Demons' lame-duck excuses

[jeemak]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

Just a theory KT. I would just like to see the draft and the draw be left alone a bit more.

Agree. Teams need to improve on the back of an even draw, and good holistic management of their football clubs. Loading up on early picks hasn't worked for a few clubs to this point, and it's clear that clubs like Melbourne have had significant shortcomings in how they've managed their entire playing lists.

I think Melbourne has benefitted from the sluggish response of the AFL over an extended period of time, and the perceived need to resolve the issue prior to the home and away season. I have very little doubt Connolly and Bailey were acting under instruction to position the club to benefit from the priority pick system. I suppose they're unlucky to have taken the fall, partly due to the fact the AFL needs to be seen as not being completely short sighted and incompetent through admitting a club rorted their equalisation system, ultimately affecting the outcomes of matches played (and wagered on).

[GVGjr]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

The AFL has negotiated a settlement that targets two individuals rather than finding the club guilty of tanking. The Melbourne FC obtained a favorable draft pick and yet haven't been penalized at the draft table.

The AFL got an outcome but justice hasn't been served.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

The AFL has negotiated a settlement that targets two individuals rather than finding the club guilty of tanking. The Melbourne FC obtained a favorable draft pick and yet haven't been penalized at the draft table.

The AFL got an outcome but justice hasn't been served.

Agree, Connelly and Bailey are the patsy's who have taken the fall for the Dee's systematic cheating. Is there anything worse than sending out a team with instructions to underperform? It goes completely against the whole ethos of competitive sport......the AFL needed to send a message. Not a Carlton sized message, but one which still compromised Melbourne's competitiveness. I think losing their first round pick in 2013 and first round Rookie draft pick would have been fair.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

The AFL press conference was not at all convincing. With such a serious allegations, Demetriou should have been there.
They send mixed messages by saying the club was not guilty, but then fine them...go figure.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

What an absurd finish. Not guilty but we're fining you anyway.

Wet lettuce leaf if ever I've seen it.

[Sedat]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

BUMP

So this is how 'punishment' works in the AFL system. A club is fined $500k for being found to have deliberately lost games to gain an advantage at the draft table, and them the same club is given $2.7m as a bail-out package by the AFL a few months later for all the screw-ups of their own making.

Under the same criteria, expect Essendon to get a $1m fine for their (allegedly) systematic illegal supplements program and then get given a $4m cheque by the AFL to upgrade their shiny new Tullamarine science lab, I mean training base

Under the current regime, the AFL is in serious danger of alienating generations of rusted-on supporters with their cynical, contrived, unethical management of the game. A management that deals almost exclusively in duplicity, cover-ups and spin to 'protect the brand'.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

Don't like it. If Melbourne were a private company and were found to have deliberately deflated their stock, the book would be thrown at them.
Imagine a bank who deliberately misleads on their share price and then gets propped up by the state government to the tune of millions of dollars. There's no real counter argument.

But what of their " Investors ", the fans? I have a friend who has followed Melbourne for 50 odd years. The AFL is doing this with the exact purpose of salvaging some pride for the "rusted-on supporters " of the MFC. But, it's hard to imagine how a club could have much pride after a bail out like that, and while they may come to dominate the competition, I surmise their duplicity will come to haunt the culture of their club.

[comrade]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

Under the current regime, the AFL is in serious danger of alienating generations of rusted-on supporters with their cynical, contrived, unethical management of the game. A management that deals almost exclusively in duplicity, cover-ups and spin to 'protect the brand'.

They've passed the point of no return, in my opinion.

From being a die hard lover of all things footy, I now watch the Bulldogs and hate everything else to do with the AFL due to the tsunami of shit the administration has heaped on the game.

Tanking, third party deals, stadium agreements, sexism, new franchises, illegal drug use etc. All these issues have been handled horribly by Demetriou and his cronies.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

So what's the moral of the story?

Do the wrong thing, get heaps of top draft picks, and then get millions. Years later to be handed success, god knows, maybe a tainted premiership. It's a kick in the guts to teams like our who are good and honest struggling citizens who get nothing for doing the decent thing.

