CONDUCT UNBECOMING

[DemonOX 8,551]

Wonder why the article in the Age "Dees not guilty of tanking" wasn't written by cw??????

[binman 39,100]

So melbourne are fined 500k for employees doing the wrong thing well I guess essendon are screwed

Spot on. Smart operator Gill (and AD who of course was acting behind the scenes). Clear precedent set for possible future penalties to be applied to Essendon.

Even if no banned substances were used their processes around the supplement program were super sketchy and they will be slugged. A new version of the equalization process. Whilst they're at it they should slug Carlton, Collin wood and West Coast and we'd have our 500k straight back!

[Hannibal 5,814]

The AFL think we tanked, INCLUDING match day, but knew it would be difficult to prove and didn't want a court case, or to cripple the club over a flawed draft system they implemented. They had enough evidence and a determination to do something, especially when the whole football world thought we tanked, but were able to facilitate an outcome where all parties walk away somewhat satisfied under the circumstances. Except, of course, some supporters that you'd never please.

No draft sanctions is massive.

[Cheap Seats 3,303]

Findings make no sense but I will be more disappointed if other clubs aren't punished

Tiger - TW has admitted to not trying to win games

Carlton - enough said

Pies - Secured Daisy and Pendles

the list goes on and we won't hear anything about it.......... That really gripes me

[DemonOX 8,551]

The AFL think we tanked, INCLUDING match day, but knew it would be difficult to prove and didn't want a court case, or to cripple the club over a flawed draft system they implemented. They had enough evidence and a determination to do something, especially when the whole football world thought we tanked, but were able to facilitate an outcome where all parties walk away somewhat satisfied under the circumstances. Except, of course, some supporters that you'd never please.

No draft sanctions is massive.

Haven't u heard bh "Dees not guilty of tanking" it was in the age so must be true.

Case closed

[stranga 328]

Im still just struggling with the idea that we are the scapegoats and everyone before us is going to get away with it and we will cop some lasting stigma over this.

[Pates 9,537]

Wonder why the article in the Age "Dees not guilty of tanking" wasn't written by cw??????

Honestly think that Cam Schwab has a case for defamination against Caro, she painted him as the mastermind behind a tanking claim that we have been found not guilty in perpetrating.

Perhaps it's wishful thinking but god its nice to dream.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Pates

[DemonOX 8,551]

Honestly think that Cam Schwab has a case for defamination against Caro, she painted him as the mastermind behind a tanking claim that we have been found not guilty in perpetrating.

Perhaps it's wishful thinking but god its nice to dream.

Agee Pates but won't happen.

[DemonOX 8,551]

Bring on the footy for the love of god.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

The Age newspaper...

their role in damaging MFC's reputation

jnrmac, on 17 Feb 2013 - 23:42, said:

I'm convinced that Caro forced this investigation not Brock McLean. Caro went to the AFL with a 'brief' of evidence from a disgruntled ex-employee. Its why she has run so hard with the story. AA was running it and I have no doubt was her liaison but the leaks as we are seeing them are actually her repeating the 'evidence' that was told to her.

There is no other logical reason she has carried on the way she has.

Maybe. Plausible as conspiracy theories go. Have we discovered yet from the AFL report who the rats in the MFC ranks were?

Even this morning's Wilson headline:

Dees push to have fine halved

Like a dog with a bone, she just couldn't let go. Right up to the bitter end.

Now the headline:

Dees not guilty of tanking

Ha! That sure wasn't written by Wilson. But she has done irreparable damage to her own reputation, and sadly to that of The Age. If we say it enough and get The Age into the banners of the threads pointing out their lack of ethics and objectivity, hopefully it will get picked up by Google. They've done their best to damage MFC and we can fight back.

And keep repeating that they're also in trouble and should be investigated over their shoddy sports pages:

http://m.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/media-bosses-critical-of-papers-miscalculation/story-fn63e0vj-1226579191175

[DEE fence 4,561]

If you believe that you believe in the tooth fairy.

