What makes you say that? The statement was put out about 4 hours after the report on ABC...

Would anyone be working at the MFC at this time? Wouldn't they have to go through the findings of their internal investigation (thoroughly) - they would not want to make another mistake. It was to quicker response for me! I don't think this was just a document Don or Neeld typed up at home whilst watching TV. Then the time it would have taken to get people in to upload it to the MFC website etc.

Would anyone be working at the MFC at this time? Wouldn't they have to go through the findings of their internal investigation (thoroughly) - they would not want to make another mistake. It was to quicker response for me! I don't think this was just a document Don or Neeld typed up at home whilst watching TV.

They called an urgent board meeting after the report came out last night. Not that hard to get the info together and plonk it on the website.

billy2803, on 19 Apr 2013 - 09:37, said:

Listening to Vlad on 3AW at the moment, that's his big thing, and if he finds out that we have, we're screwed.

We deserve to be screwed. I have consistently supported the board and DM but this is just woeful and inexusable. Just as is the case for Essendon the issue of the whether the drugs used were banned is to an extent a furphy. It is the governance issues that Essendon and now Melbourne will be smashed on by the AFL.

I have said Essendon will cop a huge fine and if it is proven Hird condoned/knew about the program at Essendon he will be suspended. Whilst it doesn't seem to have been as systematic at MFC, none the less governance system seems to have been woeful. We also deserve to be fined. It remains to be seen if Neeld was directly involved and if the method of administration of the drugs d was above board but if they weren't and he knew he should also be suspended.

Keep in mind two things. One Essendon sacked Danks because of concerns about financial probity (so they say but much more likely they knew what he was doing was dodg). How could we continue to remain involved with him after that. How did we allow the club to get involved in the first place for that matter? Where was the bloody risk management practice at. Governance 101.

Secondly put what ever spin on it you like MFC lied to the AFL publicly but more appallingly from my position to its members The very people they have asked to to accept another rebuild, asked to be patient, asked to stick with the club. Unacceptable.

Demondame hit the nail on the head in the best post i have read in some time on Demonland. Of course there is a link between the listless efforts of our players and this pathetic sham. How would the skipper feel knowing at any point this would inevitably all come out in the media. The whole playing group would have felt the same. Jeez loise.

Compare us to Essendon. They get on the front foot and their club is galvanized. Witness the scenes in the change room after the Freo game. We do the opposite and our club is falling apart. Witness the scenes in our change rooms after the first 3 games. As Demondame said we have all been wondering why we have been so, so poor on field. We now have the answer.

People talk about the players having pride in their performance, which i agree with but in a game where people are always talking about the difference between winning and losing being a fraction of a per cent how on earth could the players be expected to perform at the required level when their own club performs so terribly off field. How can they give their all for a club they would have every right to have lost faith in. You don't think they have lost faith? Re watch the first 3 games and count the pressure acts.

Neeld bangs on about elite. What about elite standards of governance and management.

I'm sorry i've had enough, this is the final straw. For a start DM needs to go. The buck clearly stops with him. I'll wait and see what the evidence is but my gut says that Misson (as much as it pains me to say as he has been about the only positive in the last 2 years), Craig and Neeld will also need to go.

So....How legal are the emails/Texts......I would assume that to have your private emails published would be a breach of the telecommunications Act,unless both parties agree.......Maybe one of our lawyer posters can clear this up for me.......I know taping of phone calls means a warrant by a magistrate is required.......Can someone please enlighten me????

This is bull shi# - I am sick to death of all this crap we supporters have to put up with.

I bet I could run the club better than this group of monkeys. It's time the AFL comes in to clean this mess up - get rid of anyone that shows a hint of weakness.

Our current administration has just dragged our so called 'proud history' through the mud. Well done! and you managed to do it in only a few years

They have. His name is Peter Jackson soon to be CEO of the MFC.

For those of you blathering on about 'legalities' did you forget the tanking investigation?

We did nothing illegal and still managed to be $500K worse off. It's not about the law, it's about the perception of the AFL in the public eye.

If the club haven't figure that out yet then they only have themselves to blame.

Drugs?.....supplements

Involved with Danks after Essendon......we weren't, the statement says so, and why do you think he was not hired, because we had done checks, but if the Doctor wants to discuss things with him, he is the Doctor, in all this it seems the only advice he /we followed was about vitamin injections

To equate this to the performance on field......so the first half last week was celebrating the sacking of Cameron Schwab, but at half time they realised this was going to rear it's head this week.....laughable

Let's see like Essendon, what happens when the investigation is complete, don't forget at the start of this, people were supposed to be arrested within a week....

