Eagles bury tanking debate: KBAugust 03, 2009 9:56AM
KEVIN Bartlett has responded to a Mike Sheahan column, saying he won't allow other people to put "tanking" in his mouth.
Sheahan today wrote that Bartlett might leave AFL CEO Andrew Demetiou alone at the front of the anti-tanking movement.
Bartlett appeared to be worried about some strange moves by Demons coach Dean Bailey during Melbourne’s loss to Richmond yesterday.
Speaking on radio station SEN this morning, Bartlett acknowledged that the Demons-Tigers match had shaken him, but West Coast’s unexpected win reaffirmed his belief that tanking does not happen in the AFL.
“Mike Sheahan in the Herald Sun today is correct in saying certain events did alarm me," Bartlett said.
“But I’m not going allow Sheahan and (co-commentators Andy) Maher and (Daniel) Harford and (Shane) Wakelin to put the tanking word in my mouth.
“Dean Bailey must have known what he was doing, for it took a kick after the siren by (Tiger Jordan) McMahon to bury the Demons.
“Maybe us critics and commentators aren’t as smart as we think we are. It gave me great satisfaction and relief to go home and watch the might West Coast bury the tanking issue when they buried the Bombers at Subiaco, losing a priority pick.”
Bartlett took a swipe at Maher's decision to leave the SEN commentary box before the end of the match.
“When Melbourne moved their best defenders – (Matthew) Warnock and (James) Frawley forward- Brad Miller into the ruck, sending the 200cm ruckman Paul Johnson down back to look after Nathan Brown, raised eyebrows were sending me a message from the (commentary) box.
“After a comical passage of play, Andy Maher left the box in the last quarter citing a family function had cut his day short.”
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/eagles-bury-tanking-debate-kb/story-e6frey00-1225757338081