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I was listening to Mark Fine on SEN and boy, did he give Caro a serve over her opinion articles in general but over her treatment of Melbourne and her lame duck piece in particular. Compared her to New Idea and its ilk with her constant use of unnamed sources to justify the rumour and innuendo she peddles. Finey read out Don McLardy's message and was highly complimentary.

I would have thought that her job was to print the truth, not her view of what may happen in her dreams. If a reporter or opinion writer just prints whatever comes to their head, whether it's true or not, they effectively become a Troll, which she now appears to be. Have journalistic "standards" declined so much?

For the last 4 years I believe we have been a "not for pleasure" organisation

CW would report your last post as "Ben-Hur is an admitted arsonist and pyromaniac, who has admitted setting fire to a woman, has no remorse about it and in fact is quite proud of that disgusting and pathetic violent act, towards another human being and a defenceless female at that. Shame on you Ben-Hur, you deserve the full punishment of the law and my sources tell me you will soon be charged . In addition to his vile behaviour he displays homophobic tendencies comparing a man to a woman, this guy is clearly mentally unwell". PS. I have just been offered a job as a Journo at The Age.

My observation is The Age has moved its position, and that they have lowered their standards to the point where there is little difference in the quality of work by either of the major Melbourne papers.

It was Oscar Wilde. I only raise this minor pedantry because I'd resist any mention of the intrepid girl reporter in the same breath as the magnificent Mae.

If there is a negotiated settlement then its in all parties interest that individuals potentially in the gun are not left hanging to dry. If one person is left a scapegoat then their frank admissions could blow what credibility the AFL and MFC have out the window. I think all parties are negotiating because there smart enough to realise that no one will win if this goes to Court.

Yes, but they play Carlton, Essendon, Richmond and Hawkthorn as home games on a Friday night, All we get is Goldcoast, Greater Western Scully and Feemantle mainly on a Sunday and Port thrown in on Mothersday. Go figure who is going to get the bigger crowds.

You're not allowed to talk about other sides, sorry mate.

She shifts units to unsuspecting plods. Idiots love her. The most consistent form of praise you hear is that she's "the only one ballsy enough to tell it how it is". It's possible that you have to be on the receiving end of one of her relentless attacks to see just how poor her work is. None of this changes the fact that she is working in a dying medium. Soon we may only be exposed to her on tv. So yes, things can get worse..

\ is that mjt hiding under the left end of the table?

The Sun wouldn't want to publish it as it would direct people to reading CW's article, and The Age won't publish it because it shows up their declining standards.

Why, are you going out with your mates? lol

Those apologists for CW, grounding their comments on 'just doing her job... selling papers... getting a reaction... ' arguments, are wrong; there's much more to her pieces, as has been pointed out often enough. There's real malice, a malice combined with wishful thinking, an intrusion of very personal emotions, in her diatribes against the MFC, which goes far beyond what the apologists are now saying in this thread. CW's 'journalism' is extremely shoddy, and making the argument that this is the age of 'social media', 'sound bytes' and instant gratification in no way explains or excuses the plummeting standards of CW or The Age - its online version is 'disgusting', to quote one of CW's own epithets for the alleged actions of the MFC, and the paper edition is little better. One only has to read again her various articles to sense the intense and malicious nature of her feelings about the MFC and certain individuals within it; CS is the case in point. Here, there is obviously a very personal vendetta being pursued, regardless of CS's ability, performance or ethics. It's likely this goes back to a rivalry or falling-out between CW's father and CS's, in the history of the Richmond FC. If CW were a decent or proper journalist, she would have researched as well as possible the evidence of so called 'tanking' for picks over the last 13 years, and analysed the degree to which this can be attributed to, and even sanctioned by, the AFL itself. Let's call it the 'big picture'. That there's a clear dearth of such investigative and analytical journalism in Melbourne speaks volumes for the very low quality of the people writing or speaking about 'sport' in our mass media; like those who are supposed to write seriously about politics, they content themselves with rumours, gossip, tweets, the bleeding obvious, polls, personalities, tedious repetition: group-think in other words. Note how Pierik's articles kept repeating ad nauseum 'facts' which had indeed been inferred from CW's wishful thinking. We perhaps can't expect any better of a woman who has so much at stake personally in this affair. I don't think for one moment that she is capable of the smallest degree of detachment and irony which would mark the work of someone simply stirring up a storm.