Congratulations to the MFC legal team for a brilliantly crafted settlement.

As expected, we never tanked and Caro is totally p1zzed.

How is this a brilliantly crafted settlement, it doesn't feel like it. I mean maybe it is but please explain, I honestly feel gutted and very bad for DB. To me it's a case of 'Charge Proven-No conviction donation to the court box'. For ever and a day all that will be remembered and written about is the 500k fine, that's the stain on the cIub I don't like.

[DEE fence 4,561]

The AFL think we tanked, INCLUDING match day, but knew it would be difficult to prove and didn't want a court case, or to cripple the club over a flawed draft system they implemented. They had enough evidence and a determination to do something, especially when the whole football world thought we tanked, but were able to facilitate an outcome where all parties walk away somewhat satisfied under the circumstances. Except, of course, some supporters that you'd never please.

No draft sanctions is massive.

I agree it could have been worse, it just really feels like we rolled over in the end. I would rather we spent 500K on legal fees than a fine. I guess I'm a supporter that cannot be pleased...sorry.

[Robot Devil 1,895]

I agree it could have been worse, it just really feels like we rolled over in the end. I would rather we spent 500K on legal fees than a fine. I guess I'm a supporter that cannot be pleased...sorry.

I appreciate what you are saying however I fear 500k would not have gone too far in a court case.

I really wish we did not have to make that call but that is what it is now.

At least we have a lot to look forward to this year. Some great new recruits and the return of Mitch Clark for starters.

I for one am keen to get to the G and enjoy some football.

Go Dees.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Robot Devil

[Dr. Gonzo 22,636]

I feel sad for him and DB. They love this club and are the sacrificial lambs for the AFL to save face.

No more of my money goes to the AFL- that means no more records and I'm not sure what else I have to sacrifice- someone tell me.

If anyone has an AFL Membership I strongly advise you to cancel it and take up a Premium Membership with the MFC - I did it 5 years ago and it's the best thing I've done relating to footy.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,636]

Occupational Health and Safety laws are in fact that, Laws, what we are talking about now are the rules of a competition. There was no one injured and no lives put at risk so i think your analogy is totally incorrect.

It's up to the management and owners of the business to provide a safe workplace and if they don't they are subject to fines and even jail in the event of a worker being injured or killed. This was the attempted manipulation of draft selections and if in fact the club's Board were unaware of it, they shouldn't be found guilty.

Playing the devils advocate - a football club, or any professional sporting organisation, is now seen as a workplace. OH&S includes bullying or threats to your job etc Whether those were made in a joking manner or not is irrelevant as it is not the intent of the comments but the perception that is important. Therefore if Connolly did make comments which others perceived as threats or bullying then the club takes responsibility for that as he held a senior position within the club.

This is all semantics anyway - we tanked, others have as well but we got caught, we got let off with a slap on the wrist after an investigation no-one else wanted was initiated by a cowboy looking to make a name for himself while the chief was overseas and the outcome was worded in a way to ensure the integrity of the club was kept intact. Bloody good outcome all things considered if you ask me even if it does make little sense once you start poking at it. We got the good end of it though (could have been much much worse if the AFL really wanted to whack us) so lets just let sleeping dogs lie and get behind the MFC, Neeld, the FD and the players and lets hope we can start winning games of footy. Of course the outcome makes little sense but not much that comes from positions of authority does these days because they are talking complete [censored] in order to cover their arses.

[Carlos Danger 380]

I am furious as it feels like all the money I (and so many others) have contributed to this club has been eradicated in this colossal non-sensical fine.

The worst part of it being that badly needed $500k will actually fall into the pockets of the idiots that initiated and pursued the diabolical investigation. All the time and resources they wasted during this highly unnecessary and overdrawn saga has been remunerated (and then some!) by MFC dollars...

And that folks, does not feel like a win.

[Redleg 38,071]

Great post.

[mauriesy 6,860]

All the tme and resources they wasted during this highly unnecessary and overdrawn saga has been remunerated (and then some!) by MFC dollars...

