pitmaster

My point, CT, is that the method is the same she applied to us. But I share your care factor.

Funny to see people so relaxed about a Caro special. No quotes, save an old reference to Pert's comments a week ago. No sources. No facts. No incidents cited involving Swan or Fisher. The only non-Caro reference I've seen to the Fisher claims was a denial from a team mate. If her claims can't be substantiated better than this even if they are right, they are not worth publishing. Now because she's not writing about us we think it's OK. Regardless of what lies behind it, this reporting method is seriously questionable.

John Northey. Did so much more with what he had than Balme (and for much longer).

Today Caroline Wilson is calling for the Adelaide CEO to be sacked (even though one of the things she attacks him for she says looked like high principle at the time - despatching Rendell). So that makes it Bradshaw at North, Schwab at Melbourne and Trigg at the Crows. When is the AFL going to get serious and appoint her as manager overall with the right to hire and fire senior management for every club?

Sad news. As honest as they come.

I'd agree with you except that hiring Finklestein is not about going to court. It's about getting a forensic legal mind to assess and unpick the bs case being compiled by the investigators, putting it in context eg: there is equal evidence against Carlton if Caro's standard is taken into account, yet no action taken. Getting Finklestein is a shot across the bows intended to avoid anything in a courtroom which would be an absolute last resort. That is not how the AFL works. They like their own kangaroo court, thanks very much. As to the investigators threatening witnesses - or reminding them of their obligations - that's pretty standard conduct. I don't think that undermines their case necessarily, unless witnesses can be shown to have made admissions under duress. But then if those admissions are confirmed elsewhere they are on strong ground. It's the lack of evidence, the reliance on four year old memory and general lack of specific actions that shows the flimsiness of their case. But being judge jury and executioner, the AFL can still do as it pleases. Does it feel it must be seen to do something because of the toxic environment The Age has created? That's the big unknown.

What's with the aggro for Ralph? He was one week ahead of Caro in placing the Vault as a building, not a theme for a meeting, and for Connolly's remarks being a throw away line in a meeting called for other stuff. She is only just now catching up to the context Ralph put on this story a week ago!

I fail to see how any of us could take comfort from that Offsiders segment. OK, there was nothing new and lots of ranting from CW, but given Francis Leach's remarks we have been tattooed brothers and sisters, tattooed with the label 'tankers'. Leach talks about how obvious was the tanking without specifying a club because he does not feel the need to do so. If he had just mentioned one other club, Carlton most obviously, but there are others including CW's beloved Richmond as has been pointed out here, also the Woods and West Coast who are suspect, I would have felt some easing of the pressure. But now even people who are not CW don't feel the need to inject even that semblance of balance. Apparently we invented tanking and perfected it in the space of half a season. All that fine detail we know, about other clubs, about what Ricky Bobby said and so on, is not being heard anywhere but here. I am afraid the ground is being prepared for some bad stuff happening.

At least part of our defence to the allegation of tanking in 2009 are the results of the three seasons since. We're still crap, so who needs to tank?

Pity one Michael Sheehan, or Paul Roos, or Gerard Healy were not quick enough, or bright enough, or honest enough to raise the matters of money, driving distance or place in the team with him when he mouthed off.

And the leaks an attempt to spook the faint hearted into some 'admission' that does not already exist. Interesting that yesterday's Jon Ralph piece talked about interviewees protesting innocence being told that their account did not square with others. To which any sensible person would say so what? I stand by my recollection.

Ah, gracias.

This article is so lame it could not walk with calipers. Talk about overstating the case. It's one quote, not even a direct one but a recollection of a conversation AFTER the event. To claim, as the article does, that this is another person coming forward providing 'details' of tanking is just wrong. I'd hate to be on trial with people who write this sort of stuff on the jury. This article is a non-event. Other allegations however, if reports are right, are more concerning although none of us is in a position to know how strong they are. On another thread someone suggested an entrapment exercise was underway. That could well be so. I mean, if they really had the goods why the leaks?

I have long wondered about america de cali's posts. So unrelentingly bitter, often toxic views of the club he/she claims to support. More recently a couple of posts have hinted at some falling out with the club or figures within the administration. Can anyone - including you, too, adc - advise what lies behind this so that I and others can judge adc's contributions with some balance?

Interesting to me is how much more balanced the H-Sun has been on this issue. They made a point of detailing suspicions against several other clubs, notably the Pies, Blues, Eagles and Hawks. Yet the Age has not wanted to touch that and CW simply wipes their cases away with one line. Its coverage does seem highly directed and narrow. Have to wonder what its purpose might be because someone here, and not necessarily only the journalist, has an agenda.

That really is the point. Ferg should have been told he would not be playing much senior football if he stayed, but he emphatically said he did not want to go, and Neale D copped it. And he stayed. And he did not play much senior football. A failure to communicate.

Does anyone seriously think a mid-20s AFL player would choose to go to the SANFL, bypassing all other options?

Project players are supposed to come out of the back end or the draft, or better still, the rookie draft. No first round pick should ever be a 'project player' fcs. If that's what he is, it's a disgrace.

You're right that he had a few good weeks. I'd persevere if all we are getting is another NQR. Neeld's fury following that turnover was because Cale had ignored a basic team rule, to go long and wide when no clear option is available. Cale attempted a Trapper style pass that, as with Trapper, did not (always) come off.

Pay that.

Great news, I think. Is his manager verbally dyslexic?

She's referring to The Age sports journalist of the same name who IS a Dees fan.

Hardly epic for this bloke Jack, more like a routine Denham fail. For epic he can do much worse.

At 3 it is overs. If only because Joe Daniher is the true one, and concessions re 17 year olds last year have thrown the upper end out of whack. But we have to cop it. Just means our return from father sons has been about zero, compared to the like of Geelong who rate around 100%.

If Emma Q is right and Cwood want pick 4 for Martin it-s in their interest GC not bid...hope yet