That is my understanding... altho the AGE might be considered not for profit ha ha ha

"Aliens."

When Garry called her out on the assertion that the media never questioned the players performance she responded in a very interesting manner. She actually looked stunned, her arms crossed and she retracted back in to her seat in a typical fight or flight response that was also an over reaction. The over reaction is also a typical response of someone who is not being totally honest and overcompensates when challenged. She then feigned ignorance but her physical leakage was copy book, She knew that she had been caught out. Her next response was also indicative of someone who knew that she was exposed. By going on the attack and questioning Garry's integrity she gained valuable thinking time, and was able to bury that question. Make no mistakes she was lying about that particular question. Or at least unofficially she was.

Thomas was the only thing good about the show.

Actually you say that is jest...but you can bet your last zack they did indeed have little get togethers. Nothing ever like this is left to chance and happenstance. Things are co ordinated to some point. They planed the games,how not to get too 'good" ; they went over lists, they sent players off to 'hospital"... what you think it all happened by magic ??

Just bumped this up. Having a coffee in Richmond today and Jimmy Strauss popped into the same shop. Without being a gushing, dithering old fool, I had a quick chat to him and wished him all the best for this season. Here's the good news....he's huge, looked frighteningly fit and much taller than I thought. I really, really hope he has a great year.

Stopped reading after the first line. Collingwood as the MCG's 'anchor tenant' FMD [censored] off Eddie we are the ultimate anchor tenant - have been there for 151 years.

I'm the one taking the photo of you losers...

Scandal, shock, horror. ASADA is now analysing my blood samples for PED's. Apparently unbeknown to me, my banana smoothie was laced with mexican banana extract, which is on the banned list and they are threatening me with a 2 year ban from this thread. I have engaged 2 genius investigators to get to the bottom of it for me, their names are Clothier and Haddad.

Driving through wattle park shopping centre and noticed a flashing electronic sign saying "give way to peds". Couldn't work out if they were talking about drug dealers or Catholic priests

When people distort the facts, that will happen. If some wish to subscribe to the old journalist's axiom of never letting the facts get in the way of a good story, then good luck to ya. But for those who are old enough to remember Peter Finch, in the movie, "the Network:; I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore". All journalists supposedly are required to adhere to a code of conduct. If CW does, then that credo obviously is as hollow as a rotten log. And one more cliche for good measure, good news simply doesn't sell. CW is well aware of that imperative.

You edited that? How many mistakes did you make?

Funny about that!

A few on here have been constant on here regarding the clubs strategy - simply put, say nothing as the club does not know what the AFL/ investigators have turned up. Why the change ? The club now has the report in its hand so knows exactly the extent of the evidence against it. We are playing poker and we know what cards our opponents have in their hand. Therefore the club sensing its position feels free to give a bit of trash talk back. Well played Don and the club.

Billy I understand your thinking on Wilson. Why would she put so much on the line over this? But then again why would DM also risk everything with his statement. Given that we know DM has read the report and we have no way of knowing if Wilson has or hasn't, I for one would back Dons account. To me Wilson is trying her damnedest to influence a outcome that she knows is pending. A bit like a politician in the last days of an election campaign. The fact is she went way too hard from the start and has been slinging mud ever since to justify her position. More than anybody Wilson needs to AFL to charge us with something. As to her motivations I can only suggest that she has become a victim of her own over inflated ego and in her mind she simply cannot be wrong.

