Skip to Content. Skip to Navigation.
 
AFL

Bailey, Connolly in the gun

Bailey, Connolly in the gun
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

Reports have indicated that former Melbourne coach Dean Bailey and football manager Chris Connolly will have to serve full suspensions from the game as the AFL gears up to release its findings into tanking on Tuesday afternoon.

The AFL Commission met on Monday to discuss the findings into Melbourne's 2009 season, a year where they won just four matches under Bailey.

In conjunction with the Demons' three wins in 2008, this was enough to earn Melbourne a priority draft selection in 2009, seeing the club opt for Tom Scully with their No.1 selection in the draft.

According to the Herald-Sun, Melbourne will be fined approximately $500,000 for manipulating results in 2009 in order to attain the priority selection, while Bailey and Connolly could face suspensions when the results and punishments are unveiled at a press conference at 2pm.

Bailey has refused to speak about the investigation but when sacked by the club in 2011, he alluded to this manipulation taking place.

"I had no hesitation at all in the first two years of ensuring this club was well-placed for draft picks, well-placed for going forward," Bailey said at the time.

"I had no hesitation at all last year in ensuring the guys we picked, form was important, but we also had to give them experience at times.

"Some of the guys had to get a couple of extra games into them for the importance of the next year and the year on, you don't win premierships unless you build a list, the list is not 21 or 22, you've got to build a list of 28 to 32 (players) to be ready to go at any given time when the team needs you.

"I experimented to a level that meant we got players into certain positions and we developed them into those positions.

"I think they've benefited from it and will into the future, you can't expect a player to go out there and not try, players will try.

"I was asked to do the best thing by the football club and I did the right thing by the Melbourne Football Club ... the whole football club agreed that we wanted to develop our players, so we did."

Would you like to comment?

 

You might also like

Racism Row: What they said
05/24/2013 02:11:40 PM
 
Swans too strong for poor Magpies
05/24/2013 12:44:45 PM
 
Swans bus conks out, players on tram
05/24/2013 08:40:24 AM
 
Sheedy eyes Bombers' big men
05/24/2013 08:22:05 AM
 
Crows bring back Petrenko against Roos
05/24/2013 07:44:01 AM
 
Lyon coy on Watts interest
05/24/2013 07:12:03 AM
 
 
 
 

Trending stories

The Lurker - NRL Rumour File - Friday
05/24/2013 04:02:55 AM
-
League
 
Swans too strong for poor Magpies
05/24/2013 12:44:45 PM
-
AFL
 
Swans bus conks out, players on tram
05/24/2013 08:40:24 AM
-
AFL
 
Power, Cats make late changes
05/24/2013 03:52:09 AM
-
AFL
 
Rookie winger earns Tigers late win
05/24/2013 11:55:38 AM
-
League
 
English double sinks Tahs at death
05/24/2013 01:11:54 PM
-
Rugby Union