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"In fact, to have these 2 comments upfront was very important in terms of our 2 gaming venues and our sponsors (and future sponsors)"

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I think the gambling aspect is the crux of today's AFL verdict.

It was critical to MFC and to the AFL that Melbourne were not found guilty of deliberately losing. If we were, we would lose our gaming licence, so I reckon McLardy negotiated with the AFL saying "fine us, but don't say we deliberately lost matches. ". If we were guilty of that, not only MFC but Carlton, Coll Haw. , Freo, WCE , Ess and GWS would have those licences in jeopardy.

After 6 months of perseveration, the AFL HAD to mete out a significant(sounding) penalty to save face.

I don't understand the severe treatment of Bailey.The poor guy was in a no win situation....in more ways than one!!

Connolly deserved some punishment for making thoughtless threats without considering the possible consequences. But his penalty seems tough compared to Trigg at Adelaide.

A smug Carlton supporter at work today told me how it "served us right for cheating'. Doesn't it make your blood boil!!!

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/demons-found-guilty-fined-20130219-2epm0.html

Not so sure Wilson reckons we were proven guilty.

That headline is weasel words in action: continuing to insinuate the MFC's guilt, but allowing the lawyers to argue that the "Demons" are only Bailey and Connolly. Pathetic really.

Attn: Don McLardy...

Can't believe Schwabby got off when Caro said he was once viewed to be of ashen face after a win.

Will CS chip in to help pay the fine? Dont think so. That guy is a curse.

Quiet you fool. People might realise that our $500K fine is in HK dollars.

Haha... very good.

I reckon the AFL got this just about right - perhaps they were a bit soft on us.

Bailey and Connolly were behind the scenes making dodgy decisions leading to deliberate short term losses for expected long term gains that never came. And Jimmy - God bless him - was probably implicit also. We are very lucky not to have draft picks taken away.

We did everything else BUT tell our players to lose. I can't tell you how angry I am that officials of the MFC - the founding club and best club in the world - decided that a culture of losing would have long term gains. I have been a great fan of Connolly and thought Bailey had some things right, but I do not want to see Connolly back our great club. Think how Barassi, Flower, Viney, Lyon would respond if the club was doing everything to lose while the players were busting heads, guts, legs and all they had to try and win a flag???

We lost Brock McLean and Scully because of this, and probably others. Regardless of how we now feel about them they were good players who smelled a rat.

Never, NEVER again!!!

Gotta agree with MB here, our footy culture,it would seem, really bottomed out in this horrible period and leading up to 186, it would seem to b stupid comments from CC, didn't help either, in any context it's not good for a footy club especially ours that has been down for 2 effing long, still a stupid effing outcome by the AFL, such BS with so many on record comments from past coaches and players about "not winning" at other clubs, ffs I am glad it's ova now!

GO DEE'S

That headline is weasel words in action: continuing to insinuate the MFC's guilt, but allowing the lawyers to argue that the "Demons" are only Bailey and Connolly. Pathetic really.

What a vindictive swine : she just won't let go, will she. Blatantly lying saying that MFC are guilty. Surely The Age cannot allow that headline to go unchallenged.

And no doubt totally pi55ed off that CS was exonerated.

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.

He was simply trying to save his own skin.

He should have shut his gob at his final press conference. But I get why he didn't. He was mightily p1ssed off.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/demons-found-guilty-fined-20130219-2epm0.html

Not so sure Wilson reckons we were proven guilty.

She's a COAT.

She'll write anything to try and vindicate herself.

Attn: Don McLardy...

sorry, but this is totally disgraceful and outright slander.

Good article by Emma Quayle

Dees winners? We'll know in about 2015

Gotta agree with MB here, our footy culture,it would seem, really bottomed out in this horrible period and leading up to 186, it would seem to b stupid comments from CC, didn't help either, in any context it's not good for a footy club especially ours that has been down for 2 effing long, still a stupid effing outcome by the AFL, such BS with so many on record comments from past coaches and players about "not winning" at other clubs, ffs I am glad it's ova now!

