clarke spend more time in the ruck should we pick Wines or O'Rourke, all the good stuff that people who support normal clubs do.

By saying he has millstone around his neck I mean the current administration. I believe Neeld has been thrust into a very difficult situation and his inexperience as a senior coach does not help. He may have been briefed to see things their way on his appointment. Some of his early media performances were quite cringeworthy and some of his tactics on the field are indeed puzzling. I'm sure he himself would say he could have approached and done some things differently in hindsight. He is not the unbreakable superman who some here seem to think he is. Thats why I abstained from that silly RangeRover poll. I'd like to see him coach unencumbered by the ongoing politics to see if he can really coach or not. And I agree we need an impartial administrator to come in to help get this club on its feet and in the meantime to help sort out this unholy mess.

[FireUp 67]

We need to be like Melbourne Storm fans and show that the fans remain loyal to the club. We may not like what had happened and I will never cheer a loss.

[PaulRB 5,974]

This is starting to make more sense of our recent history, including 186 the player schism and issues with CC and CS...

Perhaps this is part the cancerous culture that we need to fully address and eradicate from the club in order to move on.

Is Caro taking us on a cathartic journey deep into the heart of the MFC?

Edited October 31, 2012 by PaulRB