AFL slaps trade ban on Swans

[ScottH]

After listening to Carolyn Wilson with Gerrard Healy earlier in the week I finally maybe got an inkling of what the AFL's flawed reasoning may have been. O'Keefe, LRT and (probably assumed at the time) Goodes were retiring, thus freeing up money which they, the AFL, assumed would be about equivalent to what was in the COLA for next year. Thus, they may have felt, by preventing the Swans from spending the freed up money (from the retirements) on new listed players they were effectively cancelling the COLA "advantage".

Makes sense.
Doesn't make it right or fair though.

[ScottH]

At a time where football fans are feeling more alienated from the game than ever, McLachlan is prudent in choosing to listen and respond to the supporters.

But his prudence falls short elsewhere.

The AFL?s decision to ban the Sydney Swans from trading players unless they immediately relinquish their COLA is brash, unfair and, in a legal sense, unjust.

In one fell swoop, the AFL have made a rule ? a rule that they created and were happy to enforce ? retrospective.

Gillon McLachlan: Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown | The Roar

[dimelb]

Good piece from The Roar.

Fancy knowing legal Latin and not knowing the difference between "throne" and "thrown".

[ScottH]

Good piece from The Roar.

Fancy knowing legal Latin and not knowing the difference between "throne" and "thrown".

Maybe a typo. Wrong the first time, right the second.

[stellation]

I'm getting old; if an undergrad had handed that in to me I probably would have provided feedback of "too earnest".

[barry]

After listening to Carolyn Wilson with Gerrard Healy earlier in the week I finally maybe got an inkling of what the AFL's flawed reasoning may have been. O'Keefe, LRT and (probably assumed at the time) Goodes were retiring, thus freeing up money which they, the AFL, assumed would be about equivalent to what was in the COLA for next year. Thus, they may have felt, by preventing the Swans from spending the freed up money (from the retirements) on new listed players they were effectively cancelling the COLA "advantage".

But we can use the monry from okeefe and LRT to increase pay of current players or pay for delisted free agents, so caros angle doesnt make sence.

I suspect the swans will top up a few contracts in 2015 with this spare cap room, so they can pay less in 2016+

[mcs]

But we can use the monry from okeefe and LRT to increase pay of current players or pay for delisted free agents, so caros angle doesnt make sence.

I suspect the swans will top up a few contracts in 2015 with this spare cap room, so they can pay less in 2016+

Remember Barry, they were both on the veterans list - so a decent chunk of their salary is not available to be redistributed. I would also expect that the club had probably already factored in that at least 1 of them would not be around in 2015.

[Matt80]

Unfortunately for the Swans no commissioner has resigned their position over the Swans recruitment decision. That means that the following individuals believe that the decision is in the best interests of the AFL and is fair:

Mike Fitzpatrick - Chairman
Gillon McLachlan - Chief Executive Officer
Bill Kelty - Commissioner
Chris Langford - Commissioner
Sam Mostyn - Commissioner
Justice Linda Dessau - Commissioner
Richard Goyder - Commissioner
Paul Bassat - Commissioner
Kim Williams - Commissioner

These commissioners are superstars of Australian business, political and legal life. They all have wonderful reputations. They would not agree to a decision on the Swans that could hurt their reputations.

We are not being told the full information on the commission?s decision and we are only speculating. I believe that these above commissioners deserve the benefit of the doubt in the Swans decision.

The commissioners are high calibre people of great integrity and should be afforded the Red and White community?s confidence and respect.

It?s important to note that apart from McLachlan every other commissioner is too powerful and too established to worry about what Eddie says on his radio show.

If a commissioner resigned their position because they had split away from the board, and did not agree with the Swans decision, then I would believe that something is seriously wrong. Unfortunately for the Swans, this has not occurred.

[CureTheSane]

Unfortunately for the Swans no commissioner has resigned their position over the Swans recruitment decision. That means that the following individuals believe that the decision is in the best interests of the AFL and is fair:

Mike Fitzpatrick - Chairman
Gillon McLachlan - Chief Executive Officer
Bill Kelty - Commissioner
Chris Langford - Commissioner
Sam Mostyn - Commissioner
Justice Linda Dessau - Commissioner
Richard Goyder - Commissioner
Paul Bassat - Commissioner
Kim Williams - Commissioner

These commissioners are superstars of Australian business, political and legal life. They all have wonderful reputations. They would not agree to a decision on the Swans that could hurt their reputations.

We are not being told the full information on the commission?s decision and we are only speculating. I believe that these above commissioners deserve the benefit of the doubt in the Swans decision.

The commissioners are high calibre people of great integrity and should be afforded the Red and White community?s confidence and respect.

It?s important to note that apart from McLachlan every other commissioner is too powerful and too established to worry about what Eddie says on his radio show.

If a commissioner resigned their position because they had split away from the board, and did not agree with the Swans decision, then I would believe that something is seriously wrong. Unfortunately for the Swans, this has not occurred.

That's a nice little resume for the AFL commission.
Don't care who they are, or what their qualifications are, or what their biases may or may not be.
You would think that one of them (given their 'calibre') would have come out and defended the decision. Likely that they know not to speak out of place individually and will wait to release a statement.
Not sure why you think one or may would resign if a poor decision was made.]

They get no benefit of the doubt from me, nor do the Swans.
I assume they've both screwed up.

...and that's what happens when all you hear is nothing.

