diesel

yep agree, take the deal

And what would that be? The AFL can suck off. No investigation or punishment of those who went before us means no deal.

At the very least we were too good to deserve a priority pick.

So good in fact that since then we have.......oh! forget it!

Fair enough WJ, it's just frustrating...

The Article in the HS was right about te music stopping when it got to our turn.

I wish Offsiders on the ABC was an hour long program because the articulate, intelligent and reasonable Gerard Whateley was taking it up to Caroline Wilson with reason and logic.

I will need to watch it again, but interestingly Wilson has again changed her tune since Friday saying the fine would likely be "watered down" and wasn't as assured as her article suggested on Friday.

EDIT: It will be on iView on the ABC website later, worth a watch.

Will also be on ABC 24 at 2:30 this arvo according to guide.

(NB: I'll be watching for Gerard's views, not Carowhine's)

Many of us BigFooty crew say the same thing about some of the people on here. At least on BigFooty we don't fight amongst ourselves. We know which team we are on.

Ease up. We have groupthink here as well you know.

That's what I was trying to explain to Sue and others. This is a tremendous outcome for the club. It's not the best outcome, but we're not privy to all of the evidence. It's certainly not worth going to court over.

This is my only concern, however if the AFL have pulled back to the charge and punishment position that's being put forward now, it is most likely because the MFC have taken a hard line & legal approach.

If the AFL's position will not be supported in a court of law (and that seems to be the consensus from those who should know) then I don't see why we wouldn't go to court. I said in an earlier post, I would rather spend $500,000 on an open & shut legal argument than pay a fine to those ass-hats at the AFL.

I find it a little bemusing that many posters seem to think rolling over & accepting a sanction(even viewed as small) is acceptable. I would presume any sanction that is not fought by the club is an admission of guilt & the club would then run the risk of losing its gaming license which would then kill the club.

Unless the penalties handed down don't relate to match fixing or tanking in any way I don't see how the club can afford to accept any guilty verdict as it would result in the death of the club.

The other issue will be what other clubs did. If the AFL's 'unofficial' thinking is that they can punish Melbourne and sweep the preceding tanking allegations under the carpet because in Caro's words, "they were less blatant" then that is absolute garbage and shows a serious flaw in the AFL's application and administration of it's own rules.

I trust the club won't be agreeing to any fine.

$500 k provides a pretty good defence to a charge that will make the AFL look like the amateurs they are.

I'd kick in $1000 for a defense but I won't be giving any coin for a fine. If the board roll on this after saying they would fight it, they can pay the fine.

Kero is great because she lets us know what is going on...

.....between her ears, which is great if you're short on facts or happy to remove yourself from objectivity.

Considering she said that Don was "wrong" and that "I don't care what he says" and that she still has "contacts within Melbourne" and that his comments were "absolute bulltish" and that charges WILL be laid, although she's not sure how it will be worded, I don't think so.

Courtesy 3AW tonight.

You'll have also heard her say almost straight off the bat that she has "no idea". Thought that summed up her arguments well, too bad she didn't stop right there.

I didn't mind her initial reporting on the issue. She was calling as she saw it. She is actively cheerleading the AFL investigation and pushing for a guilty conviction, evidence and process be damned. If she wanted Melbourne to be punished, then fine. I could accept that as an intellectually honest argument. I can't accept that she seems to think that the AFL is completely guilt free in this saga. If she were to get real and say that, then she would lose her source at AFL house.

She has been absolutely soft (pathetic) in her take on the AFL in all of this. Dismissive of previous 'transgressors', apologetic in regard to AD's role and has said nothing about the comedic value of the investigators vis-a-vis the analysis of the last 3 minutes of the Richmond game and how we used Jack Watts. Probably as a service to her AFL sources but the penalty Age readers have had to suffer has been an unbalanced and opinionated editorial rather than a reportage.

all over the place like a mad woman

In November she said Connolly and Schwab would be banished from the game and she has worked back from there shifting her position to suit this disheveled investigation which has built a case on innuendo with no smoking gun.

She has managed to maintain the personally coloured invective all the way along though.

Fact is she has blood lust and cares little for fairness or balance.

Melbourne will not negotiate a punishment over this farce. Wilson (and the AFL for that matter) can go to hell. I'm done if we cop any penalty without every other club who list managed going down as well.

Mids, get me some quality Mids.

