Lost in translation

The whole kafuffle over the AFL televising rights might be a little confusing to some so I thought I'd offer some clarification by translating some of Eddie McGuire's comments into English.

Let's not forget that this game of AFL football is still in a precarious economic condition

We won't be able to afford to have 11 clubs based in Melbourne unless the AFL royally screws its televising partner.

The competitive balance fund still keeps three clubs alive in Melbourne

Collingwood needs to have someone to beat.

Let there be no mistake, yesterday's announcement by channels Seven and Ten to join forces was a bold bid for the television rights and it is obviously also a deliberate effort to knock Channel Nine out cold, out of the auction for the next round of television rights

Let there be no mistake, we don't like our own dirty tricks being used against us.

This is also a major push to get the rights at bargain-basement prices, which will happen if Channel Nine is out of the game and out of the auction.

We abhore a free market unless we're the ones getting the bargain-basement prices..

The AFL has to do what is right for the short- and long-term survival of the 16 clubs in the competition, for the good of the players, so that young athletes want to play AFL football and most importantly, for the good of the supporters and the members.

The AFL should continue to throw good money after bad.

We are not done at Nine. Not by a long shot. We have a bloke called Kerry Packer who has forgotten more about this caper than the blokes we are up against will ever know. For the sake of footy, Kerry Packer, big Kerry, had better come up with something, because I tell you what, we are headed straight back to the old days if the money is not there, if there is no auction.

My job is on the line unless Big Kerry is willing to fork over at least half-a-billion.

It is not who throws the first punch in a fight, it is who throws the last.

I'm screwed.

There will be lucky to be eight clubs left in the competition if the competitive balance fund goes

We prefer to prop up eight financially unviable clubs at the cost of millions of dollars per season so as not to upset the few remaining supporters.

I hope that helps.