[mcs]

Unfortunately for the Swans no commissioner has resigned their position over the Swans recruitment decision. That means that the following individuals believe that the decision is in the best interests of the AFL and is fair:

Mike Fitzpatrick - Chairman
Gillon McLachlan - Chief Executive Officer
Bill Kelty - Commissioner
Chris Langford - Commissioner
Sam Mostyn - Commissioner
Justice Linda Dessau - Commissioner
Richard Goyder - Commissioner
Paul Bassat - Commissioner
Kim Williams - Commissioner

These commissioners are superstars of Australian business, political and legal life. They all have wonderful reputations. They would not agree to a decision on the Swans that could hurt their reputations.

We are not being told the full information on the commission?s decision and we are only speculating. I believe that these above commissioners deserve the benefit of the doubt in the Swans decision.

The commissioners are high calibre people of great integrity and should be afforded the Red and White community?s confidence and respect.

It?s important to note that apart from McLachlan every other commissioner is too powerful and too established to worry about what Eddie says on his radio show.

If a commissioner resigned their position because they had split away from the board, and did not agree with the Swans decision, then I would believe that something is seriously wrong. Unfortunately for the Swans, this has not occurred.

Says the one that yearns for a fully commercialsed, NAB sponsored world. We are just as entitled to not afford them confidence and respect, as you are to show them said confidence and respect.

Show me some evidence of why the decision was made, and I'll then make a judgement of whether I think they've done the right thing or not. In the absence of said evidence to consider myself, then I'll take 'innocent till proven guilty' position - as I have nothing to suggest otherwise. Reputations mean nothing - they don't stop people from making poorly informed decisions or indeed potentially showing significant bias within their decision making process.

You want us to just take it at 'face value' because these people are 'high calibre' - if they are all so 'high calibre', then why wont the AFL, or the Commission, explain why the decision was made..... surely transperancy is at the centre of the 'high calibre' wonderfulness that you assure us they all have.

[Matt80]

That's a nice little resume for the AFL commission.
Don't care who they are, or what their qualifications are, or what their biases may or may not be.
You would think that one of them (given their 'calibre') would have come out and defended the decision. Likely that they know not to speak out of place individually and will wait to release a statement.
Not sure why you think one or may would resign if a poor decision was made.]

They get no benefit of the doubt from me, nor do the Swans.
I assume they've both screwed up.

...and that's what happens when all you hear is nothing.

Board directors have a duty to resign their position if they strongly disagree with a decision that the collective board have made or the strategic direction of the entity. The resigning board member then bears no future accountability or responsibility if the decision is a disastrous one. This is part of a board directors fiduciary duty.

All commissioners are still in place so this means that the commissioners are not concerned by the future outcomes of the Swans decision.

[cherub]

With reference to Matt80s slavering adulation of the rich and powerful, Paul Keating said " you should always back "self-interest", at least you know she's trying. These commisssioners support each other to get directorships on other boards, or boards of each others' companies. Half of them have positions in Maguire's companies. There was an article about some potentially illegal dealings to do with a Victorian mining company that involved past and present AFL commissioners. Goyder presides over Coles, who have exploited suppliers unethically. Bill Kelty played hardball in very tough union environments. Kim Williams was seriously hated in his former position at Fairfax. These are "whatever it takes" without getting caught kind of guys. Ethics and morality are not big on their priority list.

[Matt80]

Says the one that yearns for a fully commercialsed, NAB sponsored world. We are just as entitled to not afford them confidence and respect, as you are to show them said confidence and respect.

Show me some evidence of why the decision was made, and I'll then make a judgement of whether I think they've done the right thing or not. In the absence of said evidence to consider myself, then I'll take 'innocent till proven guilty' position - as I have nothing to suggest otherwise. Reputations mean nothing - they don't stop people from making poorly informed decisions or indeed potentially showing significant bias within their decision making process.

You want us to just take it at 'face value' because these people are 'high calibre' - if they are all so 'high calibre', then why wont the AFL, or the Commission, explain why the decision was made..... surely transperancy is at the centre of the 'high calibre' wonderfulness that you assure us they all have.

I would like some more background information on the decision that the AFL have made as well.

The AFL must have very good reason to not discuss the decision in the public domain. Maybe the information does not reflect well on the Swans or the wider AFL community.

I'm not fully commercial. I just have faith in some of the above AFL commissioners to grow my Super and allow me a more comfortable life in retirement. This gives them my trust and my backing to run the AFL game. I won't be impressed if they lead companies that slide like Qantas, Kodak or Billabong.

[Matt80]

With reference to Matt80s slavering adulation of the rich and powerful, Paul Keating said " you should always back "self-interest", at least you know she's trying. These commisssioners support each other to get directorships on other boards, or boards of each others' companies. Half of them have positions in Maguire's companies. There was an article about some potentially illegal dealings to do with a Victorian mining company that involved past and present AFL commissioners. Goyder presides over Coles, who have exploited suppliers unethically. Bill Kelty played hardball in very tough union environments. Kim Williams was seriously hated in his former position at Fairfax. These are "whatever it takes" without getting caught kind of guys. Ethics and morality are not big on their priority list.

Kim Williams did not work for Fairfax. Bill Kelty is a hero of the Labor movement. He and Bob Hawke killed inflation through the prices and income accord. What a reforming Australian Mr Kelty is. Mr Keating and Mr Kelty are great mates and they brought us Super.

Goyder is playing Business to win. It's a failing of government that it's not easy for Walmart and Tescos to come into Australia to compete against Woolworth's and Westfarmers. All suppliers need is more completion in the super market sector.

[sharp9]

But Matt the reason that the AFL have not discussed it is that no one has asked them too!!!!

Not one journalist or radio hack (to my knowledge) has even asked as single commissioner or AFL employee a single question regarding it!