VFL fines Demons 500K for ... ah .... not tanking !!

[Raiderdave]

what a farcical sport ...... they fine them ..... but for what

a couple of officals didn't follow a few loose guidelines ?


the VFL may have moronic fans who are blinded by their zealot like following of this silly little game
but anyone can see Melbourne DID Tank
but the damage of such an addmission would be catastrophic & so out comes the carpet & the big broom
VFL ... devoid of integrity
a low ... filthy .. scummy game, keep yr children away from this vile sport



AFL fines Melbourne $500k for... not tanking

Puzzled reaction to AFL's decision to fine Melbourne FC even though its eight-month inquiry cleared the club of tanking.

Autoplay OnOffVideo feedbackVideo settingsMELBOURNE president Don McLardy insists his club’s integrity is intact and that its defence against tanking allegations was validated despite it being slugged $500,000 for being responsible for two former officials who acted outside AFL rules in 2009.

The AFL announced on Tuesday Melbourne would be fined the third-highest penalty in league history despite no evidence the club’s board, management, players or coach Dean Bailey deliberately set out to lose games to secure draft picks.

Chris Connolly, Melbourne’s then general manager of football operations, was suspended from all ties with the club until February1 next year for telling club staff in July 2009 of the implications of the Demons winning more games.


"The perception of what happened at our football club and the reality have been two completely different things" ... Don McLardy. Photo: Justin McManus

Melbourne’s win over Port Adelaide meant they could afford only one more win from seven rounds to get a priority pick under the former system. The Demons finished 2009 with four wins and recruited Tom Scully (priority) and Jack Trengove with the first two selections.

Advertisement Bailey, now an assistant coach at Adelaide, was suspended for 16 games for selection and positional decisions, but the AFL found he coached to the best of his ability during games. The league found Bailey felt pressure from Connolly to make those pre-game decisions.

McLardy said Melbourne had paid an ‘‘enormously high price’’ for the scrutiny and uncertainty over them, but said the Demons were in the clear and while not pleased with the fine, was comfortable with what happened at his club. ‘‘The perception of what happened at our football club and the reality have been two completely different things,’’ he said.

‘‘We said from the start we would set out to defend the integrity of the club. I think we’ve been very strong in that defence for as long as the investigation’s been going, which is nearly eight months. The result shows that we were correct in that defence.’’

Melbourne’s fine is smaller only than the penalties imposed on Carlton ($930,000 in 2002) and the Demons ($600,000 in 1999) for salary cap cheating. But the AFL’s acting football operations general manager, Gillon McLachlan, said Melbourne were responsible for the two officials.

McLardy said the Demons would ‘‘accept the umpire’s decision’’ given the focus on integrity in sport raised by this month’s release of the Australian Crime Commission report.
During the investigation Melbourne had signalled a willingness to take their fight to the courts, but McLardy on Tuesday ruled out a legal challenge. An appeal would be expensive for a financially struggling club and could also have been fought out in a public court.

McLardy said the fine would be ‘‘difficult for our finances’’ and the probe had made attracting sponsors tough.



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/d ... z2LNhIXUdU

[King-Eliagh]

What a deadset debacle! Jolly good show though, jolly good =D> =D> =D>

[Xman]

Very harsh by the afl on Melbourne, unlike the NRLs treatment of many cheaters in their game.

Clearly there wasnt enough evidence to punish them for tanking, but they still copped a massive penalty.

[Drac]

Adelaide's been punished more than Melbourne, we've lost our bloody strategy coach for half a year (on full pay no less). I guess this is karma for getting whacked with a wet lettuce leaf for breaching the cap.

[Striker]

It's a joke!! We all know they tanked! Why didn't the AFL decide to be sensible about this and throw the book at the Demons? I smell a rat here.

[piesman2011]

I thought that Mark Robinson best summed it up in his article "Why we should all feel insulted ". I can access it digitially but I read a hard copy of it.