Some people seem to be completely missing the point here, so I'll let Demetriou's appearance on 3AW sum it up nicely:

http://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/neil-mitchell-blog/andrew-demetriou-angry-at-melbourne-demons-link-to-stephen-dank/20130419-2i47b.html

“The issue of the substances may very well be legitimate substances so we should put that on the table, I’m more concerned about the issue, which we will get to the bottom of about the omissions of things that have been told to us and also concerned about the inconsistencies of things that have been told to us,” he said.

Mr Demetriou said that following the Essendon press conference where the original allegations came to air, the AFL started talking to every club and briefing them on the ACC report and outlining the serious issues and consequences associated with the situation.

“Trust and integrity of the code are paramount and in light of that one would expect that in those briefings you would hear everything that you would need to know.”

“We asked the specific question, the media had asked, was Stephen Dank approached? Or did Stephen Dank approach Melbourne? Or was there discussion around employment at the Melbourne Football club?”

“You would expect that when we sat down with every club that was an opportunity for every club to be full and frank to put their cards on the table given the gravity of the situation,” he said.

Mr Demetriou said investigators and ASADA would speak to Melbourne club doctor today at 10.30am.

“There appears to be some inconsistencies and at least some admissions in things we have been told and at 10.30 the doctor will be spoken to by the investigators and also ASADA and if we have to call in some more Melbourne officials we will,” he said.

Drugs?.....supplements

Involved with Danks after Essendon......we weren't, the statement says so, and why do you think he was not hired, because we had done checks, but if the Doctor wants to discuss things with him, he is the Doctor, in all this it seems the only advice he /we followed was about vitamin injections

To equate this to the performance on field......so the first half last week was celebrating the sacking of Cameron Schwab, but at half time they realised this was going to rear it's head this week.....laughable

Let's see like Essendon, what happens when the investigation is complete, don't forget at the start of this, people were supposed to be arrested within a week....

You simply don't get it.

We can't sack neeld now. No aspiring or experienced coach would want to set foot in this club.

For those of you blathering on about 'legalities' did you forget the tanking investigation?

We did nothing illegal and still managed to be $500K worse off. It's not about the law, it's about the perception of the AFL in the public eye.

If the club haven't figure that out yet then they only have themselves to blame.

For those of you blathering on about 'legalities' did you forget the tanking investigation?

We did nothing illegal and still managed to be $500K worse off. It's not about the law, it's about the perception of the AFL in the public eye.

If the club haven't figure that out yet then they only have themselves to blame.

I was one who was "blathering" on....I was not commenting on the topic....Just wanted to know......You have a problem with that????

I have reread the club statement for the third time.

If accurate, Dank was never employed by the club. Dank may have discussed supplements with the club Doctor. Dank never personally gave anything to a player. The Doctor supervised the program and after checking, approved all supplements given. There is no allegation of any banned substance being given to an MFC player. The Clinic has confirmed any supplements given were as ordered by the Doctor and given by a registered Nurse. Any connection/discussion with Dank was severed when his position was challenged in the Essendon announcement. There are no no hidden contracts with players. There are no stomach injections alleged. There is no suggestion of any Coaches being injected with banned substances. Everything went through the club Doctor as is now prescribed by the AFL.

The conclusion by many on here is that the club has lied to the AFL when it said that Dank was never employed by the club, or administered substances to players, or prescribed substances to players.

At worst a Doctor has discussed substances with Dank, that he later checked and found were not illegal or banned and in some instances prescribed their use under his supervision.

This is nothing like the Bombers situation,where they can't even say what drugs were injected into player's stomachs 12 months later, let alone secret contracts and Dank heading the program and bypassing the club Doctor..

Where is the LIE in what has been revealed?

The MFC initial statement to the AFP was untruthful because it asserted that other than a failed job application, the MFC was not in contact with Dank. This was not the case as Dr Bate was in contact with Dank via txt messaging. Further the MFC stated that no player was or had been in contact directly with Dank, this appears to be contradicted by one of the released txt messages. Dank to Bates: "The pharmacy. Tell him to ring me and he can meet me there." This references a player meeting Dank at a Pharmacy implicating direct contact.

The loss of faith and trust of the AFL and supporters is worse than any punishment the MFC could be handed, as far as i am concerned the damage is done.

I don't know what to say, so I wrote a poem (I don't usually write poems).

At 7.30 my Demon heart sank, when I heard we spoke to some bloke, Dank.

It was bad enough they broke the bank, despite assurances we did not tank.

Now we know we were not frank, and today it's clear that something stank.

But do not cry or walk the plank, because Jack Watts returns to a half-back flank.

They have. His name is Peter Jackson soon to be CEO of the MFC.