I don't know how the AFL commission justifies its recent behaviours/decisions.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

The thing is, we are like resigned citizens in a farce democracy who put up with shiteful governance day in and day out, but just accept the poor decision making, turning up each weekend to consume more.
It's time fans held the faceless decision makers at the AFL to account.
Unless a grassroots campaign takes more interest in how AFL decisions are made, the situation will continue.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

The thing is, we are like resigned citizens in a farce democracy who put up with shiteful governance day in and day out, but just accept the poor decision making, turning up each weekend to consume more.
It's time fans held the faceless decision makers at the AFL to account.
Unless a grassroots campaign takes more interest in how AFL decisions are made, the situation will continue.

If you want to picket AFL House, I'm free most weekends,

[jeemak]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

Don't like it. If Melbourne were a private company and were found to have deliberately deflated their stock, the book would be thrown at them.
Imagine a bank who deliberately misleads on their share price and then gets propped up by the state government to the tune of millions of dollars. There's no real counter argument.

But what of their " Investors ", the fans? I have a friend who has followed Melbourne for 50 odd years. The AFL is doing this with the exact purpose of salvaging some pride for the "rusted-on supporters " of the MFC. But, it's hard to imagine how a club could have much pride after a bail out like that, and while they may come to dominate the competition, I surmise their duplicity will come to haunt the culture of their club.

The private company accountability line of argument against AFL assistance is a bit of a stretch, particularly from supporters of a club like ours, which has been heavily dependant on AFL support for over a decade.

I do agree with you however, on the point that the culture of the MFC isn't going to be helped from being bailed out of this disgraceful mess unless significant governance layers are placed over the club and managed very heavily.

The conundrum for me is who do we trust, and who do supporters of the MFC trust to manage the implementation of appropriate governance independently of the AFL and its heavily compromised, commercially oriented commission and senior management?

[jeemak]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

BUMP

So this is how 'punishment' works in the AFL system. A club is fined $500k for being found to have deliberately lost games to gain an advantage at the draft table, and them the same club is given $2.7m as a bail-out package by the AFL a few months later for all the screw-ups of their own making.

Under the same criteria, expect Essendon to get a $1m fine for their (allegedly) systematic illegal supplements program and then get given a $4m cheque by the AFL to upgrade their shiny new Tullamarine science lab, I mean training base

Under the current regime, the AFL is in serious danger of alienating generations of rusted-on supporters with their cynical, contrived, unethical management of the game. A management that deals almost exclusively in duplicity, cover-ups and spin to 'protect the brand'.

They've passed the point of no return, in my opinion.

From being a die hard lover of all things footy, I now watch the Bulldogs and hate everything else to do with the AFL due to the tsunami of shit the administration has heaped on the game.

Tanking, third party deals, stadium agreements, sexism, new franchises, illegal drug use etc. All these issues have been handled horribly by Demetriou and his cronies.

I think Comrade's comments are perfect to follow yours' Sedat.

Much like Comrade, I don't really watch or pay attention to anything that involves the AFL product (unless it involves cases like this, that identify injustices clubs like ours have to bare the brunt of - considering these revenues will have to be derived at the expense of other clubs), because I've realised the administration isn't interested in fair treatment of all licensed stakeholders. They have a clear doctrine of profit generation and expansion, and have manipulated the fixture to achieve this and bias media coverage to enhance the manipulated fixture further.

How can we expect a league, which manipulates the most fundamental aspect of equity in the game to maximise profit, to act with any accountability and integrity?

The AFL is bloody lucky that Rugby League and A League Football are run by hacks, otherwise they'd be facing serious competition for prominence amongst a community that has very little positive public feedback for it on display. The management level of the AFL is putrid to the point where its stench reaches the common rusted on supporter, who is waking up to realise it's trying to be conned that a painted red turd on a stick is actually a toffee apple.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

Excellent points Jeemak. I'd agree with you on the A-League being run by " Hacks" 12 months ago, but I'd say in the last 12 months massive improvement.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Demons' lame-duck excuses

Dees major sponsor Opel pulling out of Australia. AFL will need to bump it to $5,000,000 now.