But has she got it right?

Just remember, the more times she gets it wrong the sillier both she and Fanbob look.

Expert advice.

But has she got it right?

Just remember, the more times she gets it wrong the sillier both she and Fanbob look.

She has to get it right because she lets us know what's going on and that's why we (fan) love her so much...

I trust the club won't be agreeing to any fine.

$500 k provides a pretty good defence to a charge that will make the AFL look like the amateurs they are.

I'd kick in $1000 for a defense but I won't be giving any coin for a fine. If the board roll on this after saying they would fight it, they can pay the fine.

I find it disturbing that the club has not been told. No official announcement from the AFL. Yet there is an article on the AFL website with the finer details of the outcomes. Seriously the whole thin is a bloody circus.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-02-15/demons-face-500k-tanking-fine-reports

Shrugging in disbelief...

Evidence that a finding like the one reported would jeapordise polkie licences please?

Well, if the fine is attached to a ruling that directly impugns our integrity - the VCGLR will kick off their own investigation. I have first hand knowledge of this problem as I outline here:

http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/32440-afl-investigation/page-92?hl=vcglr#entry685421

If we do agree to any deal, we have to be well aware of the ramifications of admitting culpability as a club.

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

Shrugging in disbelief...

agreed

and the afl site reporter has the temerity to say "according to a report in The Age." and "McLachlan was unavailable for comment at the time of writing"

has journalism gone completely to the dogs.

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

She is rather gleeful.

I hope 'the reports' are inaccurate really. I don't like the way she reflects the Unoffical Defence - a defence I assume she got from this website...

Well, if the fine is attached to a ruling that directly impugns our integrity - the VCGLR will kick off their own investigation. I have first hand knowledge of this problem as I outline here:

http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?/topic/32440-afl-investigation/page-92?hl=vcglr#entry685421

If we do agree to any deal, we have to be well aware of the ramifications of admitting culpability as a club.

maybe the will have a commercial-in-confidence agreement and apply the gag LOL

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

I notice CW has shifted the articles perspective to:

"On Wednesday WE reported that Melbourne had run its unofficial defence upon five lines.

WE also stated that there seemed to be no doubt in anyone's mind any more that the club worked to lose games of football in 2009."

You can almost sense her sidling towards the door so she can start throwing rocks from the safety of the street.

agreed

and the afl site reporter has the temerity to say "according to a report in The Age." and "McLachlan was unavailable for comment at the time of writing"

has journalism gone completely to the dogs.

The AFL is following the lead of the NFL and NBA with a more independent media division. So they are just another 'tabloid' on this stuff now.

agreed

and the afl site reporter has the temerity to say "according to a report in The Age." and "McLachlan was unavailable for comment at the time of writing"

has journalism gone completely to the dogs.

Honestly how can that happen....

It has been reported that the afl (us) have made this determination re the dees tanking bizo and this is the penalty but we are not available for comment.

WTF is going on there!!

My god, a balanced article. I liked David S's comments, particulary:

"This is such a hard decision for the AFL. This would have gone to court. Melbourne doesn't have to pay for legal representatives, because it has more lawyers than supporters."

Former Melbourne star David Schwarz yesterday told the Herald Sun a negotiated settlement would save the league from significant fallout.

"This is such a hard decision for the AFL. This would have gone to court. Melbourne doesn't have to pay for legal representatives, because it has more lawyers than supporters.

"This looks like the sensible thing. They are acknowledging there is probably smoke, but not enough proof there was fire. Let it be a lesson to all of us that the rules put in place weren't conducive to sides finishing as high as high as they could. The AFL incentivised mediocrity, and history says we can't go back there.

"Deep down we all felt there were several clubs over eight years that didn't try 100 per cent 100 per cent of the time. The players tried, but I am glad this has come out, so it's not just an untold story hidden under the carpet.

"The AFL would realise if they penalised Melbourne hard they would have to go after other sides, and they don't have the resources or energy to do that."

My sentiments exactly.

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

To quote Nelson Muntz...

Ha Ha

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

The harpie just won't stop.

Former Melbourne star David Schwarz yesterday told the Herald Sun a negotiated settlement would save the league from significant fallout.

"This is such a hard decision for the AFL. This would have gone to court. Melbourne doesn't have to pay for legal representatives, because it has more lawyers than supporters.

"This looks like the sensible thing. They are acknowledging there is probably smoke, but not enough proof there was fire. Let it be a lesson to all of us that the rules put in place weren't conducive to sides finishing as high as high as they could. The AFL incentivised mediocrity, and history says we can't go back there.

"Deep down we all felt there were several clubs over eight years that didn't try 100 per cent 100 per cent of the time. The players tried, but I am glad this has come out, so it's not just an untold story hidden under the carpet.

"The AFL would realise if they penalised Melbourne hard they would have to go after other sides, and they don't have the resources or energy to do that."

My sentiments exactly.

I think the Ox has summed it up very well there. The 7 month investigation means the AFL must sanction us in some way, and I think if it gets a resolution we will be prepared to cop some kind if penalty as long as it doesn't cripple us.

We will always be bitter that we're the only team that the AFL decided to go after though.

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

Definitely softened in that article, but if she had any dignity she would admit that McLardy was fully entitled and correct to respond in the manner he did. This "unofficial" nonsense warranted response. She can't admit to that, and won't, because that's just how Caro operates.

