Herald sun investigation into dees tanking saga

[Toump Ass]

So were Melbourne actually found guilty of tanking?

 

[Tom14]

Didn’t Caroline Wilson write some articles slamming Melbourne and the AFL for this whole episode?

From a cursory google: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/senior-demons-drove-tanking-20121030-28h3c.html

This story from last year which referenced tanking got her removed from the Melbourne grand final breakfast: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-storm-before-the-calm-at-melbourne-20180921-p50587.html

I'm sure there are plenty more if you looked for more than the 30 seconds I did.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Because if Melbourne went down the whole system would have collapsed. I don't think you understand how bad it would have got.

An admission of match fixing would have resulted in so much money being sued out of them gambling agencies that the AFL would have collapsed an along with it probably 10 clubs.
Not only that but every team that put people in for surgery would have also been investigated.

AFL would have been done.

I think the AFL would have survived, but it does explain the uncomfortable relationship between professional sport and gambling.

I think we feel the need to be dishonest about teams trying to win sometimes.

We've done it in 2015 when the club wasn't ready to play finals. In the last few rounds it seemed every player with a bruise was sent for an early break. In anticpation of a big 2016 season.

The whole reason for the pre finals bye was to try and stop finalists playing their reserve teams in the last round.

Maybe we should just be a bit more open about it.

I cant see any benefit in dragging up the past now anyway and it's a bit unfair to single out the Demons.

 

[Sausages]

So were Melbourne actually found guilty of tanking?

If you wish to claim a moral high ground here - no, the official findings were that they were not guilty of tanking.

However, they were fined 500k anyway - it would be prudent to factor that in to your own personal assessment of whether they were guilty or not, since a penalty isn't levied without cause.

This saga is a great example of the AFL straddling the twin horses of justice and public relations.

 

[Blues_Man]

Why drag this all up again ? ..it was done and dusted

 

[perplexed]

It would be fun to put together a class action against the club and the afl on behalf of punters who lost money betting on the Dees in 2009.

 

[Sausages]

It would be fun to put together a class action against the club and the afl on behalf of punters who lost money betting on the Dees in 2009.

No, it wouldn't.

Not to rain on your parade or upset your imaginings, but with one of the key witnesses in the process being deceased, it would never make it from a counsel's office, never mind a courtroom.

 

[Marc_Remillard]

I think the AFL would have survived, but it does explain the uncomfortable relationship between professional sport and gambling.

I think we feel the need to be dishonest about teams trying to win sometimes.

We've done it in 2015 when the club wasn't ready to play finals. In the last few rounds it seemed every player with a bruise was sent for an early break. In anticpation of a big 2016 season.

The whole reason for the pre finals bye was to try and stop finalists playing their reserve teams in the last round.

Maybe we should just be a bit more open about it.

I cant see any benefit in dragging up the past now anyway and it's a bit unfair to single out the Demons.

Good post

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

We all love this sport but the afl give fifa a run for its money in being corrupt

Match fixing/tanking check

Whole team doping check

Now we have the new loophole of players screaming mental health to be free to use drugs with no punishment

Every day this sport becomes more like the wwe

 

[perplexed]

No, it wouldn't.

Not to rain on your parade or upset your imaginings, but with one of the key witnesses in the process being deceased, it would never make it from a counsel's office, never mind a courtroom.

Two dead witnesses, but lots of live ones.
Nobody actually betting on the Dees would be the bigger problem.

 

[mxett]

I do agree with the AFLs decision to punish Melbourne but by definition find them not guilty of tanking. To me tanking is where the players deliberately try to lose. I think of Tomic or kyrgios who just walk past a serve the could have returned, or aim at the net. That deliberate play to lose is tanking. The Demons players didnt do this, they still played to win, even if their coaches made it difficult. As a fan i am happy for my club to value team development above winning when it becomes clear we cannot make finals, as long as the players who take the field give their all. Thats not tanking

 

[ApplecrossWC]

Never been a big fan of the Demons and this is another reason why.

Club officials and players should have done jail time for this

 

[markm106]

It would be fun to put together a class action against the club and the afl on behalf of punters who lost money betting on the Dees in 2009.

If you plonked your hard earned on Melbourne in 2009 perhaps you need to rethink your gambling choices. But this is exactly why the AFL didn’t want a guilty of tanking outcome.

 

[Burzum]

Herald Sun probably doing it before the match to put Melbourne off before their game with Essendon. Essendon is Herald Scums love child

Wouldn't be surprised

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

t. Alex Jones

 

[Slartibartfast]

The question is, why are we tanking in 2019???

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

The AFL and media are basically on par with a real

Honest question.

What is difference between conspiring to tank, and actually tanking?

One is planning (with two or more people) but not going through with it. The other is committing the actual offence.

 

[markm106]

Never been a big fan of the Demons and this is another reason why.

Club officials and players should have done jail time for this

Geez bit harsh. Players didn’t lie down. I have no doubt they tried.