GO DEE'S

If we lost scumbags like McLean and Scully over this issue then it was well and truly worth the 500k and I would certainly be happy to kick some money into any fund to recoup the monetary loss for the club.

I can't help thinking the AFL would have preferred they never started the investigation. Once Anderson went out to bat, there was no turning back, but the logic of the result is absurd.

Attn: Don McLardy...

That's hilarious there was an article earlier in the afternoon that said "Dees not guilty of tanking" WHERE has that article gone.

What a joke but hey we had the last laugh cause DEES NOT GUILTY OF TANKING

(which would be eating her up inside big time hence the pathetic article)

If we lost scumbags like McLean and Scully over this issue then it was well and truly worth the 500k and I would certainly be happy to kick some money into any fund to recoup the monetary loss for the club.

Yes scumbags, they abandoned ship cause there heart's didn't beat R&B like our's and try and turn our culture around maybe more like it.

Just one more...

That headline is weasel words in action: continuing to insinuate the MFC's guilt, but allowing the lawyers to argue that the "Demons" are only Bailey and Connolly. Pathetic really.

Yes, but those Demons (Dees) weren't fined, they were suspended.

"In fact, to have these 2 comments upfront was very important in terms of our 2 gaming venues and our sponsors (and future sponsors)"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I think the gambling aspect is the crux of today's AFL verdict.

It was critical to MFC and to the AFL that Melbourne were not found guilty of deliberately losing. If we were, we would lose our gaming licence, so I reckon McLardy negotiated with the AFL saying "fine us, but don't say we deliberately lost matches. ". If we were guilty of that, not only MFC but Carlton, Coll Haw. , Freo, WCE , Ess and GWS would have those licences in jeopardy.

After 6 months of perseveration, the AFL HAD to mete out a significant(sounding) penalty to save face.

I don't understand the severe treatment of Bailey.The poor guy was in a no win situation....in more ways than one!!

Connolly deserved some punishment for making thoughtless threats without considering the possible consequences. But his penalty seems tough compared to Trigg at Adelaide.

A smug Carlton supporter at work today told me how it "served us right for cheating'. Doesn't it make your blood boil!!!

Yep, it's a bitter pill to swallow in that sense, JJC. But every dog has it's day.

What we need is wins to shut 'em all up. Lots of wins. We need a winning season asap. We desperately need Neeld to be a very good coach and our players need to develop a winning mentality and must detest losing. We've got a kind draw and if we start well then anything's possible. If ever a team has the perfect ingredients for an 'us against them' mentality, it's us.

By the way, I would have given that Carlton work colleague an earful. Reminding him/her that they 'cheated' to get Walker, Murphy, Kennedy (who they later traded) Gibbs, Kreuzer and Judd. Of course, I would have said it in a nice polite but pointed way Unbelievable what they got away with.

Just one more...

This is what I said in my last post Stuie

That's hilarious there was an article earlier in the afternoon that said "Dees not guilty of tanking" WHERE has that article gone.

What a joke but hey we had the last laugh cause DEES NOT GUILTY OF TANKING

(which would be eating her up inside big time hence the pathetic article)

The diff between the articles is the one explaining it correctly is written by Scott Spits, the other well enough said..................

This is an article in the HS

Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation announces own probe into Melbourne

Don't tell me it's going to continue to drag on and on, that will really do my head in.

This is an article in the HS

Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation announces own probe into Melbourne

Don't tell me it's going to continue to drag on and on, that will really do my head in.

Article here:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/victorian-commission-for-gambling-and-liquor-regulation-announces-own-probe-into-melbourne/story-e6frf9jf-1226581447543

FML... F all our L's

Article here:

FML... F all our L's

Sorry Stuie not up with the lingo, what does this fml.....f all our ls mean?

Sorry Stuie not up with the lingo, what does this fml.....f all our ls mean?

Can't elaborate as it includes a rude word and I risk being banned..... Google it

Article here:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/victorian-commission-for-gambling-and-liquor-regulation-announces-own-probe-into-melbourne/story-e6frf9jf-1226581447543

FML... F all our L's

I just hope the club (and the AFL) were aware that this was on the cards and have covered themselves.

Will this thing never end?