Doubts over Jacks Draft

[Big Al]

Written by Todd Balym.

"I didn't know much about the draft and didn't know you had to nominate. I was just being a naive Sydney boy," Jack told The Daily Telegraph.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225912527610

Make of this what you will.

[jono2707]

Feel free to chuck rotten tomatoes or whatever at me but I have never thought of Roy Masters as being anti-AFL. He is pro-league, obviously, but I must have missed some of his previous attacks on AFL. I have always though Roy to offer an interesting, not always standard, take on sport in general. He obviously likes to paint himself as a cerebral-type, but he basically is compared to a lot of other journos and sportspeople out there. I dont really know what the point of this supposed Jack expose is all about, but I for one have never thought Roy sets out to bring down the AFL. I also think he is too smart to print something like this if there isn't at least some truth in it, as much of a non-story as it is....

[SPC]

Written by Todd Balym.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225912527610
Make of this what you will.

So its not just Roy this story has come from and this now makes much more sense to me. Jack didnt know how the process worked, missed the paperwork, AFL (Demetriou) wanted son of ex RL great for PR, lets get him onboard but lets also cover our tracks (Demetriou) a bit with some post dated paperwork. Its not a huge issue, but the pretend investigation, cover up and now denial by AFL house that they had any discussions along these lines with the Jacks certainly has that distinct Demetriou smell about it.

[ShockOfHair]

I don't have a problem with anyone writing a story on a player not having done his paperwork properly or having possibly made a false declaration. If the player were Judd or Fev we'd be enjoying it. Well, I would be.

Not sure why Mrs Jack would post her explanation on a fan website rather than tell Roy or a friendly hack at the Tele. Hopefully she already has - if not, let's hope she, KJ and/or the club will do so today.

[Big Al]

So its not just Roy this story has come from and this now makes much more sense to me. Jack didnt know how the process worked, missed the paperwork, AFL (Demetriou) wanted son of ex RL great for PR, lets get him onboard but lets also cover our tracks (Demetriou) a bit with some post dated paperwork. Its not a huge issue, but the pretend investigation, cover up and now denial by AFL house that they had any discussions along these lines with the Jacks certainly has that distinct Demetriou smell about it.

+1

Exactly how I see what happened as well.

[Nico]

So we all believe that the post on the other site is the "real Mrs Jack".

[Scottee]

What a cowardly attack for what would be a victimless crime ... if there was a crime ... which there wasn't.

OMG his paperwork nearly seven years ago could have been dodgy!! Get a life! Its such ancient history, in a years time the statute of limitations kicks in!

Masters should do something more productive for the community like analyse his naval lint! What a P#$%^k!

[Damien]

Masters should do something more productive for the community like analyse his naval lint! What a P#$%^k!

Funny thing is that Masters is married to a former member of the AFL Tribunal and lives in Melbourne most of the time, he cops it from some hardcore league fans for being seen at particular AFL matches!

I like League journalists though, they are a source of continued free publicity for the code of Australian Rules. The AFL must just love the column space dedicated to it by League journalists, I would even argue that GWS is a household acronym in NSW thanks to solely to Rugby League people and not the millions spent by AFL house. I can't even think of a time where the three well known AFL chief AFL journos (Caro, Mike and Patrick Smith) even wrote about Rugby League that wasn't in context to an AFL story.

[707]

What a beat up, just laughable.

Every other club had a chance to raft KJ but didn't, so they can't have any gripes.

Just typical of the cheap press really.

I'm looking forward to a B&F type year form KJ in 2012 and a little further ahead looking forward to young brother coming on board.

[Jewels]

What a cowardly attack for what would be a victimless crime ... if there was a crime ... which there wasn't.

OMG his paperwork nearly seven years ago could have been dodgy!! Get a life! Its such ancient history, in a years time the statute of limitations kicks in!

Masters should do something more productive for the community like analyse his naval lint! What a P#$%^k!

Pretty much how I see it also, who particularly cares? If it were an Ed Barlow or one of the many, many other unsuccessful rookies that have passed through our doors paperwork, no-one would have given it a second thought.

[Big Al]

People are missing the point here. It has nothing to do with the draft itself. It has everything to do with a false declaration on a legal document and when your talking about a high profile player, it is newsworthy. You can slander the messenger until the cows come home but it doesn't come close to explaining the public comments from different sources which contradict what was in the Stat Dec.

I think SPC is absolutely spot on with what occurred here. It's the only thing that logically explained what occurred.

[liz]

People are missing the point here. It has nothing to do with the draft itself. It has everything to do with a false declaration on a legal document and when your talking about a high profile player, it is newsworthy. You can slander the messenger until the cows come home but it doesn't come close to explaining the public comments from different sources which contradict what was in the Stat Dec.

I think SPC is absolutely spot on with what occurred here. It's the only thing that logically explained what occurred.

It is a plausible explanation, but not the only one. An alternative scenario might be that the Swans tell Kieran he is not listed on the draftee list. He thinks "yikes, was I meant to nominate?", goes home and talks to mum who reminds him that yes, there was paperwork, and that she filled it out and dispatched it to the AFL. So he duly signs the stat dec.

Subsequently, having had numerous interviews with the media where the story of "rugby league kid turned to the AFL" is the repeated focus of interest, stories start to get embellished, memories fade, and a mixed up version of events becomes a real memory to Kieran and Garry Jack. It makes for a better story than "papers got lost in the post" and adds to the legend of how he was snatched away from RL.

I realise this is pure speculation about an alternative series of events, but it is just as plausible as other explanations, particularly if the BF post by his mum is genuine.

There are lots of things about the story that don't really add up. Like why Jack - who actually started playing Aussie Rules at age 11 or so and had gone all the way through the underage RAMS system, culminating in him captaining the RAMS at the U18 championships, and who would have attended draft camp or a state screening - wouldn't have been told he had to complete paperwork.

Why would Garry Jack be complaining that the AFL ignored a pleading email from him to let Kieren into the draft, given that Kieran was indeed allowed into the draft. That aspect of the story certainly doesn't make any sense.

I also find it bizarre that any one who had knowingly signed a false stat declaration would provide a different story to the media, which could expose them.

The angle that Tim Lane is trying to push - that it was all part of a conspiracy to keep Jack away from other clubs - is preposterous. If that was the case, why did the Swans wait until the very end of the rookie draft to finally pick him? He was a marginal AFL standard player at age 18. Roos has spoken about how they pondered drafting him long and hard, and how his second year on the rookie list was also a line ball decision.

Having said all that, the angst against Masters seems grossly misplaced. Whatever the truth of the situation, it seems likely that he was told a version of the story consistent with that published by Todd Balym (sp?) and that his version is neither malicious nor based on mis-interpretation.

[Swanner]

Does anyone have Tim Lane's email address?

I think we should give Tim a blast about this. Trying to pull down the swans and KJ and embroil us in controversy for a cheap headline. he is an average commentator who i have found has little insight into AFL - so he makes up for it by trying to drag people down.

[Primmy]

Should be noted that other newsworthies haven't taken up the batton and run with it. Looks like noone else is interested.

[giant]

A mammoth off-season drama on a par with what type of stuffing they'll be serving at Brendan Fevola's Christmas lunch.