Ahhhh, Schadenfreude! Thanks Brock, made my day.

it's just posturing to get a better deal from Deathlands stadium

nothing to see here

That and to boost their membership. I think I heard that they told their supporters they will play home games to the 'G' if they get 50,000 members. We should get Mitch Clarke to come out and say his foot won't heal unless we get 40,000 members, it would have similar credibility.

Think it was DK, when introduced by Todd Viney at the AGM he mentioned the boys refer to him as "Dean Viney" because TV likes the cut of his jib. Looking forward to seeing him in action during the NAB Cup.

I found her 'he is preaching to the converted' a bit hypocritical - that is what, the third public statement by the MFC on the issue over how long?

Two days ago we were being criticised for being too quiet - honestly no winning with her.

The president has the right to put it on the record at the AGM. In 50 years when supporters area reading about this time they'll want to get an understanding of the type of investigation and how allegations were made. She is just masking her disappointment that she hasn't been able to generate an all in at the MFC through her pathetic provocation. She would have been shattered by the sense of support for the admin at the AGM.

Our favourite journo has just said on FC that the MFC, Connolly, and Bailey will be charged in the next few days. She's unsure as to whether CS will be charged.

A few things on what she said, if she's so confident on the others how can she be unclear on Schwab, her main target.

The other stupid comment she made was that she didn't know why McLardy defended the players, clearly she hasn't been in on the story of late as accusations were levelled at players fumbling in the last 3 minutes v Tigers.

Every time I see her she just makes me want to punch something.

I heard that too and Denham said the same thing this morning. What is it with these news 'hounds'? Do they all use the same light post on their morning walks?

If Schwab isn't charged I look forward to seeing Kero getting ripped limb from limb for her November article which had him getting sacked. Whatever anyone thinks of Schwab and how he has done his job it's all but confirmed now that Wilson's attack on him was below the belt, designed to antagonise and get a response so she would be the go-to and write further articles.

Best description of her rhymes with 'itch' (choose your own consonant).

Today's news is no coincidence with essendons announcement. They must have been given a heads up.

Also look at west coast eagles.....they won flags with unusual size bodies

The mere fact that a bunch of their players have been into illicit drugs dating back to the 90's and Benny's best off-filed mates were crooks screams that there was something dodgy going on at WC. I'm not expecting any investigation.....just more "poor Benny" from time to time.

CW's latest view on the progress of the AFL investigation into the dees:

'Or maybe your son played for Melbourne in 2009. At first you thought it a little strange when, despite showing good form in the midfield or up forward, he was moved to the back pocket.

Perhaps he told you what the club was trying to do. That the club could not afford to win any more games because they needed to secure Tom Scully and Jack Trengove in the draft. Or perhaps you simply saw it with your own eyes and then heard the coach, who was later sacked, virtually confirm it.

In the coming days you will learn that your son's club - or former club - has been charged with attempting to manipulate the draft and perhaps even perverting match results. The coach, the footy boss and maybe even the chief executive could also be charged.'

Read more:Would you want your son playing AFL footy?

How would the experience of any of those kids (real or fictitious) be any different to any other AFL player. Footy, like life is full of ups & downs. The article is a bit of fluff really, but I can understand how some of the parents of Essendon players would be nervous. Until their issue is solved they are personally in the gun.

One observation re Don's comment 'for anyone to suggest that our players did not give their all every time they ran onto the field is not acceptable to us'.

He used the word 'players'. He did not refer to coaches or administrators. I think it was CS who mentioned that the club was also supporting former players and officials in the investigation.

It was definitely Don talking about both DD, and he was spot on to say accusations of players not trying are not acceptable. I actually think it's offensive based on the evidence presented and I hope we get the opportunity to shove it right back up Clothier and whoever else conducted the games review.

No he isn't

Could also be designed to drive a better deal out of Etihad and is good timing as noted by DC above!

There is no room for them at the G unless other clubs move games from there.

I wonder if AD caught any Badminton while he was over there....

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/badminton/story/_/id/8221408/2012-london-olympics-eight-badminton-players-disqualified-trying-lose-matches

It's actually interesting to watch that discussion to get the American POV where they see a clear distinction between professional sports and Olympic Ideals. Far more sensible than the carry on we have around tanking here where it appears the fact we are in a professional dog eat dog competition can conveniently be put aside for some greater ideal directed by people outside the organisation.