[King-Eliagh]

I guess this is karma

Yes I liken the AFL approach to the buddhist philosophy of karma too It's not every western country's national multibillion dollar organisation's approach but hey it sure beats doing work and keeping up public integrity! An ongoing debacle of epic proportions. Jolly good show though, jolly good =D>

[Striker]

We'll see it at the Comedy Festival soon, right El?

[King-Eliagh]

this is bigger than the comedy festival me thinks stiker! It's deadset epic. It's a modern day comical theatre play of deceipt and lies which shakespeare himself would be proud of. I personally love the ending - how melbourne "copped it on the chin" with their tail between their legs such a massive fine, any club who hadnt tanked to high hell would be disputing the fines in outrage.

Jolly good show indeed! =D>

[Xman]

You only have to read what Gillon said yesterday to realise why Melbourne were not found guilty of tanking. Its all in the definition of tanking, which is generally accepted as losing on purpose.

How were Melbourne losing on purpose when the players were trying to win?

All that the report found was that Connelly and Bailey conspired to manipulate the draft by reducing their chances on winning through experimentation. This isnt tanking

These two people copped a heavy suspension. Melbourne copped a heavy fine for employing these two people. But the club did not tank so they were not found guilty.

[Striker]

Gillon was reading from an idiot sheet. That's obvious. What Connelly and Bailey did WAS and IS tanking! The AFL just won't admit it!

[Xman]

Gillon was reading from an idiot sheet. That's obvious. What Connelly and Bailey did WAS and IS tanking! The AFL just won't admit it!

Who cares if he was reading from a prepared statement! As if that's unusual

Melbourne didnt throw games. Their players tried to win. This isnt tanking!

[Raiderdave]

Very harsh by the afl on Melbourne, unlike the NRLs treatment of many cheaters in their game.

Clearly there wasnt enough evidence to punish them for tanking, but they still copped a massive penalty.

they're as guilty as sin quite obviously you goose

but unlike dribbling bafoons like you
the VFL knew the serious implications of such an admission , the legalities .. the potential laws broken etc etc

so

they are covering the actual breach up ....
heck they'll probably give the 500K back to the Demons in brown paper bags in return for no fuss from them

have you ever seen a seedier ... shadier sport then this low .. low scumbag sport , or the utter dopes that follow it ?

[Xman]

Very harsh by the afl on Melbourne, unlike the NRLs treatment of many cheaters in their game.

Clearly there wasnt enough evidence to punish them for tanking, but they still copped a massive penalty.

they're as guilty as sin quite obviously you goose

but unlike dribbling bafoons like you
the VFL knew the serious implications of such an admission , the legalities .. the potential laws broken etc etc

so

they are covering the actual breach up ....
heck they'll probably give the 500K back to the Demons in brown paper bags in return for no fuss from them

have you ever seen a seedier ... shadier sport then this low .. low scumbag sport , or the utter dopes that follow it ?

They conducted an investigation and there was no proof of tanking.

And of course there wasnt. How can a team be trying to lose if the people who actually play the game, the players, were trying to win?

[Raiderdave]

Very harsh by the afl on Melbourne, unlike the NRLs treatment of many cheaters in their game.

Clearly there wasnt enough evidence to punish them for tanking, but they still copped a massive penalty.

they're as guilty as sin quite obviously you goose

but unlike dribbling bafoons like you
the VFL knew the serious implications of such an admission , the legalities .. the potential laws broken etc etc

so

they are covering the actual breach up ....
heck they'll probably give the 500K back to the Demons in brown paper bags in return for no fuss from them

have you ever seen a seedier ... shadier sport then this low .. low scumbag sport , or the utter dopes that follow it ?

They conducted an investigation and their was no proof of tanking.

And of course there wasnt. How can a team be trying to lose if the people who actually play the game, the players, were trying to win?

if you believe that shit
then santa claus will be shortly riding a white unicorn ... being chased by the easter bunny ontop of the tooth fairy

they found plenty of evidence ...
probably for many clubs


but the VFL.... the scummiest filtho organisation in Australian sport


grabbed a carpet
& a broom


wow
how can they lie straight in bed at night