Longsufferingnomore

I think you are being harsh on this occasion as we dont know what was the ticking time bomb in that report. Don and the Board would have taken legal advice as how far we could go with this. I think the Board have done well. They have been arguing with the AFL for over a week trying to dilute the sanctions so it was fairly obvious that they had to accept sanctions but endeavour to water them down as best that they could. There is more to this than what most of us know about.

Thinking it through the Club holds the gaming licence and the Club (Board) were cleared of any charges. The fine was as an employer and the employees are no longer at the Club. I would think the licence is fairly safe. Then again I wouldnt be a MFC supporter without having a little doubt always in the back of my mind. As someone else pointed out we seem to be the bunny for everything (except the current drug broohaha) so I will never say never until CW hits the headlines with Dees Cleared.

I seriously dislike that woman even more. She calls us rabid well the sarcasm drips throughout her latest effort - with regard to CS she says " that GMc admitted that there was not sufficient evidence to do so despite some strong opinion to the contrary".She could not let it go. Surely CS has ample claim against her. I think the only other football media "persons" I dislike as much would be dWayne R and Denham. I'm glad this is over and as our glorious leader Juuliaaa says we can now move forward.

Come on Old. Sit back in your favourite chair put the old Perry Como record on, with your single malt and while away the half hour before you fall asleep dreaming of the red and the blue holding up the cup. One good thing is that the "new" tanking thread will be soon closed down but you, Red, WJ and others will discussing the benefits of a ripe v over ripe, normal v red tipped bananas. Bananas will never let you down. Just like your grandaughter.

Who really believes that a giant Club like Essendon is really going to get cluncked over the head like we did. They are so much more powerful than us and we do not have the sway that David Evans as President has and dont forget GMc has said that Essendon came to the AFL and asked them to investigate. Ah, so Essendon gets lighter sanctions because they approached the AFL. Give me a break. Don't forget the effect the golden boy will have. The AFL has shown that they are a law amongst themselves and so what GMc said that the fine we got was as an employer and that we should have control over our employees. They will find a way to water down sanctions. As Ox just said the AFL had the chance to make a very hard decision but took the easy option. Just beat up on the easy beats and protect the remainder of the Clubs. Marco just said that he witnessed Coll games which they lost so they could get their two draft picks which resulted in them playing in the GF's. This just grates on me that everyone knows who did it and when they did it but the AFL will not investigate unless they get concrete evidence. Obviously more concrete than they had on us. I just want the supporters to rally around now and forget whether they were for or against the Club trying to position themselves to win draft picks. Buy an extra membership, childrens, pets, adults anything - lets show our passion for our Club. Be there on Friday night.

So it is OK to investigate comments made by Brock McLean but not Jason McGrath and confirmed by a past employee of the Lions. One law for us an another for the rest. GMc comments to the question reqarding Freo picking half a team against Hawthorn were "absolutely ridiculous".

Maybe not so much who is still there but who is working at Carlton now etc etc.

Don said that we should look back on these comments (about comments made against specific club personnel) and ensure that they are not made again in the future. Get stuck into her Don.

Just on SEN it was said that there was either documentary or oral evidence (tape) that proved what Connoly said. Maybe why we have accepted the $500,000. If it is true that it can be paid in installments then we pay it over 5 -10 years and at the same time pleading for more money from the AFL being "financially precarious". CC will continue to be employed by the Club. Language used by GMc was totall to protect our gaming licence. I suppose we can be thankful for small mercies. McLardy speaking now. The Club did not deliberately set out to lose matches and that the Board did not make any direction to lose matches. He said the Club is not happy with what happened with the investigation but respects the AFL's right to investigate.Happy with way the AFL handled this final part of the investigation??? Enormous price the Club has paid but has now cleared the Club. Made a remark about people making assumptions about personnel before all the evidence had been given. CW just asked about the severity of CC ban. McLardy said that CC oustanding contributor to MCC and football and that he believes that the Club can continue to pay him? Financially McLardy said they raised that with the Club but AFL were strong on the fine. It will make it tough over the next year financially but once we start winning games we will regain some of that money. He said that we dont feel like we have singled out but we dont hold the AFL to account. AFL has right to protect integrity of the game. No comment on Brock McLean. Internal damage has been significant but we have great staff including CS and there is a real sense of positivity and he expects supporters to stay with the Club. McLardy has spoken with our sponsors and will see them tomorrow. No problems with communications with the AFL. Language =there is documented evidence. We had to roll over Legal avenue last resort not first resort.

