I didn't think much of Bailey as a coach and I felt his comments at his media conference when sacked were unhelpful (but for which I don't blame him - he'd just been sacked, after all). But, you know what? Today I feel more supportive of Bailey than I ever did when he coached us. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because he, like Connolly, may have fallen on his sword and made life easier for the MFC.

I think we did well to get the finding of Not Guilty on Tanking. We all know the benefits of that. Clearly it was a negotiated position.

The findings and suspensions however are bizarre.

CC is guilty of Conduct Unbecoming. That conduct was a private comment at the MFC which should never have been made public. Only the AFL leaking the Report has allowed that. He is supended for 12 months and Trigg for Salary Cap cheating as a CEO who knows better, got 6 months. Work that out. Please don't say "oh he got that for Tanking" as we all know the penalty must fit the actual offence, not one that is dismissed.

The Club gets a $500k fine for employing CC, who made the comment. Please. The Crows for Salary Cap cheating get a $300K fine.

As far as the fine goes, yes I know we get grants from the AFL and I will say no more here, other than, I wouldn't be too worried about paying the instalments, I am sure they will be deducted from our dividends from the AFL.

As I and many others have said, this was purely about the AFL saving face and I think it has made a fool of itself. It has manufactured a situation that is at best farcical. It should have made the hard decision and exonerated all parties and got on with life. This will continue to fester in the media.

The statement of McLardy that there was no evidence of Tanking is 100% correct, as was confirmed by the findings and two people I trust, who told me as much on the weekend.

There was also no doubt in our legal adviser's minds that we would win this in Court easily.

The settlement means we have innocence on the cheating charges now, save time, expense and distraction for the club and avoid making a big enemy of a powerful body, that could fixture us in New Guinea and affect our grants and financial position in the future.

The MFC had no choice and did the right thing in resolving this.

The AFL in my opinion is left a bumbling, biased organization, that makes rules on the run and clearly favours the big and interstate clubs. Just look at their reasons why they are not investigating the Lions. It is shameful. They disregard an informer and a former staffer who corroborates him yet launches into us, on the say so of Brocky. They continue to refuse to investigate other clubs despite far more "evidence" than mere Brocky. What clear evidence of double standards. I don't know how the AFL bosses sleep at night. We are a part of it however and have to live within it.

So, on with the footy on friday and Go Dees.

Melbourne FC then-senior coach Dean Bailey, having regard to Mr Connolly's comments, during the 2009 premiership season had acted in a manner which was prejudicial to the interests of the AFL.

He didn't tell on Chris?

How did he act with regards to the comments? What are they saying that Bailey actually did?

Without serious behinds the scenes backscratching, there's no way these would be the final results.

Guess no-one got down to training this morning?

To those who have griped at the 500k fine... it's obviously a form of vicarious liability. The conduct engaged in by CC and DB was within the scope of their employment. I fully expect that Essendon will be given a similar fine if their employees are found to have engaged in conduct unbecoming (or whatever the charge ends up being). It seems to me to be quite justified, although the amount is questionable.

I also want to know exactly what Bailey did "having regard to" CC's comments. Whatever it is, the AFL is saying that it was somewhere between the lines of trying to win and tanking, but didn't cross the latter.... very mysterious, very coy.

All that was mentioned, as far as i can see, was "resting" players. I wish a journo had've gone down that line of inquiry at the presser. Then we would finally have an idea of how far a coach can go.

Dangerous turf for the AFL to tread on though, people would start comparing Bailey's conduct to those of coaches in previous years at other clubs....

In the end, though, this reflects the principles of a good settlement, i.e.

- Demonland isn't happy &

- BigFooty isn't happy

....so that probably means the AFL is pretty happy with itself...

Two out of three lost in this saga. No don't jump to conclusion

1. The AFL have made a mess of it.

2. Caroline Wilson has lost credibility amongst many which she will never be able to recover.

3. We won. We'll pay the fine. We've still got our gaming clubs. and draft picks.

Chris and Dean will both do something constructive for the year. No football follower will hold anything against them. They just did what any self respecting football person would have done and do do when you are leading a crap team.

