Doc26
15-07-2011, 11:15 AM
Although Collins is not at the helm anymore I didn't want this article to escape comment as it just smacks of hypocrisy from a Club that continues to thwart the system by pushing the limits of fair play with dubious 3rd party payments. This from a mob that cheated to achieve something we've been fighting honourably and with minimal resources to achieve for 60+ years.
For me, this is one man who totally pushes what's reasonable with adhering to the passage 'Love Thy Neighbour'.
From Wednesday's HUN:
Carlton's salary cap penalties were too hard
FORMER Carlton president Ian Collins says the salary cap penalties handed to the Blues set the club back a decade.
Etihad Stadium boss Collins said the penalties for cheating were manifestly excessive and on the "whim of the (AFL) commission".
He said the AFL had applied double standards to salary cap breaches, implying the Blues were hit with the big stick and others clubs flogged with a wet lettuce.
"At the time I said it would cost 10 years, and it's basically nearly 10 years. When you look at it, it did what the (AFL) set out to do," he told SuperFooty's Front & Square.
Asked if the penalties were too harsh, he replied: "Yes, and I think they would agree with that."
The Blues were fined $930,000 and lost a slew of draft picks for payments to Fraser Brown and Stephen O'Reilly and agreements to pay Craig Bradley and Stephen Silvagni.
"It was not of our doing but we had to manage something that was rather difficult," Collins said.
"No money, no players ... coaches sacked who hadn't been paid. And of course the AFL's bloody-mindedness about the severity of the fine, and the draft choices being taken. We had to go through a period of trying to reduce player payments because we couldn't afford them and also try to keep players playing when probably their use-by-date had gone. Not being able to regenerate the list was terribly difficult."
Brisbane was recently fined $21,630 for administrative errors with its salary cap, and Collins says there have often been different rules for different clubs.
"There's always breaches. Some will be treated as minor, some will be treated as very serious," he said.
"It depends on the whim of the commission at the time.
"I think there is no doubt there was a different mindset when they attacked Carlton.
"The (AFL) want a levelling of the playing field, but it's never been level.
"Brisbane and Sydney always had advantages under the salary cap in my time. That's been going on forever and a day.
"They are now doing it with Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast, they still have advantages. The draft is not pure. We've got the new team coming in. Those teams struggling at the bottom of the ladder are not going to be able to pick up good players right now."
For me, this is one man who totally pushes what's reasonable with adhering to the passage 'Love Thy Neighbour'.
From Wednesday's HUN:
Carlton's salary cap penalties were too hard
FORMER Carlton president Ian Collins says the salary cap penalties handed to the Blues set the club back a decade.
Etihad Stadium boss Collins said the penalties for cheating were manifestly excessive and on the "whim of the (AFL) commission".
He said the AFL had applied double standards to salary cap breaches, implying the Blues were hit with the big stick and others clubs flogged with a wet lettuce.
"At the time I said it would cost 10 years, and it's basically nearly 10 years. When you look at it, it did what the (AFL) set out to do," he told SuperFooty's Front & Square.
Asked if the penalties were too harsh, he replied: "Yes, and I think they would agree with that."
The Blues were fined $930,000 and lost a slew of draft picks for payments to Fraser Brown and Stephen O'Reilly and agreements to pay Craig Bradley and Stephen Silvagni.
"It was not of our doing but we had to manage something that was rather difficult," Collins said.
"No money, no players ... coaches sacked who hadn't been paid. And of course the AFL's bloody-mindedness about the severity of the fine, and the draft choices being taken. We had to go through a period of trying to reduce player payments because we couldn't afford them and also try to keep players playing when probably their use-by-date had gone. Not being able to regenerate the list was terribly difficult."
Brisbane was recently fined $21,630 for administrative errors with its salary cap, and Collins says there have often been different rules for different clubs.
"There's always breaches. Some will be treated as minor, some will be treated as very serious," he said.
"It depends on the whim of the commission at the time.
"I think there is no doubt there was a different mindset when they attacked Carlton.
"The (AFL) want a levelling of the playing field, but it's never been level.
"Brisbane and Sydney always had advantages under the salary cap in my time. That's been going on forever and a day.
"They are now doing it with Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast, they still have advantages. The draft is not pure. We've got the new team coming in. Those teams struggling at the bottom of the ladder are not going to be able to pick up good players right now."