Unsubstantiated, unfounded and unfair. These are just a few words that come to mind over the scandal involving the sharing of game-sensitive information between the Talia brothers.
It is clear to see that the Western Bulldogs as a club, from executives to supporters, are yet to get over the storm in a teacup that detracted from arguably 2015’s game of the year.
For those who deleted the over-cooked two month farce from their minds, the essence of it was as follows. Michael and Daniel Talia conversed in the lead up to the game, talking about the game in general terms as they did regularly.
Following Adelaide’s exhilarating win, Adelaide defender Kyle Cheney accidentally started a rumour that was meant to be taken as jest over a breakfast with Hawthorn defender Ben Stratton, an ex-teammate of Cheney’s.
The rumour then made its way from Hawthorn players to their former assistant coach and then Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge. On the 22nd of September, ten days after the shattering loss, the club went public with a statement declaring that they had referred the matter to the AFL’s Integrity Unit.
The conduct of the Western Bulldogs’ bosses could be considered embarrassing. It was reported that, the then 22-year-old Michael Talia walked into his 2015 exit interview only to be met, without warning, by chairman Peter Gordon and chief executive David Stevenson with what were essentially allegations of cheating.
When the original statement was released, the Bulldogs noted that they did not believe that the allegations “had a material bearing on the game or the result.” Yet the Bulldogs continued to defy general consensus that the two young men had not actively attempted to influence the outcome of the game when the findings of the AFL were released.
The Bulldogs said of the findings, which cleared the Talia brothers of sharing tactical information, to be “troubled by certain aspects of the AFL investigation.”
Due to the aggressive nature in which they pursued the investigation, Michael Talia was forced to be traded to Sydney and the Talia family publicly ended an 80-year relationship with the club that saw three generations play for Dogs.
It all adds to a building rivalry between the clubs which is largely due to Adelaide’s domination of the Bulldogs in significant finals, namely the 1997 and 1998 preliminary finals as well as last year’s epic.
Yet the persistent booing of Daniel Talia last night was trivially illogical. It was supposedly Michael Talia who shared information, and Kyle Cheney who started the rumour. The only purpose it served was to resurface a vendetta that did far more damage than good.
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