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Former Melbourne captain Brad Green says the AFL’s integrity should be called into question if they decide to trial rule changes during the latter stages of this season.
Green took to twitter to voice his displeasure, saying the AFL, under Gillon Mclachlan, would be hypocritical to implement the rule changes after they investigated the Demons for alleged tanking in 2009, where then coach Dean Bailey was suspended from serving any position within the club at the end of 2013.
If the AFL do decide to trial new rule changes this season, Green believes his former club should present the competition’s hierarchy with a please explain, as they’re seemingly bringing the game into disrepute in a similar way they deemed Melbourne to have done so.
“You’re looking at something that could certainly have an impact on a lot of things towards the end of the season,” he told SEN's Time On.
“They might as well stop the draft order with three rounds to go, they may as well stop the Brownlow Medal.
“They’re talking up Patrick Cripps winning the Brownlow, but how does that affect Carlton if they’re playing in one of these trial games?
“Even the players themselves, how are they going to play in the game knowing they aren’t playing for anything? They’re playing as guinea pigs to go out there and see whether they can bring these rules in.
“I don’t even think the players will take it seriously, are people going to turn up to a game and watch a trial?
“It has massive implications on everything on what we call the greatest game on earth.
If the AFL decide to trial In-Season, Dean Bailey would be turning in his grave. Supposedly Tanked, trialled players/ positions and brought the game into disrepute. They can’t be serious?
— Brad Green (@bradgreen18) July 25, 2018
“While I was thinking about this, Dean Bailey was certainly crucified through that period of the Melbourne era.
“Why have an investigation, why question what supposedly Dean and the Melbourne Football Club did?
“The Melbourne Football Club should send the AFL a please explain if it did happen. Why shouldn’t they?"
The former Demons midfielder believes Bailey was unfairly singled out during the investigation.
“I wasn’t asked to have an input on what was going on, the facts were I thought Dean Bailey just got hung out to dry," Green added
“He was coaching a team that was certainly struggling, and no doubt people and teams used to put people out for surgery to get ready for preseason, teams used to trial players in different positions, teams were trialling different game plans if they couldn’t make the finals.
“It happened all the time. To come out and put that on the Melbourne Football Club and Dean Bailey I think was farfetched.”
Listen to Brad Green's chat on SEN's Time On with Sam McClure in the player below