Jon Ralph reports in today's HUN that the Melbourne tanking probe is to drag on longer, with February linked to possible outcome

So the long running saga continues into 2013 as the AFL's intrepid investigators search dustbins and aging computer records to add to their smelly collection of red herrings while the Demons continue to defend their name in the face of a tedious Inquisition that must surely be setting sporting records.

In fact, Melbourne now features on both sides of the ledger as far as VFL/AFL records for time wasting are concerned. Back in 1987 it took a nanosecond for umpire Howlett to blow the whistle and penalise the late Jim Stynes for that offence. The current AFL inquisition commenced on July 31 and, based on the information in Ralph's article, will have wasted six months of the AFL's time and substantial resources before it winds down and dies a natural death.

During that time, the Melbourne Football Club will have turned over 15 players - a third of its list and former player Brock McLean, who started all this, will probably be President of the Carlton Football Club.

Sounds to me like there got no evidence, 5 months into an investigation and no charges laid, these cronies at HQ need to be replaced, there skating on thin ice.

this is getting beyond ridiculous! like the other thread says, either charge us or drop the investigation!

It will continue until at least February assuming that they will charge us and bring us before the AFL Commission. They can drop the investigation any time they like, which I think will be relatively soon.

Edited December 10, 201212 yr by Good Times Grimes

So basically John Ralph reports that the AFL did not mention the Melbourne "tanking" investigation at their meeting, therefore he just assumes the investigation is still ongoing.

Cool story, John.

Starting to remind me of that old film 'Ace in the hole'.

Much of all this is simply being driven by media hyhenas who've got big tickets on themselves !!

Starting to remind me of that old film 'Ace in the hole'.

Much of all this is simply being driven by media hyhenas who've got big tickets on themselves !!

You mean there are some that don't!

I am reminded of that saying

"Justice delayed is justice denied"

I am reminded of that saying

"Justice delayed is justice denied"

the Spanish Inquisition officially lasted 354 years, so it is early days yet :-)

Edited December 10, 201212 yr by monoccular

A non-story.

Headline should have read "AFL COmmission next meets in February" Full stop. All of the other crap is simply filling space.

IGNORE.

the Spanish Inquisition officially lasted 354 years, so it is early days yet :-)

lol

You mean there are some that don't!

Flanagan, Quayle....umm.... ummm... ( gee that didnt take long ....... to run out of names..lol )

Flanagan, Quayle....umm.... ummm... ( gee that didnt take long ....... to run out of names..lol )

Sorry bb I cannot add to the list

School holidays end in February.

No big story. The MFC would have got a wiff by now

Have heard Ralph say on radio that we must get a belting...

"With what Jon?"

Dipstick...

I read that article as saying that if we are to be penalised those penalties won't be handed down until Feb, but I go the impression they can talk about the issue at the next meeting and acquit...

I doubt that will happen though...

Considering we already knew that the investigation would go into next year, and the majority of the AFL wouldn't return to mid-late January, it was always quite conceivable that it would stretch into February.

Facile journalism. The "probe" has two parts. One is the investigation being conducted by Brett Clothier and his team. The second is the action which the Commission might choose to take. The second action can only occur after the first is completed and only if the first produces evidence that there is a case to answer. It is quite possible that the first stage has been completed or could be completed any time between now and February. Any proper investigation will be conducted without being linked in any way to scheduled meetings of the Commission.

What Ralph has done is connect the two where no connection actually exists. It's like saying a police criminal investigation has to be completed before the Supreme Court rises for its summer break. What nonsense.

Hmmn, lets see how the CardBoard Kings fight they're way out of a brown paper bag...

Visy row heats up

* IMO, they'll get a finding of same old, same old, steady as she goes.

Once the AFL has got this out of the way, we'll see how even handed they intend to be?

I think they'll square off on the Visy,,, Pre Xmas, So there is distance between the Visy dealings, & our issue.

I think the AFL & the Blue desire is to have us charged, so Blue boys & they're Kreuzer tank can truck on over smooth grounds.

Lets watch this closely.

A non-story.

Headline should have read "AFL COmmission next meets in February" Full stop. All of the other crap is simply filling space.

IGNORE.

I agree Jnr the story IMO pre supposes that we are going to be charged with something.

You only need the Commission sitting if we are going to be charged.

If we are not the AFL can come out and say something at any time.

The whole subject has reached the fasical stage .

Six months with no result what sort of rum mob is the AFL?

School holidays end in February.

No big story. The MFC would have got a wiff by now

Have heard Ralph say on radio that we must get a belting...

"With what Jon?"

Dipstick...

Hey, I reckon a belting with the dipstick could hurt! Whippy little thing like that!

... not to mention you could splatter oil on people, and that would be a [censored] to clean off clothing!

Hey, I reckon a belting with the dipstick could hurt! Whippy little thing like that!

... not to mention you could splatter oil on people, and that would be a [censored] to clean off clothing!

Ralph is a very ordinary reporter. Both in print & on radio spots. Not the worst. But very ordinary.

