Life bans for coaches found tanking: Andrew Demetriou Grantley Bernard
From: Herald Sun
August 13, 2011 2:58PMAFL boss Andrew Demetriou today warned that any coach found to have deliberately tanked games would be banished from football for life.
Responding to continuing debate on suggestions that clubs have preferred to gain higher draft picks rather than win late-season games, Demetriou was forthright and unyielding.
While reiterating his belief that clubs and coaches have not tanked games - despite the tacit admission of recently sacked Melbourne coach Dean Bailey that the Demons had forsaken wins to look to the future - Demetriou has no place in football for those who do.
Asked on 3AW what would happen if a coach admitted to manipulating the result of a game, Demetriou said: ``He would never work in football again. There would be an investigation into the club and there would be severe sanctions.''
Convinced that Bailey's explanation about developing players for the future was taken out of context by the media, Demetriou will not entertain the notion of tanking.
``I just don't believe it,'' Demetriou said. ``People are entitled to have their views but we don't share the view that there is tanking.
``Do I believe that clubs develop their lists and play players in different positions and try things and experiment when they can't make finals? Absolutely. Do I think any player goes out to lose a game? No.''
The matter of priority draft picks is on the table for AFL Commission review, although it is unlikely any change to the process will happen until after Greater Western Sydney has made its debut next year.
``The commission is reviewing the priority pick,'' Demetriou said. ``We need to have capabilities of rewarding perennially poor performers and that is what the priority pick is for.''
In fact, the priority pick is not high on the agenda for the AFL Commission, which considers addressing the imbalance between clubs' off-field situations - facilities, staff, spending power - as more urgent.
While acknowledging some clubs need more financial help than others, Demetriou also delivered a verbal swipe at Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett for his comments about clubs pushing for greater financial parity and distribution.
``This sort of negativity and destructive talk fuels people's emotions,'' Demetriou said on Triple M. ``Jeff Kennett, when he says eight clubs are on the drip feed, is incorrect. It just isn't true.
``He's done a fantastic job for his cub but if he's going to offer opinions about others clubs he needs to be armed with more knowledge ... and not go shooting arrows in the dark.
``We've got 13 (clubs with) very strong balance sheets, probably two or three who aren't as strong and two or three we want to help. We're trying to get more money into the hands of clubs to bridge the gap and so they can compete.''
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/life-bans-for-coaches-found-tanking-andrew-demetriou/story-e6frf9io-1226114285107