My reading of Wilson's stance is that it's continually shifting. Continuity seems to be a real problem. Last week on classified she stated that the MFC would be charged along with Bailey and Cuddles. This assertion seems to have dropped off the radar in the last week. Previously she has asserted that Schwab was going to be charged and now is back tracking on that statement. She continues to make deceptive comments in regards to the vault. I'm surprised that people continue to hang off her every word as if she's the Oracle of bloody Delphi. Who by the way was a mad woman experiencing hallucinations caused by a gas leak from a volcanic vent.

Sent. Quite therapeutic, I recommend giving it a bash. Afternoon Caroline, I don't know if you take the time to read through emails from the public, as I'm sure you get your fair share. Thus, I put the main underlying point in the subject. There was a general acceptance of your positioning yourself as the defender of justice and truth in the tanking affair. But I have to say Caroline, your latest "lame duck" article is actually more offensive for its shoddy journalism than anything else, for several reasons. It goes beyond poor fact checking. We previously overlooked the embarrassment of your calling the alleged (you should look that word up btw) tanking meeting the "vault", in an attempt to make it seem more insidious, when that nickname was revealed as the name of the room in which football meetings were held year round. Sometimes fact checking goes off the rails. [censored] happens. But to actually present to the public the defences of the club, that you label as "lame duck excuses," when the club has not come out with any of the stated defences regarding its conduct, is quite frankly disgraceful on your part. It is in fact blatant lying, Caroline. The club has NOT presented a defence, unofficial or not, that "everyone was doing it". Some of the fans might hold that view, but for the club to present such a defence would be foolishness. It would be an admission of guilt. Your stating that they have used any such defence is an outright lie. The club has NOT tried to use its registered complaint regarding the conduct of AFL investigators as some sort of defence or excuse for tanking. The two are unrelated. The club is however entitled to natural justice (which I'm sure annoys you to no end) and thus the concern was rightly raised. Your attempt to criticise the club for using it as an excuse for tanking is without ANY basis. Connolly had EVERY right as an individual to contest the accusations you put to print regarding his threats to staff, and yet you found reason to group that into these fictitious "lame duck excuses" by the club. You go so far as to admit that the club probably has a solid legal case, but in the same sentence label the excuses (the ones the club has not used) as "flimsy" and "childish". How does that work exactly? How does one have a solid legal case based on flimsy and childish grounds? What are we talking here, Caroline? "Sure, they probably won't be found guilty but they should be punished regardless"? Welcome to the world of law and order, where there is a presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and only the guilty are punished. Not the reverse. You use statements such as "Melbourne manipulated football results in 2009", a slanderous statement, which you back up with further speculation. In essence, this brings me to what in my opinion is the worst thing a journalist can do, even one that is opinion based such as yourself. You speculate, but present that speculation as fact. You mislead your readers. I can not say with any certainty if you do this with any agenda, but the fact remains that you have done this continually in your covering of this matter. The basis of this article in particular is not only shaky, it's non-existent. It is by some margin the worst article I've seen you write, and that includes all of the disgusting and frankly hateful articles you've written about the MFC these past several months. So why write it? I believe because you know that Melbourne will likely get off and are getting your ducks in a row for the final judgement, to cause the least amount of egg on your face as possible. Honestly, I think you are better than the way you've conducted yourself recently, and if I were you I'd be doing everything I can to stitch together what remains of my reputation. The way you are going about it right now is just digging the almighty hole even bigger. Regards, Simon