HS now leading with an article on Brisbane being investigated for match fixing and drug use 2002 - 2009. John Ralph tweeted in answer to why it seemed MFC were being made a scapegoat and other teams who had tanked were not being looked at and he tweeted "Because they have more former employees ready to dump on them". We must be able to unearth some unhappy Collingwood, Carlton ........, etc etc former employees. CW is now reporting that CC faces a 12 month ban from the AFL which the club is hoping to have reduced. She also says that because Bailey was a more cooperative witness that Adelaide is hopeful that a large chunk of a 3 month ban will be suspended. MFC is endeavouring to reduce or have part of the $500000 fine suspended. She did point out that Melbourne is seen as one of the Clubs identified as being in a perilous financial position. Well $500,000 fine is not going to make it any easier. Well there you go - 12 months for being sarcastic.

So much for the AFL trying to frame wording of a charge that would not lead to further financial difficulties ie loss of gaming licence. A charge of "manipulating results" is only going to end up with one thing happening - goodbye gaming licence. Unless - they already know that there will be no investigation! $500,000 how are we going to come up with that. Do we get an additional $500,000 to what we will receive anyway. I dont think so. Did Fitzpatrick remove himself from the Commission meeting whilst the issue was discussed. I bet he didn't. This stinks. I was on the side to not go to court but if the charge is as has been leaked then I dont think we have any other option now. (Unless they have produced written evidence then we are bug$4#ed.) We thought we had an "annus horribilus" last year. This one is not going to get much better. WJ you had better do something positive with that info. Anything will help.

Shite

As Caro would say "it is a movable feast"

I like what Rodan brings off the field. At one stage he and Dom Barry were on the side lines. Whatever Rodan was saying he was most emphatic pointing up the ground etc. For that reason alone he is a great get. He will assist the younger boys in their development and is what we needed years ago. To me he looks comfortable in that role.

In the article on the AFL website they said with regard to how the investigation is affecting our marketability:: "it is understood.... to have had a commercial impact". If true $500000 is going to have a major impact on our future viability.

It's CW snide and belittleing remarks which actually do me in as well as that she is so loose with her facts: Dean Bailey..." will miss some weeks of football but not enough to ruin him as the Melbourne experience nearly did". On DM's response "if people fell for this" - imagine if she said the same about Eddie. Statements she makes as if fact: DM - "he knows what his board and staff have been declaring behind closed doors" - how would she know (unless there is still a rogue element/fan inside MFC) AFL " "had in its 800 pages of evidence, a good case against Melbourne" - how does she know this DB " would have been cruel to end his career given he was contrite" - if he was contrite why would he be fighting the charges. But then she goes on to say he "did not completely fess up to actually deliberately losing". Doesn't make sense. No other journalist is actually going to openly query her very selective pieces or the AFL because they don't want to bite the hand that feeds them. The Club should be asking the question of the AFL as to how such information (if it is true) is being leaked. How can the AFL act for the Clubs if it knowingly leaks information - selective or not. The smell of rotting fish is everywhere.

But it looks good for the AFL - look how tough we are!

I like it that he showed his emotions. We saw that at Jim's funeral but we do not see it very much out in the open because of his stated need in his position to stay neutral. What he showed was his passion for the Club despite maybe missing the opportunity for that killer punch. Someone in the media has to stand up for us whilst we are being battered and bruised by rest of the written media.

I am very concerned that she continues to try to destabilise the Club with her comments that the "Board and Staff have been declaring .. that the AFL might have something on Melbourne". What member of the Board or staff would talk to her unless they too were prepared to destabilise the Club for their own means. Her comments about a Board member telling her about the "unofficial" lines of defence were also devisive. If Garry had said yes tell me who the Board member was she would have come up with an excuse not to reveal the identity.For her to release the results of the investigation and AD says he knows nothing, wouldn't AD feel aggreived. I don't believe that the GMc has released the information early to CW but I unfortunately have a feeling that there is a rat amongst us.

Don wasn't stressed. He was looking very relaxed.

and with a smile on his face

Deeko, It takes me 45 min from SE Suburbs so I would allow at least an hour plus depending on traffic

The release was at 5.01pm so they had plenty of time to take it up but no obviously couldn't find the space. Funny about that!

666 just take it as being a low life (and I mean that in the nicest possible way RR) and yes reading most of the Age and Sun's articles is like having a ground hog moment.

She mad. She very very mad. Seems also some silence from her biggest "fan". Well done Don. It has now come down to football Clubs having to defend themselves from opportunistic, ground hugging sporting "journalists".