I can understand the confusion of many. The final outcome from the governing body (The AFL) is that we didn't tank and didn't go out to deliberately lose games having considered all the evidence, and I can live with that . But the $500K (third largest AFL fine handed out) and the suspensions of key coaching/managerial staff is damning.

The information from the regular meeting in the vault should never have come to light. That's where the blame should lie in all this.

Four people came forward, and informant among the club allegedly supplied information to Caroline Wilson. Then there was Brock McLean. Our club has had backstabbing snitches with gripes. These people would rather battle for power or bring someone down than see this club prosper in pursuit of a flag. It's virtually unheard of at other powerful AFL clubs.

These are the people who should be in the spotlight. These are the people who are holding this club back now. The Board have been cleared, the CEO was exonerated after all the collated evidence. These people I speak of have Connolly and Bailey's blood on their hands, not to mention a $500K noose around the clubs neck.

I can understand the confusion of many. The final outcome from the governing body (The AFL) is that we didn't tank and didn't go out to deliberately lose games having considered all the evidence, and I can live with that . But the $500K (third largest AFL fine handed out) and the suspensions of key coaching/managerial staff is damning.

The information from the regular meeting in the vault should never have come to light. That's where the blame should lie in all this.

Four people came forward, and informant among the club allegedly supplied information to Caroline Wilson. Then there was Brock McLean. Our club has had backstabbing snitches with gripes. These people would rather battle for power or bring someone down than see this club prosper in pursuit of a flag. It's virtually unheard of at other powerful AFL clubs.

These are the people who should be in the spotlight. These are the people who are holding this club back now. The Board have been cleared, the CEO was exonerated after all the collated evidence. These people I speak of have Connolly and Bailey's blood on their hands, not to mention a $500K noose around the clubs neck.

Couldnt agree more.

Our crime is two fold - Chris Connolly being a little too blatent and numerous disgruntled ( or lilly livered) employees/ex employees rolling over and blabbing.

The most amusing aspect of all this is thousands of posts and endless restating of positions and everything hinged on the same question - what is the definition of tanking - as of today we are no clearer. ( well ..we are but even I dont have the moxy to put down the definition that could be extropolated from this farce as it would be laughable in the extreme)

...

The information from the regular meeting in the vault should never have come to light. That's where the blame should lie in all this.

Four people came forward, and informant among the club allegedly supplied information to Caroline Wilson. Then there was Brock McLean. Our club has had backstabbing snitches with gripes. These people would rather battle for power or bring someone down than see this club prosper in pursuit of a flag. It's virtually unheard of at other powerful AFL clubs.

These are the people who should be in the spotlight. These are the people who are holding this club back now.

Are you missing the fact that none of these people are still at the club and they clearly had an axe to grind ?

I suspect there are many at the club, including executives and Board members, who will be buying Connolly birthday and Christmas presents for the rest of their lives.

So, are we getting to the idea that who we hire, what we look for and how we treat them is important?

Really?

Does this perhaps place concerns I raised about the Neeld process is a clearer light?

This stuff is important. Crap way to find out!

Are you missing the fact that none of these people are still at the club and they clearly had an axe to grind ?

I suspect there are many at the club, including executives and Board members, who will be buying Connolly birthday and Christmas presents for the rest of their lives.

I hope one of them finds him a job for the next twelve months.

There is no doubt in my mind that he has taken the fall for many others

Are you missing the fact that none of these people are still at the club and they clearly had an axe to grind ?

I suspect there are many at the club, including executives and Board members, who will be buying Connolly birthday and Christmas presents for the rest of their lives.

I bloody hope so.

I don't reckon it will happen.

Are you missing the fact that none of these people are still at the club and they clearly had an axe to grind ?

I suspect there are many at the club, including executives and Board members, who will be buying Connolly birthday and Christmas presents for the rest of their lives.

None of them Ben? (I acknowledge BP and others no longer work for the club; the fact is not lost on me)

How did C.Wilson get leaked information last Friday evening? Remembering the club knew of the penalties four days before.