The position of the AFL is shameful in this whole sorry episode. It created the priority pick system. Despite years of abuse of the system and complaints by the media, it endorsed and legitimised that abuse, actually making it legal under then AFL policy. It created a shameful rule, that allowed GWS to steal the young player we got for our Priority Pick in 2009, by giving him AFL money and contracted during the first year of his initial contract with the MFC. It then banned the MFC from doing what other clubs have been allowed to do, using a 3rd party contract to keep him. Despite then being the highest paid inexperienced player in the league's history, the AFL Ceo said it was our fault that we didn't retain him. The AFL then accepted their error with the PP system and abolished it. The AFL then chose to launch a tanking investigation of over 8 months so far, on the say so of a former, disgruntled, less than perfectly behaved player, who actually provided no evidence of the offence to the AFL. Despite admissions of other players and coaches and examples of similar behaviour of other clubs, provided by the media, the AFL refused to investigate other clubs or widen the investigation. The MFC which is the only club to have won 5 games under the PP system and lost a PP pick twice, costing them Nic Nat and another player in the other year, have received no credit for that. The AFL has started this investigation knowing that their rules on the subject were poor and that the system has failed. The AFL has heard other Presidents like Eddie say that the MFC would have been the laughing stock of the AFL if they did not do what others had done and what was approved of by the AFL The AFL has conducted the interrogation like rank amateurs and bully boys with probably unusable statements. The AFL runs a competition for the benefit of its member clubs that it admits is totally compromised by its fixture and various deals and concessions. The AFL at the moment appears to be in disarray. Despite the above the AFL has continued with this victimisation of one club and seemingly is intent on not losing face above all else and securing charges against the MFC and its officers. The AFL should be ashamed of itself. Print this Caro, you self-opinionated harpie.

This depresses me immensely. To think that people actually believe this is the role of Journalism. Woodward and Bernstein would be turning over in their graves, if they were dead. I would love to see The Rages HR departments Job description for the position of Journalist. " Must be able to get attention and provoke a reaction" To me that describes "EBOLA VIRUS".

I dont know how Gary Lyon can work with her. She hates his football club,continually publishing lies about them. She hates his good mate James Brayshaw as well.

I've worked with The Age editorial staff in the past, and I'm well aware of their legal obligations. As far as Caro's opinion pieces go, the club cannot sue as it's a corporation. She has been careful on her naming of individuals, only going as far as to mention what certain people are accused of. She has been hard on the club as a whole. Her pieces would have been rigorously proofed by the legal team, who I'm sure would have made amendments and told her to tone it down. It may also have encouraged her to publish these pieces if she was able to demonstrate her knowledge on the issue. So it's interesting that she published these pieces, because The Age is generally far more particular with its statement of fact and opinion and maintaining a balance. It does it better than anyone. It wouldn't have published these pieces if it didn't stand behind what Caro had to say. Not to say the club is in the wrong, but it is worth considering what is driving this entire thing.

Who's Bob ?....is he Bill's mate ?

I am a traditionalist ... let's stick to burning an effigy or six in Yarra Park (but well away from the Norm Smith statue).

A large picture of Wilson's head would go down a treat on the scoreboard during our Round 2 fixture. Thoughts?

I think we'll be here until we get our 13th flag, and for a long time after that ...

By who? I cbf going back and reading all her articles again but has she ever accused anybody individually of throwing games? She's mentioned all the big hitters but generally under the cloak of what's being investigated. The club can't sue for damage done to our reputation, so unless one of Connolly/Schwab/Bailey is going to have a pop at her under their own name it's not going happen. Having said that I'd love it if she had, but not sure anybody involved with this would take the oath and testify under penalty of perjury. Let's just take (hopefully) getting off and leave it there.

Actually, Caro's mental descent is all part of Cameron Schwab's plan to fix our low membership by engineering an MFC baby boom nine months after we finally get off this farcical investigation without charge.

if you guys can hold off until round 3 i'll join in too!

Dear Caroline Wilson...

Well done Don! Good to hear a response from the club.

It's only a can of worms if Connolly or the MFC contests it. If all parties are prepared to accept it to make this go away then it's a can of beer.

No, many men in the street form their own view and their opinion is divided.

Amazes me how little people on this forum know about the business of sport. Sponsorships are sought after by a Sponsorship Manager, and the CEO does not attend any of the meetings until its pen to paper time. Also, most deals are not renewed due to the sponsor companies budget constraints, or if the premise of the deal had been, such as brand recognition in a new market. Deals are signed for one or two years with both parties knowing their will be no renewal at contract end. Enough with the sensationalism sack CS bs, people around her bag Caroline Wilson for being a drama queen and then follow in her very footsteps