Jump to content

Tanking?

Salems Lot
Salems Lot
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

 

Yeah, it is genuinely comical when experts suggest this stuff. No-one even realises they are doing it. 

We were found not guilty of tanking but fined $500,000 for reasons no-one can remember and the public perception ever since has been that we got done for tanking.

Perhaps something that the administration at the time would like to discuss at another time..

Edited by layzie

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Angry 1

    We tanked.  I know others clubs did/do the same, but haven't been called out on it like we were.  Cheers Brock!

    I remember one game in particular v St Kilda when Jurrah was kicking goals and starring up forward while Frawley was keeping Reiwoldt quiet at the other end and we were headed for victory.  Lo and behold, Jurrah was benched, Frawley was moved to the forward line and Reiwoldt subsequently cut loose and was the matchwinner for the Saints.

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Love 1
     
    33 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

    We tanked.  I know others clubs did/do the same, but haven't been called out on it like we were.  Cheers Brock!

    I remember one game in particular v St Kilda when Jurrah was kicking goals and starring up forward while Frawley was keeping Reiwoldt quiet at the other end and we were headed for victory.  Lo and behold, Jurrah was benched, Frawley was moved to the forward line and Reiwoldt subsequently cut loose and was the matchwinner for the Saints.

    Yep. Remember that game well. Was beyond puzzled at the time.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    There is a difference, though. We didn't telegraph in advance that we might play players in unusual positions. Having stated in advance that they are willing or intending to do so, WCE has "informed the market" (including the betting market) of the possibility.

    Let me stress, though, that there are two different definitions of "tanking". One is when a team doesn't try its hardest on the day to win (or, worse, deliberately tries to lose). The other is when the team tries its hardest on the day to win, but it isn't the strongest team that could have been played from the available squad. Using that latter definition, we and the WCE are quite similar.     

  • Quote

    Players would never go out on the field and intentionally not try. But when a coach makes moves throughout a game that looks to the common observer like he's trying to deliberately lose, that's tanking.

    Teams that are not in finals contention are entitled to experiment with this list, or send players off for surgery prior to season's end. The AFL shouldn't have any issue with that.

  • Quote

    In a sport as versatile as AFL footy where positions are extremely interchangeable I find it difficult seeing the difference between any moves that have been made from a 'tanking' team. Yeah we sit here and laugh at how Brock Mclean was put to full forward against Carlton late in 09 and think how bizarre some of these things were but how do you prove it's more bizarre than if North were to throw Horne Francis to FF this week. I didn't understand it then and I don't understand it now, anyone who does then more power to you. 

  • Quote
    •  
    54 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

    Last game of the year in 2009.

    Did we get a priority  pick for only getting 4 wins that season?

  • Quote
    4 hours ago, Salems Lot said:

    Back in the day we were accused of tanking for doing this...or am I missing something?

    https://www.afl.com.au/news/803160/eagles-to-try-experimental-roles-midfielder-likely-to-face-saints

    Westcoke the masters of the tank.

     

    Edited by YesitwasaWin4theAges

  • Quote

    1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

    There is a difference, though. We didn't telegraph in advance that we might play players in unusual positions. Having stated in advance that they are willing or intending to do so, WCE has "informed the market" (including the betting market) of the possibility.

    Let me stress, though, that there are two different definitions of "tanking". One is when a team doesn't try its hardest on the day to win (or, worse, deliberately tries to lose). The other is when the team tries its hardest on the day to win, but it isn't the strongest team that could have been played from the available squad. Using that latter definition, we and the WCE are quite similar.     

    The Eagles ever the opportunitists have orchestrated the big tank in living memory. Westcoke have written a new book on tanking by this years efforts.

    Quite simple really dont do a Pre Season and use covid as a legitimate excuse.

  • Quote

    Always staggered me that Tony Libratore, who was a Carlton coach at the time, went on one of the TV programs and blatantly admitted tht the Blues had tanked. Not a single further question was ever asked of the Blues and they were never pulled over the coals like us! 

  • Quote
    • Like 3
    • Love 1
    2 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

    Did we get a priority  pick for only getting 4 wins that season?

    Yes (PP for two consecutive years of less than 4 wins).

    2008 Sam Blease was a PP

    2009 Tom Scully was a PP

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    1 hour ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

    Always staggered me that Tony Libratore, who was a Carlton coach at the time, went on one of the TV programs and blatantly admitted tht the Blues had tanked. Not a single further question was ever asked of the Blues and they were never pulled over the coals like us! 

    Because Libba back-pedalled when the AFL asked for a please explain. He did it twice from memory.

  • Quote

    It was going well until we beat the Power when they were playing for a spot in the 8.