Maybe you should be sheeting home some of the responsibility to Bailey, Connolly and the club.

[skills32 229]

My something's wrong here antenna are twitching.

$500,000 fine and from, everybody entitled to scream out loud and long, just a shrug of the shoulders and 'do you want cash or is a cheque OK?'

Does not compute, just hit me one more time again oh and carlton, hawthorn and the rest are ok because clothier et al are too tired to investigate any more.

Out of all the clubs that have contrived to not to win in exchange for draft picks, we are the only one to do some hard yards because a complaint was brought up in the media.

I just hate it when a script plays out like it is written and every one wins.

Oh and be sure we won too but I'm not sure what. Maybe debt forgiveness in return for keeping our mouths shut about the other tanking escapades.

PS

CW tried court more controversy by asking Don about Brock and was promptly put down by a 'every one has an opinion, so what?'

DM 1 CW0

[waikikkamukau 62]

Thank F_ _ K this is now over!

We finally have a result and the bulk of the players from that time are no longer with the club, I for one am looking forward to a bright future!

Can't wait to get to ES and watch the boys run around on Friday night!

Go Dees!

[dee-luded 2,958]

I almost fell off my chair when Caro asked GM if the AFL accepted some responsibility themselves for creating a flawed system and doing nothing. I thought a Caro impersonator must have snuck in.

IMO she was annoyed she didn't get what she setout for. She wanted more blood let, IMO.

& her leaks are drying up.

Edited February 19, 2013 by dee-luded

[McQueen 17,864]

What doesn't kill us will make us stronger.

Cliche's are tacky at the best of times but I have an even more fierce desire to see this club succeed now than ever.

We have a clean slate. Nothing hanging over our heads in a long time and how good does it feel. Let's just concentrate on developing that winning culture and developing every player that comes through the doors to the MFC.

That's what I want. That's what I'm demanding.

Give 'em hell boys.

[45HG 1,539]

It's an especially strange concept that a team pays the organisation that licences it and, later on, gives out funds for sides to support them.

A very strange time in the history of the game, one that I'm glad to see the back of with draft picks in place.

Not thrilled for Bailey, we really did knife people at out club and he and Junior stick out to me. Hopefully we've turned that corner now.

Onwards and upwards - go Dees!

[DeeVoted 582]

7 months pfft .... we get left holding the can. Some other clubs can chip in, because were took the brunt of all this.

I am disppointed we didnt take it further, but at the same time bloody glad its over. We can move on.

My guess is, both parties made a deal,

1: NOT to use or be found guilty of tanking, use anything but that word to be charged with ,and we have a deal..

I would guess our legal team advised to take what was on offer after talking to the AFL and got the best deal for the club.

It could have dragged on for another year.

Bailey and Connolly can feel a bit hard done by, considering what has come out of other teams coaches and players mouths in the past.

The fine is a bit hot, half that, and suspend the balance for being good boys for the next decade, and all is forgiven.

Still peeved at the medias take on all this, guilty 1st then prove innocence. If they play the same tune for every team, then fair enough.

But they wont.

All hell will break loose should anyone or club say or do what we have been charged for, and it doesn't get acted on in future.

The agenda has been set. Or was that just for the MFC, do we have our own set of guildlines, or do the rest have a different guideline?.

If they want new evidence for charging anyone else, perhaps a hotline can be setup, I'll be 1st on the line, I think I recall a few coments along the lines of having the clubs interest over winning to gain draft picks.

Its over, dont give a stuff what other club supporters think. The MCC can jack up $$ for the usage of the "G" and slip us the extra bucks on the side.

Bring on the footy, we are on the move.

Go Dees.

Edited February 19, 2013 by DeeVoted

[Sir Why You Little 34,958]

I wonder if other clubs will get investigated in time?

There is too much printed evidence out there.

CC gave instructions to DB that the board didn't know about.

Essendrug are in for a year of pain if the AFL has the integrity it covets so much.

Winning means everything Demons.