No Premiership, Nick's Off, Players suspended...Now For The

[Black_White]

HeraldSun today;




Point-blank Blues
03 October 2002 Herald Sun
By DARYL TIMMS

CARLTON faces the grim prospect of starting the 2003 season with minus premiership points if found guilty of serious salary cap breaches.

The Blues, already on a bond which carries selection losses in rounds two and three of the national draft, are under investigation for illegal player payments.

However, it is not certain whether the AFL will complete the complex investigation before the November 23 draft. If that was the case, AFL football operations manager Andrew Demetriou said yesterday the commission would consider stripping guilty clubs of premiership points.

The move is similar to the action taken by the National Rugby League when it found Canterbury Bulldogs guilty of serious salary cap rorts.

Carlton, which has the first two picks in the draft, could also be hit with massive fines and the loss of more selections.

Ian Collins, who is heading a ticket to oust president John Elliott and his co-directors, said the club would be set back many years if it lost draft selections.

He said the club's members would be entitled to storm the gates if there were any breaches.

"One would think there is much more to this than meets the eye," Collins said.

"Otherwise it would have been resolved very quickly."

Collins said Elliott had misled members by saying the club was not under investigation.

Former fullback Stephen Silvagni, who is on the Collins ticket, has been implicated in the salary cap probe.

"Most breaches in the salary cap have been brought about by a club who forces a player into a situation simply because they show loyalty to the club," Collins said. "And I don't think that's any different to what has happened to players at Melbourne or Essendon.

"It is really the club that brings about the breach and I think it's just another reflection on the club who have used players for their own betterment."

Silvagni last night admitted he was under investigation, but expressed disappointment that it had been leaked.

He has refused to provide any information.

"If I was to furnish the club or the AFL with the information being requested, how long will it be before it's published in the newspapers?," he told afl.com.au

"I have no problem if the AFL wants to look into my football dealings. And as I understand it, details are being sought from a sample of Carlton players, past and present, and I just happen to be one of them."

Silvagni said the information he had been asked to produce had a bearing on his outside interests involving his wife and business partners, which he believed potentially exposed them to unwelcome scrutiny.

"The Carlton Football Club has all the information regarding my contractual details during my entire playing career," he said.

Collins said several Carlton players had been asked to independently reveal their financial records.

Demetriou said the AFL retained the right to demand financial details from retired players, their spouses or entities.

He said the league had not set a time frame on the Carlton probe and said if Carlton was found guilty after the draft, the Blues could lose selections in next year's draft.

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Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaaa!!!

[Ed from WA]

thats good news.!!!!
destined to stay on the bottom forever!!!!
that thought alone will be enough to get me thru the summer this year.

[Rowdy]

Finally something to smile about.

[GoThePies]

  the "GOOD NEWS" hardly compensates for the bad... id rather the blues be strong and up the top with us... theres nothing better then to beat these pricks when there winning games

"We are not made collingwood supporters.... We are born it"

[couragous cloke]

who gives a poo about them! i hate essenscum now i reckon or Akneanus

footy ROX!

[This message has been edited by couragous cloke (edited 03 October 2002).]

[piepower]

Brisbane and akimanarse are starting to surpase my hatred of carlton

[fan4collingwood]

I didn't think the AFL had the power to take premiership points away.

[AnthonyC]

The AFL should pull their finger out and make sure that their investigation is completed before this year's draft. We don't want to see them pick up No. 1 & 2 this year, next year's picks might be higher (although i doubt it, lol) if they defer it.


Go Pies!

[This message has been edited by AnthonyC (edited 04 October 2002).]

[Damien]

Spot on Anthony C....the AFL have gotta make sure its wrapped up before the draft. Premiership points taken away would be meaningless in what will be a miserable season for them anyway.

Taking away draft picks in the year when they've got 1 & 2 - now that will really hurt.


DB.

[Bartros]

All I have to say on this matter.....


SUFFER THE PAIN CARLTON you will be on the bottom for another 10 years!!!!

Lets Look forward to September Action... And lets also look forward to more drinking at the cricketrs pub:P

[ramjet21]

the precedent of losing draft picks has been set in the 90's and should be continued if the filth are found guilty. while i'd love to see their $9m debt blow out with a huge fine, the picks are what will hurt them. the afl need to finalise it quickly.

[CQ]

quote:

---

said the club would be set back many years if it lost draft selections.

---

good to see they are relying on one or two players for the future of the club they really are pathetic arent they.

TARKO TARKO MAN!
I WANT TO BE A TARKO MAN!

[MarkT]

Dead right AnthonyC.

The AFL has a duty to resolve this issue prior to the draft. They have known about many of the issue for a long time. If cannot then they are nothing short of incompetent. Nothing new in that though.

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

OMG this can't be Anthony Ciconte talking! Who was it say 2- 3 weeks ago who said this to me:

Alyssa- OMG I hope Jarrod takes out Akermanis straight away on GF day so he's out
Anthony- I have respect for Akermanis. I think he's a great player and guy.

Now that wasn't his exact words but it was along those lines. And don't say you didn't say that honey, coz you did!
Love always, Alyssa xoxo

__________________________________
Lisey Molloy! Jarrod Molloy's No.1 Fan!

*~Official Leader of the Jarrod Molloy cheersquad~*

*~Alyssa's song of the week~*
"If U Told Me To Cry 4 U, I Could, If U Told Me To Die 4 U I Would" *Always- Bon Jovi*