    It meant we had to lose one of Richmond or Fremantle which were banked as wins. 

  • Quote

    Still funny that it took a kick after the siren for Richmond to beat us when we did everything possible to avoid winning.

  • Quote

    That was the last game I went to that year. I was middle deck Olympic stand.

    When McMahon kicked the goal it was if we had won the game.

    I was one of the fans standing and cheering. 

  • Quote
    7 hours ago, layzie said:

    Yeah, it is genuinely comical when experts suggest this stuff. No-one even realises they are doing it. 

    We were found not guilty of tanking but fined $500,000 for reasons no-one can remember and the public perception ever since has been that we got done for tanking.

    Perhaps something that the administration at the time would like to discuss at another time..

    because then the essendon drug saga kicked off so they had to fine us so they could move their attention to the next and more important scandal

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

    Because Libba back-pedalled when the AFL asked for a please explain. He did it twice from memory.

    Not sure Libba is a Rhode's Scholar. 

  • Quote

    Ask Caroline Wilson her thoughts. 
    She certainly lead the charge against the MFC. 

    Our situation was no different to Meth Coke, and they have been doing it all year

  • Quote

    1 hour ago, tilly18 said:

    That was the last game I went to that year. I was middle deck Olympic stand.

    When McMahon kicked the goal it was if we had won the game.

    I was one of the fans standing and cheering. 

    I’ve been led to believe that McMahon was the only player on the Richmond list not to get a game the next season. ?
    ????Punishment

  • Quote
    • Haha 1
    1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Ask Caroline Wilson her thoughts. 
    She certainly lead the charge against the MFC. 

    Our situation was no different to Meth Coke, and they have been doing it all year

    I think our situation is different to West Coast in that we were a FAR worse team than WC is now. They have to try harder to lose, the thing that always frustrated me about the MFC tanking debate was people talk as if that team was going to win multiple games if we played differently, no way, at most it was one game. I was at all those games, we couldn’t have beaten anyone most of the time, we were genuinely horrific. West Coast on the other hand have multiple premiership players and AA players being played out of position or rested and no fine at all. This WC team is capable of shaking things up if they genuinely try for the next five weeks, but they won’t, as they have flagged, they’ll call it ‘experimentation’ but it’s tanking. And it’s far worse than what MFC did, we were a terrible team that had been down for a very long time trying to get extra help, they are a team that’s been up forever trying to stock up on top end talent quick and then all of a sudden fly back up the ladder. Just like the pies did for Daisy and co. 
     

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    29 minutes ago, deejammin' said:

    I think our situation is different to West Coast in that we were a FAR worse team than WC is now. They have to try harder to lose, the thing that always frustrated me about the MFC tanking debate was people talk as if that team was going to win multiple games if we played differently, no way, at most it was one game. I was at all those games, we couldn’t have beaten anyone most of the time, we were genuinely horrific. West Coast on the other hand have multiple premiership players and AA players being played out of position or rested and no fine at all. This WC team is capable of shaking things up if they genuinely try for the next five weeks, but they won’t, as they have flagged, they’ll call it ‘experimentation’ but it’s tanking. And it’s far worse than what MFC did, we were a terrible team that had been down for a very long time trying to get extra help, they are a team that’s been up forever trying to stock up on top end talent quick and then all of a sudden fly back up the ladder. Just like the pies did for Daisy and co. 
     

    Agreed. But that wasn’t a front page news story 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     
    1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    Ask Caroline Wilson her thoughts. 
    She certainly lead the charge against the MFC. 

    Our situation was no different to Meth Coke, and they have been doing it all year

    Yet I'm sure she conveniently ignored Richmond's then coach Terry Wallace stating on record he was worried about losing access to Trent Cotchin and refused to make any coaching moves to help win them the game. 

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    10 hours ago, Salems Lot said:

    Back in the day we were accused of tanking for doing this...or am I missing something?

    https://www.afl.com.au/news/803160/eagles-to-try-experimental-roles-midfielder-likely-to-face-saints

    Yes, you are missing something.  The media reported that Schwab told the players at 3/4 time in one game that Jim Stynes almost fell out of bed when he heard they were leading.  Either Stynes was trying for his team to lose or a dying man was fraudulently being used to accomplish that; neither a pretty sight.

    I.e. the players were being white-anted by the club and being set up to fail..  And we spit the dummy when a player does feel the blind attachment to the Demons that we feel and considers other clubs.

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • PREVIEW: Essendon

      As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Essendon

      Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

        • Like
      • 287 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 05

      Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • 20 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • CASEY: Geelong

      There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Geelong

      I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 04

      Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

        • Like
      • 273 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All