hoopla

It pains me to say this - but we are kidding ourselves if we think we are going to be found "not guilty". The best we can hope for is that they conclude that "the weight of evidence is not sufficient to prove tanking"............. or better still ...... that "to fully understand tanking they need to examine in detail the way the industry as a whole balances short term and long term needs using Carlton's approach in 2007 as a guide".Short of that we can only hope that they decide to sanction individuals rather than the club as a whole. We can reasonably hope that we won't suffer any more damage than we already have - but we can't realistically expect to be completely exonerated. Oh how I hope to be proved wrong !! Silence now is not great.Surely any major change to the expected outcome will have to be leaked soon. I wonder which journo the Age would give it to?

Sche is a schocker ishn't sche? At leasht we have an exschample of her nashtinesch directed at shomeone other than Melbourne!

Great theory - but unfortunately you can't just say "Costs aside". Cost is fundamental. It won't happen without a major change in financial circumstances

She had a twiitter account - but closed it when she failed to attract any followers

Can we send it to Crikey.com?

If a disproportionately high number of the next generation are going to grow up in Casey it is definitely worth trying to build a second heartland out there. However without on-field success the payback will be relatively small. I reckon we need to do something to make sure every new arrival in Melbourne is hit with a Demon logo before they get off the Tullamarine Freeway. Don't we have some tie up with Melb City Council now to facilitate that? Again - not worth anything if we don't win matches

In the long-term the Casey Demons is the go ...... a standalone team in the growth corridor. But now? Potential fines over McLean-Gate - possible loss of sponsor support thanks to Wilson ..................... where's the money going to come from. Let's look on the bright side - be stupid for the AFL to fine us one day - only to have to subsidize our VFL affiliate the next. They might have to rethink the penalties !!

I don't like to think too hard about the role of the hosts of On The Couch. Anyone seen the brothers Healy together lately?

He also played for Richmond in a premiership side I think. Might be close to the Wilson family?

Not sure whether or not you have these WJ 1."THE bitter fall-out between Melbourne and its VFL partner Casey over Brendan Fevola could spell the end of the alignment between the two clubs at the end of this season" http://www.theage.co...0309-1bo05.html 2.''Cameron came to us and asked if we could assist in a transaction,'' http://www.theage.co...0328-1cdgq.html 3 "As has been well documented, Schwab was not Melbourne's first choice as CEO after Stynes sacked Paul McNamee" http://www.theage.co...10422-1driv.htm 4.Let's pop back 10 years " Former captain Garry Lyon is one of several Melbourne footballers who have been investigated this year by the tax department" http://www.theage.co...7332344714.html Whether or not the file ever means anything in a legal sense - it might a helpful aid to a suitable journo from a rival media outlet!!

Here is a link to the article I've mentioned previously. It says absolutely nothing - but it reveals Wilson's peculiar pre-occupation with anything that might embarrass Cameron Schwab. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/140000-loan-for-schwab-20110328-1cdgq.html The MFC Annual Report for the Year Ended 31 October 2010 fully disclosing the loan was released on 22 December 2010. Wilson ran this as a headline article on 29 March 2011.

The evidence just keeps on coming Keep it coming Let;s give her the benefit of the doubt - she's not nuts - but she definite;y despises Cameron Schwab and the MFC

You are probably right - unfortunately. In Schwab's case at least however, the evidence goes far beyond one article or one issue in 2012 but extends back years - even to absurd inferences about fully secured home loans. Would be nice - but I'm afraid it won't happen.The AFL need the media's support Agree with this. Nothing for the MFC to gain. But for the sake of their families etc. CC and CS need to carefully consider their rights

Surely this is right - a mixture At the end of the day, Melbourne is # in a stronger financial position now than it has been for a long time - it has good facilities - and its stands for something ( the founder of the game etc). It is difficult to criticize the CEO who has been in place during this period [# Prior to the McLean/ Wilson attack!]

Agree. It also dashes "hope" and our appeal to sponsors - huge damage. We will lose members revenues and gate takings . If the AFL remains committed to 18 Clubs it will have to pump more money into the MFC than it has already. They are shooting themselves in the foot - as I think Demetriou has realised all along. Would we be where we are now if he hadn't been at the Olympics?

Australia's "News of the World" !!

As far as I am concerned Wilson's articles have been indefensible - because she has pre-judged the enquiry and influenced public opinion before the "justice mechanisms" have been completed. Even if her scant evidence proves to be true - and even if the AFL does dish out the sort of penalties she has been advocating - she cannot be excused for her prejudicial behaviour. She has no credibility in my eyes. As this is not ( yet) a court of law , she can probably wriggle out of the charges that she would face under a proper judicial framework - but the substance of her reprehensible behaviour does not change. As you ,WJ,have asked - what if this was the accused in the Jill Meagher trial ? Her writings with little evidence in CC"s case - and no evidence in CS's case - have significantly damaged the employment opportunities of two men whose defence has not yet been heard

Good post. As foolish as some of those statements may have they been - they didn't see the light of day for over 3 years - and then only when an unscrupulous turncoat ( McLean) stirred the pot and Wilson started to smell blood.. In context then, they may have been dense - but not completely dense ................ though I think you point is well made.

Did she come out swinging against Terry Wallace and the Richmond Football Club when he said that with Cotchin in prospect he wasn't particularly interested in winning that year either?

Almost every Melbourne supporter I saw after Round 18 cheered when Jordan McMahon's goal went through - and walked away happy. No supporter who applauded that day can reasonably turn around now and criticise the club for achieving the result they ( the supporters) wanted the club to achieve. Let's not be like those Carlton supporters who - after cheering when Fev was dragged in the Kreuzer Cup - and mocking us after the game for losing - are now saying that "tanking" is disgusting It is the hypocrisy that is the disgusting thing about this beat-up

Makes no sense ....... because our 2nd pick is now Viney ,,,,..... and to unravel that would certainly lead to questions about the legality of the draft. So you go to a kid in the middle of his VCE Exams and tell him whatever he has signed and whatever plans he has made you are going to send him back to a draft and probably interstate? For this kid to read speculation along these lines over breakfast on the morning of his VCE English exam is one of Wilson's nastier little games. Would the AFL then threaten Todd and Meaghan Viney with Todd's job - if they decided to sue on behalf of their son? Surely the AFL wouldn't be quite so foolish. Be smarter for them to impose a blanket ban on the whole of this year's draft than to appear to pick on our father-son selection

Touche !

THis article includes the folllowing statement : "Some, including Bailey, believe the Connolly statement urging the coaching staff not to maximise their high draft picks was a 30-second aside in a lengthy match committee meeting" Did you consider that Wilson. She must be so close to copping a law suit. Well done Victoria University!! I wonder if Wilson ever studied ethics?

Don't just put it down to his being a great team man....................... put it down to a man who quite simply - tells the truth ( even when the media is desperately trying to trick him into lying)

At that point he thought he was going to captain all the young talent we were going to recruit. When his position in the team started to look shaky .... when he saw Scully and Trengove taking his place ...... he started to change his tune.. Three years later , a mis-kick makes him a one week hero - and he throws the dirt. A man who despises tanking goes to the winner of the Kruezer Cup om principle? I don't think so Brock. .......... man couldn't lie straight in bed