Melbourne's 2009 tanking scandal laid bare (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Claims of faked injuries, playing to lose as Melbourne 2009 tanking scandal laid bare

MICHAEL WARNER,
Herald Sun
April 5, 2019

>>SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE EXPLOSIVE INTERVIEWS<<

Secret documents reveal multiple senior Melbourne Football Club staff blew the whistle on a conspiracy to lose games during its controversial 2009 season.

The Herald Sun has obtained more than 80 pages of transcripts, hidden until today.

They expose interviews conducted between AFL investigators and Demons players, coaches and officials in 2012 as part of a league probe into allegations of “tanking” at the club that season.

The files include a stunning confession from the Demons’ 2009 coach Dean Bailey.

It was a long season for the players in 2009 as club bosses looked to draft picks instead of wins, according to their interviews during the tanking probe.

“What was said to me was, if I win games I would get sacked,” he told the AFL investigators.

“I was threatened. Yeah, I didn’t like it. I think it was a terrible thing to be bullying and harassing not only me but the rest of the staff.

“Absolutely, I knew if we won those games, I felt that I would get sacked.”

Interviews conducted with 58 current and former Demons staff in 2012 reveal:

EIGHT senior officials admitted the football department had been directed not to win more than four games;

PLAYERS not seriously injured were kept off the ground during matches to stymie interchange rotations, according to Bailey.

INVESTIGATORS were provided reports detailing “fake injuries” which ruled players out of selection.

SEVERAL staff confirmed players were sent for operations, in a ruse some accepted was designed to weaken the team;

BAILEY said he was repeatedly threatened and pressured to ensure the team kept losing, despite the AFL concluding there was only one “terrible” and “stupid” comment — made by football general manager Chris Connolly at a match committee meeting in 2009;

CONNOLLY accused Bailey of lying and trying to get him sacked.

Read more: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/claims-of-faked-injuries-playing-to-lose-as-melbourne-2009-tanking-scandal-laid-bare/news-story/897ea8fbba0db2ba2f61f14ace919988

Dean Bailey's interview transcript: https://media.heraldsun.com.au/PDF/2019/Tanking_File/NEW_DB_interview.pdf

Extended transcripts of the tanking probe's interviews: https://media.heraldsun.com.au/PDF/2019/Tanking_File/Extende_Transcripts.pdf

[one-eyed]

Another focus of the investigation was Melbourne’s four-point loss to Richmond in Round 18.

“I know (in the) Richmond game, CEOs in the box asking questions. It was pretty obvious. “There was a lot of pressure on that day,” personal development coach Ian Flack said.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/how-melbournes-match-day-strategy-changed-after-third-win-of-2009-season/news-story/74320b058ff1ff3a3440932ff986703f

[Diocletian]

....and the AFL effectively rewarded them for it with a free Paul Roos, 5 million dollars & a shyte load of high picks......if they win the flag with this ill-gotten group it'll be an absolute disgrace to the AFL & football in general.....

[Assange Tiger 😎]

Well said. What a disgusting club

[mightytiges]

The AFL were complicit by setting up a system that encouraged and rewarded tanking. Melbourne weren't the only club to do it (the Pies sent players for operations in the second half of 2005 to keep their wins below four and gain both Thomas and Pendlebury via an early priority pick) but the Dees were so inept that they failed even at tanking.

[Diocletian]

As much as it sickens me and goes against every fibre to defend them - AFAICR Collingwood weren't deliberately playing blokes out of position and I seriously doubt even Eddie was instructing Malthouse to lose or that Malthouse woudn't have told him where to go if he had....sending players in for operations, puttng games into kids and having a good look at your list once you can't make finals is just smart list management, not tanking.....and if we find ourselves out of contention by say, round 14, I hope we do the same...

[mightytiges]

Not saying it wasn't smart by the Pies and I agree we should play the kids if this season ends up gone. However, there were two dodgy games that the Pies conveniently lost with odds plays from the coaching box. Against North they were 3 goals up at the 26 min mark of the last quarter but didn't put numbers behind the ball which allowed North to run them over. Then they kept Buckley at FF while bottom side Carlton kicked 9 goals in a row against them. One more win would've cost them a top 5 priority pick so there was the incentive to lose.