A former Melbourne sponsor says a senior Demons official boasted about securing top two draft picks

[Demon Disciple 12,152]

Boasting about draft picks, well FMD. When in a position to gain a high draft pick, it obviously means your team has had a lousy year. The high draft pick would be one of the very few highlights of the year.

How dare we try and be positive with the hope that said high draft pick will help gain us a good player. What else are we going to hang our hat on, in such a crap year.

Edited November 6, 2012 by Demon Disciple

[Dr. Gonzo 24,225]

who is the sponsor?

is it energy watch?

I doubt it - EnergyWatch only came on board in late 2011.

[Guest]

You know.... I don't mind the bit about being happy about draft picks. It's the sentence, 'We made sure that happened.' that is mind bogglingly stupid. I am not sure what the context was and it isn't definitive proof of any malfeasance but for crying out loud, these blokes weren't just supplying the rope to hang themselves, they seemed intent on building the scaffold and trap door as well!

[Guest José Mourinho]

You know.... I don't mind the bit about being happy about draft picks. It's the sentence, 'We made sure that happened.' that is mind bogglingly stupid. I am not sure what the context was and it isn't definitive proof of any malfeasance but for crying out loud, these blokes weren't just supplying the rope to hang themselves, they seemed intent on building the scaffold and trap door as well!

Firstly, it indicates past tense.

So you'd logically assume it was after we'd acquired the priority pick.

We actually have been given no timing for the comment, so it could have easily been made to a company like Energy Watch in 2011 when discussing the acquisition of Scully & Trengove.

This would have been after an initial investigation in which the club was cleared - why would anyone expect the AFL to do an about-face and scrutinise us even more heavily?

Secondly, it wasn't an admission under oath before a court of law.

It was an off the cuff remark, by an unnamed club "official".

There is no specification as to which match, or any specific events - it is a vague blanket statement.

This is hardly rope to hang anyone, as much as the papers would like it to be.

Thirdly, this "official" could've been the assistant events coordinator, or the merchandise manager at the Demons Shop.

We have no reason to believe otherwise.

There is no indication it was someone who had authority or definitively knew what was at play in those games in question.

For all we know (and it is likely) this person made the value judgment that it appears better to have been crafty in acquiring the first 2 picks, rather than admitting to a sponsor that we really are a putrid side and couldn't win despite trying our hardest.

Lastly, when no other team (who had clearly engineered results for draft picks) had been subjected to a thorough investigation, there was no reason to suspect we would be the focus of one that lasted months and involved ex-UN interrogators. It is without precedent.

[rpfc 28,482]

I will tell you what is ridiculous - the people (Ralph) saying that we tanked in Rd 22 2009 against the Saints.

I went to that game and sat with a few mates, one a Saint. I made a half arsed joke about Jurrah going off early in that game and was shot down by my mate with a derisory "like your a chance, rpfc. Pffft!"

And he was right.

But now we are tanking that game?! These same people ridiculed how bad we were and now we are 'engineering' results against the best (almost) team in the league?

[Guest José Mourinho]

I love the pre-game odds for that match (posted earlier in this thread, I think).

Something like St Kilda $1.02 for the win.