Former Demon Brock McLean alleges Melbourne tanked to gain better draft picks. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: Herald Sun
ENTIRE wars have been fought in 77 days; governments have been toppled.
Yet the media actually giggled yesterday as Adrian Anderson paused for effect, then described the AFL's tanking investigation as "ongoing".
An investigation that started on July 31 with the promise to scrutinise Melbourne's alleged tanking culture - then expand to any other club if evidence emerged - shows no sign of resolution.
The cynics believe the AFL's findings will be dropped at 11pm on New Year's Eve.
Anderson countered yesterday that, "It will take as long as it takes to do a thorough and proper job".
Yet when you consider who AFL integrity officer Brett Clothier has and hasn't talked to, it is hard to mount a case that the AFL is trying desperately to uncover every skerrick of wrongdoing.
In 77 days Clothier and his cohorts could interview every coach and player at Melbourne three times.
They could talk to every club ever accused of any form of tanking.
So why launch a competition-wide probe when no one really wants to find anything?
How many times has Brock McLean been spoken to?
Just once, according to those close to him.
McLean basically repeated his allegations in the On The Couch interview - that he had a "gut feel" but no proof something was dodgy.
At Carlton, how many people have been interviewed about its dark days of tanking?
Just two - McLean, and forward scout Barry Prendergast and only because he was Melbourne's recruiter during that period.
Former Carlton coach Brett Ratten admitted the league had previously spoken to him about tanking, but no one else at Visy Park has felt the blowtorch surrounding the so-called Kreuzer Cup.
Brendan Fevola wrote at length in his recent book about tanking at Carlton. Has anyone given Fev a bell?
No doubt at Melbourne, chief executive Cameron Schwab and then-coach Dean Bailey are among those who have been interviewed.
But given warnings of massive penalties to anyone who admitted tanking, would Schwab or Dean Bailey or anyone else feel like airing any dirty laundry?
"I do understand there is cynicism but it is misplaced," Anderson said yesterday.
But how can we not be cynical when two weeks into an active investigation Demetriou stated: "If (Clothier) gets to the bottom of something then we will deal with it but at the moment there's no evidence to sustain this allegation of tanking."
The AFL needs not only to do justice in this investigation, but to be seen to do justice.
The only people who should be giggling are those at rivals clubs with dark secrets, because they are no chance at all to be found.
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