I think a lot of people are looking at this from the wrong direction. This isn't about what the AFL charged us with or the penalties they imposed. It's about WHAT WE LET the AFL charge us with and impose upon us. This is a case of the club standing up and telling the AFL "we're willing to cop a fine, but if you try to do anything that will have an impact on the team itself (charge players, take draft picks etc) we will take you to court and we will destroy you." Look at the wording of the press releases. The meeting was held yesterday, and then our lawyers sat down and pushed them into a release that absolves the club of virtually all blame. Make no mistake people, we have just dictated terms to Vlad and co. and forced them to accept the only route we were willing to allow them to save face.

This is a great day to be a Demons supporter.

Well this means they are indebted, to us.

In many obtuse future ways?

None of them Ben? (I acknowledge BP and others no longer work for the club; the fact is not lost on me)

How did C.Wilson get leaked information last Friday evening? Remembering the club knew of the penalties four days before.

I wouldn't be trusting anyone at the club to give you a straight answer on that one seeing as they came out of Friday night and said they knew nothing of the penalties, but my guess is it was a sanctioned leak by the chiefs to gauge reaction.

I think they have done us all a disservice and I don't like the way they have manipulated the supporters of the club.

...as for the AFL, they are a laughing stock at the moment and are not doing their duty as custodians of the game. I have often found the people who preach integrity and values are the people with none and the AFL have done nothing recently to change my thinking on this.

None of them Ben? (I acknowledge BP and others no longer work for the club; the fact is not lost on me)

How did C.Wilson get leaked information last Friday evening? Remembering the club knew of the penalties four days before.

Prendergast, Flack, another recruiting officer, Bailey. That's 4 who have gone, but I might be missing another person. Mahoney's name seemed to pop up a bit.

When the C.Wilson and G.Lyon exchange transpired on Footy Classified last week, Caroline asked Garry when in defensive mode (and arms crossed), "Well Garry, do you want me to name..." and she hinted that it was a member of the board. (Which board past or present; who knows).

I wish Garry had not been so dismissive and angry for being called out on his credibility, and held to her account to name her frick'n *source.

* = snitch, backstabber, not a true MFC supporter in my eyes.

When the C.Wilson and G.Lyon exchange transpired on Footy Classified last week, Caroline asked Garry when in defensive mode (and arms crossed), "Well Garry, do you want me to name..." and she hinted that it was a member of the board. (Which board past or present; who knows).

I wish Garry had not been so dismissive and angry for being called out on his credibility, and held to her account to name her frick'n *source.

* = snitch, backstabber, not a true MFC supporter in my eyes.

That was for her 'unofficial excuses' H_T. Not the initial leakers and those involved in the investigation.

So cool your jets.

That was for her 'unofficial excuses' H_T. Not the initial leakers and those involved in the investigation.

So cool your jets.

I wouldn't mind knowing her "private" sources offically or unofficially. I'm sure many other Melbourne supporters would feel the same to put a stop to any "rot".

Jets are as cool as ice, so move on.

So the alleged damning comment from CC was said to a room full of 15 people, but Jon Ralph now says only four people verified it? Surely either a comment was made or it wasn't - it's 15 people or 0 people.

It's obvious that a deal was done to keep certain people out of it. From the sounds of it CC takes the heat to save CS and the Board from any culpability, which in turn allows the AFL to find the club Not Guilty but still sanction a couple of individuals in order to maintain its "integrity".

The articles saying that high ranking Club officials were "bragging" that the club was able to deliver the priority pick appear to be forgotten about now - either those articles are made up and there should be legal action over them or they were true and we are in more trouble.

I don't want to see any of our people get punished but I also want to see those who aren't up to it weeded out and removed. I'd hate to think that CC has taken the fall to preserve others desperate to save their own hide. I'm not a big fan of these "negotiated outcomes" the AFL comes up with. Either you're guilty or you're not. If we are not guilty of tanking, then no one should get punished for anything and we shouldn't be paying the 3rd largest fine in AFL history

I wouldn't mind knowing her "private" sources offically or unofficially. I'm sure many other Melbourne supporters would feel the same to put a stop to any "rot".

Jets are as cool as ice, so move on.

Her private source may have been a director calling her up and saying what we have been saying. Or a former director, or a fan.

I don't have to tell you how she uses language in a vindictive way. I am sure it is the same here.

And we are getting sucked in.