 

[Tulip]

Two dead witnesses, but lots of live ones.
Nobody actually betting on the Dees would be the bigger problem.

Would you want to see the Melbourne Football Club and AFL destroyed because of the sins of an incompetent admin team?

 

[richoatthedisco]

Expert tankers that finished last when the first pick available was only #4.

And the year before when we could've taken #1 , we win 4 of our last 5 games because the AFL "had a word".

That's an interesting reality you're forming for yourself.

The first pick available was 4, the second available was 6, the third available was 8, the fourth available was 10...

A big question here is did the idea come from Jim Stynes? he was the Chariman of Melbourne at the time, and pretty much all decisions would have gone through him. It's a tough question to ask because Jim is a revered figure and built a great legacy but this could muddy that a bit imo. There really is no way he couldn't have been at least aware of it

The only way he might have been unaware was that he was undergoing treatment for cancer in the latter part of 2009, so maybe didn't have oversight at club as much as he could have?

He was involved early on and the AFL went out of their way to protect his name.

Dunno if Stynes was actually involved in planning it, but he definitely knew about it. Connolly was the mastermind and Lyon his chief cheerleader.

Some posters playing the same semantics as Gill.


Indisputable fact is that as a club, Melbourne, did not do its utmost to win.

But that is not the story. The story is the AFL cover up and corruption facilitated by media collusion.

The AFL could never admit the tanking for fear of legal action from punters and/or betting agencies. Plus massive brand damage. Plus allegations that the AFL priority pick based rules made them almost complicit in tanking by creating the environment for tanking to occur.

The big untold story is how major journos and in particular, Caroline Wilson supported the AFL's cover up . It truly has been Gils crowning achievement to get vipers like Caro to eat out of his hand without biting him.

This cover up is only second to the Ess drug scandal, starting with Demetrious call to Ess telling them to get their house in order (ie start shredding) and finishing with an AFL appointed tribunal clearing Ess.

Kudos to Mick Warner.

Everyone saying 'why drag this up now' is completely missing the point - BECAUSE IT PROVES THE AFL AND ITS NOW CEO KNEW AND COVERED IT UP. Gil should have been told to pack his desk this morning.

Will add the hawks v tigers game in r 22 2005 where we manage to cough up a 7 goal half time lead to keep under 5 wins.
Karma does get you though, we draft X ellis and the 2 beaus that year; ellis passable career but the other two epic fails.

Yes, but it cost us Paddy Ryder and delivered us Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls.

Would you want to see the Melbourne Football Club and AFL destroyed because of the sins of an incompetent admin team?

It wouldn't have taken this scandal to kill off the MFC. Not propping them up for the past decade-plus would have done it.

 

[Blackas87]

It would be fun to put together a class action against the club and the afl on behalf of punters who lost money betting on the Dees in 2009.

I’ve never understood this gambling thing.

Everyone was talking about Melbourne not winning 5 games all year so they could get a priority pick.

As a punter you should realise Melbourne aren’t trying to win, it’s your gamble to bet on them.

 

[Scotland]

Bizarre timing but the AFL brought his upon themselves with their 'they didn't tank, but we're punishing them anyway' outcome.

 

[Topkent]

The first pick available was 4, the second available was 6, the third available was 8, the fourth available was 10...



Dunno if Stynes was actually involved in planning it, but he definitely knew about it. Connolly was the mastermind and Lyon his chief cheerleader.


Everyone saying 'why drag this up now' is completely missing the point - BECAUSE IT PROVES THE AFL AND ITS NOW CEO KNEW AND COVERED IT UP. Gil should have been told to pack his desk this morning.


Yes, but it cost us Paddy Ryder and delivered us Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls.


It wouldn't have taken this scandal to kill off the MFC. Not propping them up for the past decade-plus would have done it.

Just a bunch of pissy cheap shots. Perfect demographic for these rehashed articles.

 

[Topkent]

Never been a big fan of the Demons and this is another reason why.

Club officials and players should have done jail time for this

I mean come on you can't be that stupid[/QUOTE]

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Rubbish gutter journalism. Everyone knows they tanked. The AFL didnt come down on them but CLEARLY the results of the tanking were punishment enough. The current MFC has nothing to do with the version that tanked and should not be remotely put off by a shitty media organisation looking for an easy dollar.

It’s not even a football issue. It’s not about punishing Melbourne.

Fixing a sporting event and corrupting a betting outcome is fraudulent.

Those who ordered it and those who covered it up should be brought to account in court.

It’s about the Melbourne Executive and management at the time and the AFL executive who became aware and did nothing. Not about Melbourne the club. Bailey’s testimony makes it clear it was ordered from above.

 

[Blue1980]

Carlton have done similar since Bolton arrived. Only difference is they don't need a Schwab or Connolly to say don't win, they just know they won't already.

Tank to get priority picks which you can no longer get? Solid plan.