The above article has about 6 introductory paragraphs but no substance.

Oh of course it is the House of the HUN.

Agree regarding his ability as a reporter.... not a lot of substance.

Caro has gone very quiet on this, and it seems that Jon Ralph has just picked up and trying to make something outta the dregs of it.

I actually used to rate CW a while back, and I thought she was quite good on Footy Classified, but I don't know if I can stomach her this season. If as was speculated they put Lloyd on to replace Grant Thomas,.... the panel will be pretty lightweight indeed.

Agree regarding his ability as a reporter.... not a lot of substance.

Caro has gone very quiet on this, and it seems that Jon Ralph has just picked up and trying to make something outta the dregs of it.

I actually used to rate CW a while back, and I thought she was quite good on Footy Classified, but I don't know if I can stomach her this season. If as was speculated they put Lloyd on to replace Grant Thomas,.... the panel will be pretty lightweight indeed.

This is my dilemma too.

I dislike CW after this year but she does make things interesting.

I was bored with the cricket coverage and lo and behold CW jumped on twitter about Ponting and suddently things were interesting again.

All of this reminds me very much of the adage "Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread "

There is a very good reason why the whole issue of "list management" had been let alone. Its quiksand. Wiser heads at the AFL ( not necessarily cleverer ones, just wise in this instance ) simply realised that once you set of down the path to Tanksville that you would invariably at some point become so immersed in the quagmire that extradition becomes near on impossible. For this reason it was left alone , ne denied for years. There's no problem ( well there is now and its really of our own creation , so no admission there..lol ) What was once a seemingly harmless exercise now had grown into serious use of the end of season ( or for some the whole season ) as a building block , a conduit to rebirthing a team. As with all cultures ( especially those of the Petrie dish variety ) they grow. This one morphed quietly into a monster.

Demteriou realised that the only real way to deal with this was to effectively starve it and let it die away of natural course. Eventually if all carrots were removed then with no attraction teams would move on to other avenues of recourse in reshaping teams and it ( the AFL) would have been spared the agony of dealing with the beast.

As is often the way of things some form of influence and opportunity just becomes so dazzingly attractive to some that they leave all forms of sense at the door and go right on in. The whole "inquisition" was born out of, in my estimation , an opportunity for some to make a name for themselves and in so doing cement their position within an organisation. This someone who , for sake of argument call ...."A" thought he saw gold glittering away in the pan. He ought to have known it was Pyrite after all it had been unearthed by the Queen of Fools herself and abetted by others similarly twisted in their views and with their own barrows of bile and gurge to push.

In his rush to prize the shining morsel he ( "A") forgot to seek counsel. This was to be HIS prize. For surely these scribes wouldnt have published anything if there wasnt some elements of fact even if unsubstantiated. They must be there to validate. Too good to be true he wonders ? Apparently not for the poor demented one is now blind to reason.

As with others who have shown scant regard for wariness and circumspect adherence to such wise ideas as , dont poke the monster, "A" stepped forward and with great fanfare announced the lifting to the lid of Pandoras Box. As with Raiders an d the Ark , once the lid was prised off there were indeed Demons galore but not the type he had been hoping for. These would not be his prize, his trophy, his head upon the platter, they would be his undoing.

The material EVIDENCE to to unequivocally support the media innuendo simply wasnt there to be found. It wasnt there , for it didnt exist. Demetriou knew and understood this. "A" didnt. In his rush to judgement he tripped over himself and even then took scant notice of those who would rush to his help, for they were also impotent.

This crusade will eventually come to nought. It will because it has to. There are any number of reasons why, some go to politics, some to ego, some go to the powers that be wresting control back form the insurgents. The greatest reason , however is quite simple. The journey was always aboard a Ghost Train fueled by myth and story. Like all great myths it starts from a misunderstanding then grows into 'certaintly' as others give credence by way of adding layers to help themselves.

What some thought was tanking was a reflection of their own prejudices. Just as the 'roar of the sea' when listening to a conch is nothing more than the sound of one's own bloody rushing internally , so is this inquisition nothing more than the self serving of those with private agendas..

Of course it came as no surprise to Demetriou when Andersen tendered his recognition having fallen upon a sword as the sword was most conveniently left by Demetriou for him to do so.

The Crusade has now become not much more than a lost and riderless horse whose days are spent wandering aimlessly and ineffectually nibbling here and there in the blind hope of stumbling upon the fabled cluster of clover, the Lassiters Reef of proof.

The poor beast will follow its rider into ether in time.

Nice read BB.

I had the theme to Indiana Jones going through my head as I read that.... but sadly seeing "A' with a the Hat and Whip didn't quite match the image of "A" couriering a few lattes and a Muffin for .... lets call him "D'.

You might be drawing a little bit of a long bow, I think I could see more substance to this if "A" in falling on his sword was leaving effective immediately, rather than staying on until a replacement is found, that could mean he is still here for a few months yet.

But I reckon there are a few truths in there nonetheless.