Not only did Prendergast screw the playing list he's helped screw the club administratively.

I'd like to bump into him.

Of the four rats, it's not Prendergast who's the main offender.

On top of that people outside the four are behind this so don't blame Prendergast just because you think he was a less than competent recruiter.

Of the four rats, it's not Prendergast who's the main offender.

On top of that people outside the four are behind this so don't blame Prendergast just because you think he was a less than competent recruiter.

And you know this how?

So the alleged damning comment from CC was said to a room full of 15 people, but Jon Ralph now says only four people verified it? Surely either a comment was made or it wasn't - it's 15 people or 0 people.

It's obvious that a deal was done to keep certain people out of it. From the sounds of it CC takes the heat to save CS and the Board from any culpability, which in turn allows the AFL to find the club Not Guilty but still sanction a couple of individuals in order to maintain its "integrity".

The articles saying that high ranking Club officials were "bragging" that the club was able to deliver the priority pick appear to be forgotten about now - either those articles are made up and there should be legal action over them or they were true and we are in more trouble.

I don't want to see any of our people get punished but I also want to see those who aren't up to it weeded out and removed. I'd hate to think that CC has taken the fall to preserve others desperate to save their own hide. I'm not a big fan of these "negotiated outcomes" the AFL comes up with. Either you're guilty or you're not. If we are not guilty of tanking, then no one should get punished for anything and we shouldn't be paying the 3rd largest fine in AFL history

So someone, or 4, may have recorded conversation on the phone?

Well, you better remove 3/4trs of Melbourne people & supporters & backers, etc. And whilst at it, remove a further 9/10 ths of the whole AFL competition, for the last 15 Yrs or so...

Prendergast, Flack, another recruiting officer, Bailey. That's 4 who have gone, but I might be missing another person. Mahoney's name seemed to pop up a bit.

Do you know who the other recruiting officer was?

Of the four rats, it's not Prendergast who's the main offender.

On top of that people outside the four are behind this so don't blame Prendergast just because you think he was a less than competent recruiter.

You say he wasn't the "main" offender, but he's clearly "an" offender.

When I combine his less than satisfactory recruiting efforts I feel aggrieved.

The worst part about all of this, is whatever way you look at it, we are now tainted and there is a very bad smell about how it was done. While we can't quantify it or define how, there will be a negative affect at some point.

The only consolation I take from all of this is that the stench surrounding the executive of the AFL is far worse and brings the whole AFL system into question, due to a clear lack of due diligence and professionalism.

The worst part about all of this, is whatever way you look at it, we are now tainted and there is a very bad smell about how it was done. While we can't quantify it or define how, there will be a negative affect at some point.

The only consolation I take from all of this is that the stench surrounding the executive of the AFL is far worse and brings the whole AFL system into question, due to a clear lack of due diligence and professionalism.

Indeed. Bailey, Connolly and the club are tainted, so too the AFL. What was (whatever) done behind closed doors at a regular meeting in a shed at the Junction as a "FD" should have remained inhouse.

So who started the "very bad smell?" Connolly? Or those after his blood? And why?

Connolly and Bailey have taken the brunt of the punishment, and the club and it's supporters. *Forever......

But what about those who sold out on their work colleagues and a 154 year old club with 36,000 members plus many supporters? What punishment do they get? Nothing? A continuation with the staus quo of forever infighting? C'mon.

I have no doubt those lurking will soon turn their attention to the current board thanks to a $500K penalty and continue to set out what they intended in the first place.

*And no that isn't an exaggeration.

Edited February 20, 201312 yr by H_T

You say he wasn't the "main" offender, but he's clearly "an" offender.

When I combine his less than satisfactory recruiting efforts I feel aggrieved.

Then you will find others to feel aggrieved about in the future.

Edited February 20, 201312 yr by Spirit of the Demon

As long as Carltank, richmond, freo and collingwood chip in to pay the fine then its a fair outcome!

My thoughts exactly, but throw in Hawks and Saints

Remind me again why Caro gets paid more than Emma..

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dees-winners-well-know-in-about-2015-20130219-2epmj.html

A very reasonable analysis.

I imagine The Age to be a bit like Oz, with the wicked witch and the good witch exchanging pleasantries by the water cooler.