It will provide them with plenty of laughing material at any sportsman night. Chris will master it.

The club got the extra priority pick..the Hulk Hogan (via Scully)

When others call us tankers, We'll reply .. AND GOT AWAY WITH IT

Go Dees..

How did he act with regards to the comments? What are they saying that Bailey actually did?

Without serious behinds the scenes backscratching, there's no way these would be the final results.

I think Bailey and Connolly tanked their legal defence, once again for the greater good of the Club and (arguably) the game.

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.

That may be so, but if it was the case the matter wouldn't be handled by the AFL, it would be handled by Fair Work Australia, I dare say that Bailey would have a case, what he would argue is another matter seeing he is no longer at the club. He would also have the right to take civil action against the club.

I think Bailey and Connolly tanked their legal defence, once again for the greater good of the Club and (arguably) the game.

I think I know what you're saying, but I doubt it - in one case in particular.

Two out of three lost in this saga. No don't jump to conclusion

1. The AFL have made a mess of it.

2. Caroline Wilson has lost credibility amongst many which she will never be able to recover.

3. We won. We'll pay the fine. We've still got our gaming clubs. and draft picks.

Chris and Dean will both do something constructive for the year. No football follower will hold anything against them. They just did what any self respecting football person would have done and do do when you are leading a crap team.

It will provide them with plenty of laughing material at any sportsman night. Chris will master it.

The club got the extra priority pick..the Hulk Hogan (via Scully)

When others call us tankers, We'll reply .. AND GOT AWAY WITH IT

Go Dees..

Unfortunately, I think the perception of a lot of people is going to be that this was the AFLs way of saying we tanked without acually having to say it (and possibly defend it in court)... that's a brush that I don't want the club to be tarred with.

*edit To be fair, MFC was already tarred with it... just that this is not going to change anyone's mind.

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

This to me is fascinating : ok ; some line has been "drawn in the sand "

a benchmark is established.

If a person was naive and believed in truth on planet Earth - well, there would be new stories to sing about around the campfire in due course, wouldn't there?

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.

No .... I agree with WJ - brilliantly crafted settlement

At the end of the day, the AFL has all the power - it has the money - it controls our draw - it controls our equalisation dividend . The AFL were always going to dish out some sanctions to justify an 8 month farce. $500k is a killer - but it is to be paid in instalments almost certainly timed to follow the receipt of full (perhaps even premium) AFL dividends. To resist this settlement would certainly have come back to bite us one way or another,

The club has been found not guilty - it can hold this out to sponsors - to the issuers of gaming licences etc. The club can go forward. Well done to Don and his Board.

Having said that I have great sympathy for both Connolly and Bailey - especially Bailey who was in a no-win situation in 2009 - and whose sanction seems riddled with holes and inconsistencies.How can behaviour which didn't affect the outcome of games be prejudicial to the AFL? If Adelaide got out of the Tippett gig lightly - they have been a bit stiff here!

PS. What an absolute farce

The whole investigation has been flawed from Day One. McLean should be sanctioned - Wilson should be sued - Anderson should never be given managerial responsibility for anything - and Vlad should lose all his leave entitlements.

Now we can move on ..................... at last.............

It would help if the AFL next year ceased scheduling us to play home games at Etihad and scheduled all our MFC home games on either a Friday/Saturday night or Saturday arvo. If that happened we would not notice playing a $5000K fine (especially when we start winning games this year).

PS. What an absolute farce

The whole investigation has been flawed from Day One. McLean should be sanctioned - Wilson should be sued - Anderson should never be given managerial responsibility for anything - and Vlad should lose all his leave entitlements.

Now we can move on ..................... at last.............

From an AFL perspective, this is tidied up as well as they could hope for.

From our perspective we wore some crap,,, due to some out for trouble.

So its been smoothed over, or being smoothed.

