mauriesy

At least we weren't embarrassed by Simon Buckley. He's a "former Collingwood" footballer now. "A former Collingwood player with a shocking driving record told a magistrate that his licence was essential in his bid to regain a spot at an AFL club. But moments later, it was again suspended. Simon Buckley yesterday pleaded guilty to driving with a suspended licence and at almost 20km/h above the speed limit in July last year. The 25-year-old defender - delisted by the Magpies in October - told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court he was an unemployed professional footballer and needed his licence to travel to games for his new club, Echuca. He was playing there "in order to regain a spot on a football list". Magistrate Duncan Reynolds said Buckley's prior drink-driving and speeding offences, plus this offence, illustrated his "apparent casual attitude" towards the value of having a licence. Buckley, who represented himself in court, said his licence was suspended last year after he had exceeded the permitted total of demerit points by accepting some of his brother's driving offences. Mr Reynolds warned him that falsely taking the demerit points of others was a serious offence. Prosecutor Senior Constable David Lee said Buckley was detected travelling at 99km/h in an 80km/h zone on the Monash Freeway at Burnley on July 31. Buckley, who played 13 games for the Magpies last season, told police he thought his licence suspension "had been sorted out". He had no reason for exceeding the limit. He was convicted and fined $1800, his licence was suspended for one month, effective immediately, and he was ordered to pay $107 in legal costs. A Collingwood Football Club spokesman said Buckley's delisting was "entirely football-related". Herald-Sun

They might not have much effect on concussion. You'd have to think they'd have an effect on skull fractures, cuts and bruising though.

Like mis-labelling 'the vault'? Nothing. She still made them. They were small. And semantic.

Besides, it's a long stretch from an inquiry to a guilty verdict to a penalty. There are other penalties available to the Gaming Commission other than taking away your licence.

It's not really a backroom cover-up. It's a contrived outcome for an investigation that Demetriou probably wishes Anderson never started.

I can't help thinking the AFL would have preferred they never started the investigation. Once Anderson went out to bat, there was no turning back, but the logic of the result is absurd.

I'm tired of Wilson using sentences like these: "Both Connolly and Bailey are the scapegoats of something the AFL privately believes was sanctioned by others." "The Demons also fought for Cameron Schwab not to be charged and in the end McLachlan admitted there was not sufficient evidence to do so despite some strong opinion to the contrary." Exactly who is "the AFL" that "privately believes" something? Just who is the "some" that has the "strong opinion to the contrary"? Demetriou? McLachlan? Fitzpatrick? The cleaner? They're unidentified, faceless sources, with more "unofficial" opinions and "private" beliefs. Wilson is trying to save face now by putting up more nameless sources that she knows (and therefore we don't). You can't challenge these "opinionated" sources because they're like ghosts. Trying to Identify the "private" individuals they refer to is like trying to herd cats.

Don't forget the club dying by the end of the year.

Maybe you should be sheeting home some of the responsibility to Bailey, Connolly and the club.

You would have to think from the outcome that this is not correct. People keep referring to Connolly's input as a 'joke', but I think it was more than that. It seems to me that the 'staying the course' comment was indicative of a more concerted course of action over time than one flippant remark in a single meeting.

Caroline Wilson owes the club as an entity, and Cameron Schwab in particular, an apology. Here's her statements on the issue: In the article 'Secrets from the Vault' (Oct 31, 2012): Cameron Schwab was ultimately resurrected at Melbourne despite his past association with salary-cap cheating. The belief is he did not attend the pivotal meeting addressed by Chris Connolly but could still be incriminated, as could both Jim Stynes and Don McLardy, who - it could yet be established - knew and approved of the blatant strategy. In 'Senior Demons drove tanking' (Oct 31, 2012): Chief executive Cameron Schwab, who was not present at the Connolly meeting in question, is also being investigated for alleged incriminating conversations with coaches. In 'Demons: Shock and Awful' (Nov 3, 2012): The indication is still that Melbourne will fight this, but it looks shocking for all concerned ... Melbourne will be harshly punished. Cameron Schwab and Chris Connolly will be finished at the club. In 'Demon's lame duck excuses' (Feb 13, 2013) Melbourne manipulated football results in 2009 ... To let the club off the hook now would be as damaging to the game's image as Melbourne was back in that clumsy, divided and unhappy time four seasons ago.

Maybe all along it wasn't a joke.

How do you know it's not Melbourne that leaks like a sieve? They would have known the result and sanctions last week just when CW started reporting them.

Gild the lily all you like, the basics of it is that there is strong evidence that Chris Connolly pressured people not to win, and Dean Bailey succumbed to the pressure. In regard to the club fine, it is imposed because of the actions of these two, as employees of the club. I'd liken it to, say, a manager of a business breaking Workplace safety laws that resulted in an accident and injury, for example. The business would still get fined because of the actions of its employees. The finding that Melbourne FC as an entity, or the board, did not direct to lose games keeps the gaming licences issue off the boiler and is no doubt part of the negotiated settlement.

Please keep reporting on bananas. We can't let this thread be overtaken for total pages by the "Tanking" one.

The result of the AJA investigation into Wilson is coming out tomorrow Wednesday Friday Next week March April May 2013

I don't know. The official charge hasn't been made yet.

Of course I would see a charge of 'match fixing' as a problem, but I disagree on the probability (I think it's remote) and the long-term consequences. The club and the AFL will work around it to make sure none of our gambling assets are jeopardised. Are you Why You Little or Chicken Little? You seem to think the sky is about to fall in, and I'm just providing a more optimistic view.

It could be for draft tampering.

I don't know what Bailey will be charged with, or whether he'll be charged at all. I'm waiting for the official report.

By no means did I make any 'black and white' proposals. On the contrary, I used quite a number of 'ifs'.

So the Gaming Commission will withdraw our licences because Bailey 'didn't do his job'? I see now. Applied universally, there wouldn't be any licences left in Victoria.

Missed the point again. Banned for what?

You miss the point. Implicated for what is the issue.

The 'unofficial versus official' distinction will do to Wilson's reputation as a journalist what 'core and non-core promises' did to Howard as a politician.