jabberwocky

This is my concern and a theme of BPs drafting unfortunately.

There will be more than one, then there will be best 22 players fall away. I will go Strauss, Jetta and Kent out of that lot.

Have done 5AA before. Rates with my vasectomy as something I will only do once.

Cliches should be avoided like the plague.

The question remains that if an investiagation were held and thier senior coach of the time questioned would he be stupid enough to admit to leaving out players and ordering positional changes in order to lose a game to gain draft picks. This point is lost on many.

The revamping of our football department occurred over 12 months ago. Neeld inherited a confused and disoriented playing list and they played like this for much of 2012 as players were challenged to play a far more defensive and organised style. Neeld entered the coaching fray making some big and bold statements, he was unable to get a footy team that could consistently fulfil his ambitions in 2012. Those statements were Neeld's expression to the players, the membership and the football world of his ambitions for his football team. He has been unwaivering in his demands of his list and the club has some talented players have been collateral damage. In 2013 we get to watch and decide if the players that he has selected to remain and selected to draft will be willing and capable physically and intellectually of accepting the coaches mandate. Will the loss of the talent be offset by what many hope to be a more disciplined and hardened culture? and will the draftees make a significant inpact in 2013? The reports have been positive this pre-season, as they are every pre-season but there are many learned demonlanders who suggest that there is improved, leadership, fitness and cohesion among the group. This pre-season a very cautious Neeld has made no big statements, there are no great predictions or expectations, but some sense a quiet confidence that he feels that an improved football team will take the field this year. How many wins that translates to is of course relative to the improvement or otherwise of the other clubs, perhaps a more organised and assured team will compete in the 2013 season. The antidote to a flagging membership, a large fine, a battered reputation and a divided Demonland is having a strong team that can eke out wins against solid opposition....And a team that can play a game style that can be reasonably expected to become better and stronger in the future so that the idea of impending finals wins is not something that other teams supporters get to do. So heres to a new season of FOOTBALL, and to a steady upward projection of the fortunes of our club.

An investigation may be as simple as reading the brief. I conduct investigations all the time, "who left the milk on the bench?" "why can I never find clean socks" and "who let the dogs out". There would be an obligation on them to hold an "investigation".

If you have your director of football and coach of the time making admissions to manipulate teams and positional changes to support a loss then it doesn't give the club a lot of room.

I dont have the transcript in front of me but those comments were ambigious and indirect, and could be covered. Its the subsequent acceptance that he followed orders to play players out of position and leave players out to gain draft picks. In light of this we are lucky.

Bailey and Conolly have both rolled over, sadly we had little choice here and have got off lightly. A staunch Bailey may have lead to a different outcome.

ok, we have accepted the sanctions..

AFL has set this up for failure...

AFL: "Waddaya reckon about a half a mill fine and suspend Cuddles for a bit." Dees " Nah, reckon we'll give her a run at court." AFL: "Geez, rigthto, leave it with us.."

You could blame the club, or on disloyalty and ill will of the individuals involved. These things are rarely black and white though and both have culpability...along with the AFL's own rules and the tacit approval they have given the practice by failing to act in the past etc.

Honestly how can that happen.... It has been reported that the afl (us) have made this determination re the dees tanking bizo and this is the penalty but we are not available for comment. WTF is going on there!!

Shrugging in disbelief...

I don't think so, will be a negotiated outcome.

"The investigation has been thorough and well conducted and there was sufficient information to warrant an investigation. Investigator Fancypants has 30 years experience etc etc.. The brief has been provided to both the Melbourne Football Club and independent legal experts employed by the AFL. Our legal people have perused the evidence and the responses from the Melbourne Football Club. They have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to lay any charges that would be upheld in a court. The AFL has since addressed the drafting rules in order to prevent clubs from gaining from not performing on thier merits in the future to prevent these allegations from rearing their head in the future." NB: This has not happened, but I had a dream..

woohoo footy!

There's a sig for Jose...

Thread improving..... So is the vibe. The Sanderson comments are timely and telling. Me, I can't wait to see the chunk and JV smash in at the first bounce of the H and A.

His feet were born there

It doesn't work like that JM. Won't and can't happen for many reasons.

Yes...and that argument can be separated from the one that desires us to get out of this incurring as little damage as possible, potentially improving the professionalism of the footy club in the process.