--------------------------------------------

But, from an honesty perspective, & not making cover ups in future, the Commission hasn't seemed to learn one damn thing.

Is it that with sponsors & money, that Honesty & the truth, always has to take the back pew.

How long before the AFL Commission get caught with their pants around they're ankles again?

Two out of three lost in this saga. No don't jump to conclusion

1. The AFL have made a mess of it.

2. Caroline Wilson has lost credibility amongst many which she will never be able to recover.

3. We won. We'll pay the fine. We've still got our gaming clubs. and draft picks.

Chris and Dean will both do something constructive for the year. No football follower will hold anything against them. They just did what any self respecting football person would have done and do do when you are leading a crap team.

It will provide them with plenty of laughing material at any sportsman night. Chris will master it.

The club got the extra priority pick..the Hulk Hogan (via Scully)

When others call us tankers, We'll reply .. AND GOT AWAY WITH IT

Go Dees..

In the words of PJ Keating;

"This is a victory for the true believers."

It would help if the AFL next year ceased scheduling us to play home games at Etihad and scheduled all our MFC home games on either a Friday/Saturday night or Saturday arvo. If that happened we would not notice playing a $5000K fine (especially when we start winning games this year).

Lets hope that thought line is in the invisible fine print, on the back of the AFL documentous.

The only things I've thought of this board for several years is that they don't know what they are doing and they treated Bailey poorly. I'm glad to have been disabused of that notion.

186 was less shameful that this farce.

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.

WYL what are your thoughts on what has happened as u were a big advocate of going to court if we were to get any sanction?

Just curious mate not having a go at u.

No .... I agree with WJ - brilliantly crafted settlement

At the end of the day, the AFL has all the power - it has the money - it controls our draw - it controls our equalisation dividend . The AFL were always going to dish out some sanctions to justify an 8 month farce. $500k is a killer - but it is to be paid in instalments almost certainly timed to follow the receipt of full (perhaps even premium) AFL dividends. To resist this settlement would certainly have come back to bite us one way or another,

The club has been found not guilty - it can hold this out to sponsors - to the issuers of gaming licences etc. The club can go forward. Well done to Don and his Board.

Having said that I have great sympathy for both Connolly and Bailey - especially Bailey who was in a no-win situation in 2009 - and whose sanction seems riddled with holes and inconsistencies.How can behaviour which didn't affect the outcome of games be prejudicial to the AFL? If Adelaide got out of the Tippett gig lightly - they have been a bit stiff here!

PS. What an absolute farce

The whole investigation has been flawed from Day One. McLean should be sanctioned - Wilson should be sued - Anderson should never be given managerial responsibility for anything - and Vlad should lose all his leave entitlements.

Now we can move on ..................... at last.............

Yes - it's a carefully worded decision that finds the club not guilty of charges that - if proved - would have threatened our gaming licence. That's as big a win as the retention of our draft picks.

I think the omission of Cameron Schwab's name from the charges was a key here. I doubt the club would have achieved the not guilty verdict if CS had been implicated.

The media claimed CS was hardly mentioned in the 800-1000 page report. At least that proves CW didn't write it.

The club has been found not guilty of tanking because the AFL have still not defined what tanking is...so no club can be found guilty of something that does not exist.

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.

If Brisbane aren't going to even be looked at I doubt the AFL will want to dig up the past again. The bombers story has plenty to come. Let's see how much integrity the AFL has in 6 months time.

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.

The club has been found not guilty of tanking because the AFL have still not defined what tanking is...so no club can be found guilty of something that does not exist.

On AFL 360 AD and GMcL couldn't define tanking. Gil said I don' know what it is. Whately laughed his head off. We had an inquiry on something they didn't ' even know what it was. What a farce.

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.

Part of me believes what you say. I think we did fight to some extent and we argued enough to receive a tecnical not guilty verdict. I dunno maybe I need the paint to dry a little I just have a bit of a bad taste on my mouth that we didn't tell the AFL to shove it. I also may not be smart enough to take everything into account and then be happy with the outcome.