Surely we will be hearing from the AFL very soon. I'm inclined to think they will be harsh for they have to make a statement about the notion of tanking. I think they expect a fight and will even be happy if the outcome is watered down. But to begin with they have to sound tough, that is their way.

I expect our board to fight for our innocence or at least having team managed in a way that has been common league culture for as long as I can remember (lets say 55 years- I'm now 65).

To put it succinctly, I expect the Board to throw absolutely everything at them. This is our line in the sand moment. This is the equivalent of our premiership fight. It is the beginning of our new era, 'our no holds barred' moment. We will no longer be Mr Nice guy. Noone pushes us around. We'll kick sand in anyones face. This is our culture moment. We know what we stand for, we stand for the Melbourne Football Club

Yes its a new tanking thread, but specifically your chance to pass on your message to the board.

Lets get a thousand comments before our first NAB cup game.

GO DEES

Surely we will be hearing from the AFL very soon. I'm inclined to think they will be harsh for they have to make a statement about the notion of tanking. I think they expect a fight and will even be happy if the outcome is watered down. But to begin with they have to sound tough, that is their way.

...

Do they?

I thought the statement had been made by their very investigation into the allegations, and the removal of priority picks.

I don't see why a lot of people think the AFL need to show something.

For whose benefit?

Who on earth would they be fooling?

Pity it's a lie. It's pretty obvious we wanted to lose.

We should not defend a lie.

The admin, coaches and supporters wanted to lose, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. Let's not delude ourselves.

Our only defense is that the players played to win, and that the afl encouraged losses with their stupid priority picks.

Lesson learned by everyone, let's just move on.

Pity it's a lie. It's pretty obvious we wanted to lose.

We should not defend a lie.

The admin, coaches and supporters wanted to lose, I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. Let's not delude ourselves.

Our only defense is that the players played to win, and that the afl encouraged losses with their stupid priority picks.

Lesson learned by everyone, let's just move on.

Seeing as that is our defense in a tanking investigation, we should be right. The rest of your post is hearsay. Prove it.

So glad defeatists like yourself aren't the majority. We would have folded years ago.

Surely we will be hearing from the AFL very soon. I'm inclined to think they will be harsh for they have to make a statement about the notion of tanking. I think they expect a fight and will even be happy if the outcome is watered down. But to begin with they have to sound tough, that is their way.

I expect our board to fight for our innocence or at least having team managed in a way that has been common league culture for as long as I can remember (lets say 55 years- I'm now 65).

To put it succinctly, I expect the Board to throw absolutely everything at them. This is our line in the sand moment. This is the equivalent of our premiership fight. It is the beginning of our new era, 'our no holds barred' moment. We will no longer be Mr Nice guy. Noone pushes us around. We'll kick sand in anyones face. This is our culture moment. We know what we stand for, we stand for the Melbourne Football Club

Yes its a new tanking thread, but specifically your chance to pass on your message to the board.

Lets get a thousand comments before our first NAB cup game.

GO DEES

Good onja harrison rules. I'll support you & I'll fighrt for sure. I don't mind a bit of a dustup.

Anything more than a not guilty & wrist slap, we go, & go hard.

Line in the sand it is,

I can't believe those who say to just cop it. Are they serious? We tanked as a club. The players didn't.

We were leading in the Richmond game just before the siren went. We secured sculls and the AFL manufactured a team that was given extreme benefits to be able to take this player from us. They made the rules and precedence was set by other clubs who knew it was better to lose. There is actual evidence of players and coaches admitting they tanked. Yet we should cop it? Crazy thinking.

Tonatopia - do you not realise that other clubs should also be punished? Should we alone cop it?

Ridiculous

We cannot be singled out individually for crimes everyone else has committed.

Greg Denham rejoiced in the phrase that the MFC stood for nothing. Standing up to a bully is a great start.

I don't see how the oldest sporting club in the world can do justice to its history, members, supporters, past players and officials, if it accepts a title as a match fixer.

Any deal that avoids that, is worth considering, as long as it doesn't involve unfair treatment of its staff.

I would imagine our players and the football community are watching our handling of this issue and it really is line in the sand stuff. How can you expect our players to fight if we are seen as a coward?

This is a fight for our honor. We are fighting for our past, present and future- our name and our dignity. Any admission of guilt from us with no hard proof would be the ultimate roll over and a catalyst for future bullying and ridicule from the football world. We snuff that out now and make sure they think twice about picking on us again.

We don't fight and it can very well lead to the death of us, and that is just not an option!

Do they?

I thought the statement had been made by their very investigation into the allegations, and the removal of priority picks.

I don't see why a lot of people think the AFL need to show something.

For whose benefit?

Who on earth would they be fooling?

For the AFL's benefit of course.

To show that "they have teeth" - and that they knew what they were doing when they decided to concentrate their attention on the events of 2009 instead of the supposed influx of drugs in 2012.

Who would they be fooling? Probably only themselves - but that's all they need

This is a fight for our honor. We are fighting for our past, present and future- our name and our dignity. Any admission of guilt from us with no hard proof would be the ultimate roll over and a catalyst for future bullying and ridicule from the football world. We snuff that out now and make sure they think twice about picking on us again.

We don't fight and it can very well lead to the death of us, and that is just not an option!

You are right - but there is a point beyond which we cannot ignore the cost of a fight. Can we afford to take another million dollars out of the FD budget to pay legal fees. We don't want to be ridiculed for shooting ourselves in the foot. If our FD spend falls - and our on-field performance suffers as a result - I'm not sure a court victory will all of a sudden strengthen our standing with the AFL and the public as a whole.

Fight yes - don't just roll over - but keep things in perspective. It all depends on the charge and the severity of the penalties ( if any?)

Fight yes - don't just roll over - but keep things in perspective. It all depends on the charge and the severity of the penalties ( if any?)

Indeed.

For the AFL's benefit of course.

To show that "they have teeth" - and that they knew what they were doing when they decided to concentrate their attention on the events of 2009 instead of the supposed influx of drugs in 2012.

Who would they be fooling? Probably only themselves - but that's all they need

You are right - but there is a point beyond which we cannot ignore the cost of a fight. Can we afford to take another million dollars out of the FD budget to pay legal fees. We don't want to be ridiculed for shooting ourselves in the foot. If our FD spend falls - and our on-field performance suffers as a result - I'm not sure a court victory will all of a sudden strengthen our standing with the AFL and the public as a whole.

Fight yes - don't just roll over - but keep things in perspective. It all depends on the charge and the severity of the penalties ( if any?)

I will happily donate to the cause. I see it as my duty, and so will many others no doubt.

I want them to fight no matter what and because of that I will help out, it's not fair that the club has to wear this and that's what us supporters are here for; to support. It sucks that it might have to come to that but if it's a cost to strengthen us as a club I will not hesitate.

I am happy to donate a whole weeks paycheck at the minimum, and I will get my father to double that, cos he's a nice guy

I would enjoy seeing the club come out with a copy of the ridiculous report, with sections highlighted in red for 'total rubbish' (like the claim that not playing Watts more was suspicious) through yellow for 'not really relevant / not really evidence' and finally blue for 'shows evidence of behaviour inconsistent with the common pattern of player management by teams having very poor years'.

How much blue do you really think there would be?

My advice to the board. Deny everything and make the bastards prove it. This simple approach has been the cornerstone of legal defence for centuries and surprisingly effective.