Whispering_Jack

Game over and most of the spectators are hanging around the water cooler giving their "unofficial versions" of what's transpired at Casey Fields. It was a good hit out. I didn't notice anybody getting injured. Apart from the known players out injured - Trengove, Clark & Gawn - Chris Dawes and Jeremy Howe were rested and both are expected to play in the NAB Cup Mickey Mouse round next week. I think James Sellar was off after half time but not entirely sure because there was a bit of team swapping going on (probably in contravention of AFL permit rules but so what?). Bring on the real thing!

I have a confession to make. I think the white team is tanking* * but don't tell Caro.

I'm not keeping count but someone near me said Byrnes has just kicked his fifth goal.

It's an oldie but a goodie GV.Jack Viney, Jimmy Toumpas are going to be great acquisitions in the midfield. JV at the bottom of every pack. The Hulk is simply incredible (that's an oldie too). I was never a wrap for Rodan but he and Byrnes might add a bit while the young blokes develop. Also, Andy and I have just bought a hot dog each thereby making a solid contribution to the club in case it needs some extra funds after a possible announcement from the AFL later today.

Not even quarter time and we've got this parcelled up. New boys (both young and mature) doing well.

On reflection Wilson was humiliated on last night's programme. Nothing more, nothing less.

Thank god for that. I was starting to think I needed a bigger TV screen to catch all the action.

Of course, it's possible that testing which might prove that banned substances were taken by any of the players can't be carried out but there may be evidence that they were present at the EFC (evidence of delivery or information through wire taps or other technology). It would then be a convenient response to say that these substances were never given to players, only coaches and therefore no players get suspended (if the response is believed). Just a theory.

You're not suggesting she peed herself on national television, are you?

Agreed. As I mentioned yesterday the Age protects its own from criticism and it was never going to publish a view contrary to Wilson's in the form of Don McLardy's message. Besides, DM was far too logical for the lunatics that abound in the asylum that's become the Age. * apologies to Martin Flanagan, Tim Lane, Emma Quayle and Tim Boyle.

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 don't think it's appropriate to change the name of this thread as suggested in midstream because it really did start off as a thread about tanking and what it does and does not mean. The fact that some people (including senior media people) don't get it, don't understand or simply don't want to understand is another thing altogether. They're entitled to their views. I'm comfortable with the title as it is.

Surely this is moot given that the CEO of the AFL regularly both before and after the event was on record as condoning such experimentation? Those statements were made not only about the way Melbourne played in 2009 but also Carlton in 2007 and other clubs as well. This is of course, yet another of many fine points that went completely over Wilson's head and which she didn't allow to get in the way of a bad story.

I wonder if they publish this in the Fairfax Media.My experience is that the Age and Sydney Morning Herald are very protective of their staff. They will on occasion allow some criticism but I've noticed that when this happens they will conveniently find a fluffy letter of support or two (often looking quite contrived) by way of attempted balance. Great work from Don. I must admit I was somewhat peeved about Garry Lyon not standing up to the shrew on Footy Classified when she took a swipe at us last Thursday. It was even better coming right from the top.

How quaint. Somebody actually asked a footballer about his experiences on this subject.

Did they (train) today?

You realise you're wasting your time? This point has been debated ad infinitum for months. Some people see it this way and others don't or won't. We'll know soon what path the AFL is taking and what the response of the other parties will be.

My information is that Croad won't be the only person taking a newspaper publisher to the courts and seeking damages for defamation.

Hate to break the news Demon Forever but the twitter account CarowhineWilson is actually a fake. It's not Caro at all. Still, it should make you feel better to know that Carowhine's tweets are more informative and credible than the real thing.

Excellent point. To my knowledge there has been no official or unofficial defence issued by the club at all. Perhaps she reads Demonland and has cherry picked some of the poorer posts and anointed them as forming our "unofficial defence"?She's certainly shown that she doesn't understand the fact that if you have a "serious case to answer", you are entitled and have a right to mount a defence based on the legalities of the situation. Her sheer ignorance of this fact simply beggars belief.

Another poorly thought out lightweight opinion piece that demonstrates by how far she misses the point. So never mind that you are innocent until proven guilty and never mind that you have a very good case "in legal terms", Wilson has pronounced us guilty before the charges have even been laid.To Wilson's feeble mind we need to do away with the legal system altogether. That way we can send people we don't like to the gallows as they do in backwater dictatorships or to remote prison camps without trial as they did regularly in tyrannical regimes. Welcome to Wilson's Gulag Archipelago.

I hope this article clarifies the situation with respect to the intraclub practice on Friday. Match practice details confirmed

Seems we're in the clear or the ACC doesn't have our phone number. Drugs investigation: clubs respond

Wilson will no doubt claim that according to her sources that is what the "witnesses" told the investigators. If that's the case, then the evidence of these "witnesses" should be in the 800 (or 1,000) page report and their identity known to the club. Perhaps they should be named and shamed? In any event, their "evidence" would easily have been refuted. I've always regarded the paragraphs reported above from a Wilson article as risible and indicative of the lowest form of agenda based journalism and an insult to the intelligence of the readers of the Age newspaper. Surely, the wise men at the AFL wouldn't fall for that rubbish?

The nature of the process of mediation of a matter of this type requires some fluidity. There are five parties involved, the AFL, the MFC and three individuals, whose interests don't necessarily coincide but who need to be respected. While I feel the process has been far too long and poorly handled by the AFL, it is what it is, and if there are some sticking points at Dean Bailey's end, then we can only hope that they get sorted out as soon as possible. The AFL already has plenty of bush fires to deal with and should be keen to extinguish this one.