The AFL haven't even scratched the surface - if you think an interim CEO is the answer your wrong.

The Schwabb issue was not a split second decision - the MFC should have landed a permanent CEO by now - and the AFL needs to take charge and clean out all the people who are holding the MFC under water.

good news..snowing at buller

The loss of faith and trust of the AFL and supporters is worse than any punishment the MFC could be handed, as far as i am concerned the damage is done.

The damage was done lone ago Demonfan26, this is icing on the cake!

I don't know what to say, so I wrote a poem (I don't usually write poems).

At 7.30 my Demon heart sank, when I heard we spoke to some bloke, Dank.

It was bad enough they broke the bank, despite assurances we did not tank.

Now we know we were not frank, and today it's clear that something stank.

But do not cry or walk the plank, because Jack Watts returns to a half-back flank.

That was rank.

We can't sack neeld now. No aspiring or experienced coach would want to set foot in this club.

Not so sure it will make any difference to that problem when Neeld goes!

I don't know what to say, so I wrote a poem (I don't usually write poems).

At 7.30 my Demon heart sank, when I heard we spoke to some bloke, Dank.

It was bad enough they broke the bank, despite assurances we did not tank.

Now we know we were not frank, and today it's clear that something stank.

But do not cry or walk the plank, because Jack Watts returns to a half-back flank.

For that heart felt rhyme, it's you I thank.

I'm feeling so stressed, might have a [censored].

If that word is not allowed, change it to 'crank'.

The current board has undone all the magnificent work the late Jim Stynes has done, I hate brining up Jimmy but they truly have. Jim's dream of what this club stands for has vanished. We're now completely irrelevant and can not be trusted.

I really feel for the players, I can only imagine what Dawes, Toumpas, Viney and Hogan are thinking and I honestly don't blame them if they up and left. We have turned into the worst possible clud that stands for nothing. Congrats to Schwab, Don and the rest of the board you have dug an almighty hole that we may never get out of.

What a sorry state of affairs, reading it this morning I was in disbelief.

The worst part of all this being if they were upfront in the first place it wouldn't have been an issue, providing the only wrong doing is the fact they lied.

Drugs?.....supplements

Involved with Danks after Essendon......we weren't, the statement says so, and why do you think he was not hired, because we had done checks, but if the Doctor wants to discuss things with him, he is the Doctor, in all this it seems the only advice he /we followed was about vitamin injections

To equate this to the performance on field......so the first half last week was celebrating the sacking of Cameron Schwab, but at half time they realised this was going to rear it's head this week.....laughable

Let's see like Essendon, what happens when the investigation is complete, don't forget at the start of this, people were supposed to be arrested within a week....

Hahahaha spin spin spin

You've got NFI just like your mate.

I don't know what to say, so I wrote a poem (I don't usually write poems).

At 7.30 my Demon heart sank, when I heard we spoke to some bloke, Dank.

It was bad enough they broke the bank, despite assurances we did not tank.

Now we know we were not frank, and today it's clear that something stank.

But do not cry or walk the plank, because Jack Watts returns to a half-back flank.

I always enjoy the a, a, a, a, rhyming pattern

I have reread the club statement for the third time.

If accurate, Dank was never employed by the club. Dank may have discussed supplements with the club Doctor. Dank never personally gave anything to a player. The Doctor supervised the program and after checking, approved all supplements given. There is no allegation of any banned substance being given to an MFC player. The Clinic has confirmed any supplements given were as ordered by the Doctor and given by a registered Nurse. Any connection/discussion with Dank was severed when his position was challenged in the Essendon announcement. There are no no hidden contracts with players. There are no stomach injections alleged. There is no suggestion of any Coaches being injected with banned substances. Everything went through the club Doctor as is now prescribed by the AFL.

The conclusion by many on here is that the club has lied to the AFL when it said that Dank was never employed by the club, or administered substances to players, or prescribed substances to players.

At worst a Doctor has discussed substances with Dank, that he later checked and found were not illegal or banned and in some instances prescribed their use under his supervision.

This is nothing like the Bombers situation,where they can't even say what drugs were injected into player's stomachs 12 months later, let alone secret contracts and Dank heading the program and bypassing the club Doctor..

Where is the LIE in what has been revealed?

'Redleg' whilst I appreciate we are not in the same position as Essendon, our club has been very liberal with the truth. In Feb they knew there was at best an association with Dank which they admit to in the statement last night, they should have said so at the time, this statement is 3 months too late. To the letter of the law he was not employed by the club but the lie is in the omission of the detail that he was associated with the club and at best as an advisor to the club doctor, at worst case who knows.