Oh how much I despise Caroline Wilson, I won't read her articles any more as I won't listen to our lady PM - I change channels immediately or mute.If the AFL offer the club a fine of even one dollar, reject it and tell them we will see them in court, they don't have the evidence and all they are doing is trying to save face on a subject that they should have not even pursued, we'll not against the MFC alone. If they wished to pursue this they should have looked at another half a dozen clubs that have done what the Dees have done, and is what they have done legal but what the Dees have done illegal ?. The AFL made the rules and when the clubs took advantage of them they had to have a scapegoat and we are copping the brunt. If the members of the board and the President read this site lets hope they take advice from us and tell the AFL what they can do with their results of their investigation.

STAND TALL DEES AND LET US OVERCOME

The harpie just won't stop.

She is basically claiming the AFL has deliberately leaked its decision prior to handing it down

The ACC would be very nervous entering into any agreement to share confidential info with this mob

this is not to say i agree she has got it right, but that this is what she is effectively saying

Some random thoughts:

Gary Lyon completely blew it. Way too emotional and also too aggressive. Crossed the line by some margin and i think he knew it. CW was understandably in fight or flight and as she was stuck there was always going have defensive body language (eg crossing the arms). Also ensured there could be no intelligent discussion. Made for very uncomfortable viewing.

How no one mentioned that the suggestion players deliberately fumbled was in fact in the newspapers beggars belief (some posters said GL did say it but he actually said it was in the report). Who is briefing these people?

Speaking of crossing the line. Quite a few demonland posters have crossed the line with their personal insults of CW. Sure critically analyse her articles, even slam them but all this with witch, shrew (and the rest) business is pathetic. Whoever the poster was that said they would be happy if she died should be ashamed of themselves (even with the rider) and i hoped has been banned or suspended.

I suspect her latest article (which by the by is a good straight forward article) is the product of a strategic leak from the AFL to both papers given it largely is the same info as in John Ralph's Hun article. I guess the idea is to prepare the public for an outcome that doesn't involve throwing the book at us.

All this palaver about us fighting the good fight, standing our ground, going to war, not accepting any compromise blah, blah blah is tiresome in the extreme. I tell you all the DL critics of the board would have every reason to slam them if they don't find a reasonable negotiated outcome that means we avoid court.

And to end my rant. The idea that a negotiated settlement means we will forever be tainted as cheats is so stupid it gives me a headache just reading it. The only intelligent comment about the the issue the other night on FC was from Hutchy and was along the lines of get the deal done and get on with the season. Even without the drug scandal no one would have thought us any different to 5-6 other clubs who did the same thing (ie list managed to improve draft position).

For gods sake there is Carlton game that will forever be called the Kruezer cup! But with the drug scandal - which will drag on for much longer than the tanking investigation - this whole thing will be buried and forgotten. Do the deal and lets get on with it. $500k ? Cheap at twice the price. Connoly suspended from being in a footy position? As several media people have pointed out he isn't in one atm so who cares? (by the by what no one in the media has pointed out is that was a very clever move by the board). Of course he won't be pleased but its big business and they play rough. He knows that - he's been a senior coach fcs.

Get the deal done.

Edit: the article i refer to above is not the opinion piece that has just gone up. That's made my headache worse!

She's now just talking for talking's sake in her latest rant. I truly believe she can't handle being talked about in the wrong fashion. The way she's 'gone after' certain people in the footy world suggests she's had 'run ins' with them. Pays everyone back in her columns.

Read too much of her scribblings and your IQ levels drop rapidly. She's claiming victory on something that hasn't been finalised yet. Preaching to the masses like some sort of demigod. How can she possibly be taken seriously with her limited football knowledge.

We've got a gossip columnist as a chief football writer - it beggars belief how this can happen.

interesting that under AFL rules we have to prove innocence.

in a court of law we are innocent until proven guilty.

totally wrong way around.

under caro law we are guilty because she says so - and the worst thing is, even when/if we get off, everyone will still THINK we are guilty because of her.

mcclardys "angry" response? id say it was calm and measured. and to the point.

Muck-up to be a stain on Demons

The timing of this article, combined with the effort she's put in (obvious by the length of said article) shows this is purely a personal fight for CW, and those type of extremely emotion (or pride) driven opinion pieces are usually a sign of the beginning of the end for a journo's career.

Really surprised The Age has let her continue her personal war, although as many have mentioned they have certainly changed direction in recent times.

eg crossing the arms)..

Watched the abbreviated version, but can't stand to watch again. She definitely crossed her arms, but then I think she actually denied that she had.

That just makes her a plain liar in the most ridiculous of ways,

She's now just talking for talking's sake in her latest rant. I truly believe she can't handle being talked about in the wrong fashion. The way she's 'gone after' certain people in the footy world suggests she's had 'run ins' with them. Pays everyone back in her columns.

Read too much of her scribblings and your IQ levels drop rapidly. She's claiming victory on something that hasn't been finalised yet. Preaching to the masses like some sort of demigod. How can she possibly be taken seriously with her limited football knowledge.

We've got a gossip columnist as a chief football writer - it beggars belief how this can happen.

The queen of the AFL has passed her Reign by date. And missed the date & the dinner.

I'm surprised Queen Wilson didn't march alongside Brock mcLean in the gay pride march down Fitzroy st.

Time for another Journo with Integrity to rise to the occaision.

RIP fairfax.