bondiblue wrote:
Scoping an appeal....
Dear Mr Demetriou,
congratulations on the success the AFL's achievement with the TV rights.
The AFL have never been in a better position, and continue to be the premier football code in Australia, despite some strong competition put up this year from the soccer fraternity. There are a few issues however that need addressesing to ensure that the AFL maintain this leading position and alleviate pressure that taint the AFL image as being fair and equitable amongst the 16 footy franchises. Furthermore addressing the issues will ensure that the code does not continue filling the backpages of leading newspapers with negative reports concerning the AFL's shortfalls in handling contentious issues, and put the media's focus back on the harmony that exists within the AFL family.
It has been brought to the attention to the football public that Carlton, one of the founding clubs of the AFL/ VFL, has been dealt with unreasonably and in contemptable fashion by the AFL in recent years. Perhaps it was due to an oversight by the AFL at the time, but the issues relating to Carlton must be fairly dealt with now, even if the implication is that the AFL had made mistake.
If there has been an oversight by the AFL, admission of an oversight will do more good than harm to the credibility of the AFL amongst all football codes and AFL community. There is much more to gain than lose for the AFL by considering and overturning previous rulings that have subjected the CFC to unfair treatment, which have been seen detrimental to the well being of the CFC.
There is no doubt that the consensus amongst the football community is that CFC was dealt with exceedingly harsh on Black Friday 2002. Carlton was honest and open in its discussions with the AFL with regards to a breach in within the Salray Cap rules, and as a result was delat an inforeseen blow whereby it was excluded from the National draft for 2 years, including close to $1M fine. The $1M fine in effect has bankrupted the club, and the draft penalties put this club, who incidently were already on the bottom of the ladder, further back than anyone in the AFL commission may have estimated. The main issue here is not the draft penalties and fine, but the AFL's wihdrawing of Carlton's right to the PP of that year. What is contentious with this decision is that there was no stipulation that the penalties included the ommission of the PP selection for CFC.
The effect of such excessive penalties is reflected in the club's position on the ladder and player list over the last 4 years. Enough said.
It would be honourable and noble of the AFL, as the guardian of all AFL franchises, to reverse it's wrong decision to strip the PP of 2002 from Carlton prior to this year's draft,.
Furthermore, considering the fact that CFC have won 7 games and 2 draws in the last 2 years, in effect makes CFC eligible to access it's current PP in the first round not after. Please consider this too, for the benefit of a healthy AFL competition.
If the AFL chooses to not reverse its decisions, or in better terms rectify its mistakes, Mr Demetriou, then it leaves CFC with no alternative but to elect your old friend, Mr Fraser Brown's ticket, to lead our club, to deal with future discussions involving the CFC and the AFL regarding these issues.
Our club has experienced a period of turmoil since the AFL employed excessive measures to penalise the club. These decisions need to be re evaluated and reversed for the betterment of the AFL competition, in helping resusitate the CFC from the straglehold the commission has placed on it, whilst improving the standing of the AFL as a fair and just facilitator of its code.
I appreciate your consideration and cannot express the gratitude to the AFL I will feel if the decisions are reversed. No doubt it will be to the benefit of the CFC, the AFL community and importantly help me keep my position as the President of the CFC. Fraser is just around the corner.
Great Letter however, your only problem with this approach is that you are under the misaprehension that Demetrispew is a 'diplomat' and a 'statesman'.
Unfortunately he is an arrogant tosser who has been 'Peter Principled' way above his level of competence. What's worse he has his nose firmly esconsed in Ron "Is this a piece of your brain" Evan's arse so you want get any comfort there either.
