Western Bulldogs savage AFL over alleged Talia leak

UPDATE: The AFL has responded with a statement following secret Western Bulldogs documents detailing explosive undisclosed claims about the leaking of inside information.

Western Bulldogs players before the second elimination final. Picture: Alex Coppel.

• Talia investigation made the Dogs lose faith in the AFL
• Search for truth turned up more questions than answers
• Kyle Cheney’s ‘joking’ defence deemed “implausible”by Dogs

EXCLUSIVE: SECRET Western Bulldogs documents detail explosive undisclosed claims about the leaking of inside information to the Adelaide Crows before last year’s elimination final.

The Herald Sun can reveal Bulldogs chiefs informed the AFL they had obtained “independent corroboration” of allegations that disaffected Dogs defender Michael Talia leaked parts of the team’s game plan to his brother, star Adelaide backman Daniel Talia, in the days before the match.

Disappointed Bulldogs players after 2015’s Elimination Final loss to Adelaide Michael Klein.

The Talias, who have always maintained their innocence, were cleared by the AFL last November after a 63-day integrity unit investigation.

But a letter and submission from the Bulldogs to the AFL, obtained by the Herald Sun, expose the Dogs’ fury at the league’s handling of the probe and its exoneration of the brothers.

“There is a clearly sufficient basis for the AFL to find that there was an improper communication of confidential information,” Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon asserted in the club’s damning submission to the league.

The documents reveal witness testimony that Michael Talia was “angry and resentful that he had been excluded from the WBFC team for the final” before talking to his brother.

Former Western Bulldogs player Michael Talia. Photo: Adam Trafford/AFL Media

And the Dogs were scathing of the AFL for accepting the explanations of players at the centre of the scandal rather than the views of coach Luke Beveridge and list manager Jason McCartney. Beveridge was prepared to go “on oath” about conversations with Crows defender Kyle Cheney.

The morning after the final, ­Cheney told his Hawthorn mate, Ben Stratton, and later Beveridge that ­Michael Talia had leaked game tactics to the Crows.

But 12 days later, in a change of story accepted by AFL investigators, Cheney claimed he was only “joking”, despite Beveridge’s view the original claims were real. The assertion of a “joke” was critical to the ultimate finding that there was no cheating.

Documents reveal the Dogs dismissed the “practical joke” explan­ation outright, as an “invention”.

The AFL should be concerned that Cheney had been “participating in a cover-up”, the Bulldogs said, adding: “His behaviour is disgraceful and ­inappropriate.”

Adelaide Crows player Kyle Cheney. Picture: Mark Brake

Documents reveal the Dogs said they had “obtained a degree of independent corroboration” of the Talia allegations from a conversation between McCartney and the father of Crows defender Jake Lever, four days after the Bulldogs’ seven-point loss in the September 12 knockout final. Al Lever later accused McCartney of “ fabricating the story”.

Damning allegations that the Crows were made aware of an “unusual role” to be played by Dogs forward Tory Dickson in the MCG match, as well as of plans for Bulldogs star Jake Stringer, were also detailed.

Adelaide celebrate their win with fans. Picture: Alex Coppel.

And the Herald Sun can reveal Bulldogs assistant coach Steven King and Adelaide backline coach Darren Milburn were alleged to have deleted text messages relating to the Talia allegations.

This occurred after the AFL was asked to investigate, but before they were asked for the messages. No AFL findings were made against the coaches.

Talia investigation timeline

In further claims within the Dogs documents, not disclosed by the AFL in its publicly released summary of findings into the Talia matter:

CHENEY admitted telling Stratton that Daniel Talia had given Adelaide “a heads-up about the Bulldogs game plan and knew a couple of things about the Bulldogs game plan” and the information had come from Michael Talia;

AN AFL investigator told Dogs chiefs he “thought nothing of it” after Michael Talia claimed to have lost his phone and Daniel deleted his texts — actions the Dogs described as “matters for deep concern and suspicion” and potential civil or criminal acts; and

THE Bulldogs were denied access to witness statements from key Adelaide figures.

In the October 14 letter to the AFL, Gordon said the club had lost faith in the league integrity unit’s ability to carry out the Talia investigation.

In a November 12 submission, he wrote: “WBFC does not accept the truthfulness of the Talias’ explanation for the loss of their phone records as they have alleged.

That both brothers would lose access to this evidence in all the circumstances described simply does not pass the smell test.”

The Dogs asserted that Cheney told Stratton and Beveridge that Michael Talia had leaked the information because he was “over the Bulldogs and wanted out”.

“This anger provided a motive for his improper disclosure,” Gordon said.

The AFL’s summary of findings concluded Cheney was “in shock on both occasions that he spoke to … Bev­eridge and was too embarrassed to explain what had occurred”.

After the November ruling, the Dogs said they were “troubled by certain aspects” of the investigation.

Michael Talia, traded to Sydney last October, admitted cocaine possession in August.

Gordon said this morning the club had accepted the decision of the AFL and moved on.

“We have a great deal of faith in the AFL, and these things always test the processes, and we believe the competition’s in good hands, and everyone did the best they could, ultimately,” Gordon told SEN.

“The Western Bulldogs can’t go and interview, and compel answers, from a coach or player from another club, but the AFL can, and it did, and it had access to all sorts of information that we didn’t have.

“Our position is, it was perfectly proper, and the AFL accepted this, for us to detail the complaints in the way that we did, and we accept it was perfectly proper for the AFL to then go and investigate it, and there were some bumps in the road of that investigation, but they’ve ultimately made a decision which we accept.

“We’ve accepted the decision and we’ve moved on.”

In a statement this morning the club also said it accepted the AFL decision.

“The AFL investigated this matter 12 months ago, and the Western Bulldogs have accepted and abided by the outcomes of that investigation, and have moved on,” the statement said.

“The Western Bulldogs also believe the other parties who have been considered to have been exonerated by the investigation are entitled to the benefit of that finding.

“The Western Bulldogs reported our concerns and the evidence we had or had heard about and it was the AFL’s job to then investigate those matters and hear all sides to the story and make a decision.

“The AFL, unlike the Club, had the opportunity to compel answers from non-WBFC people and to examine evidence from them.

“The AFL made a decision based on all the evidence it considered relevant. We referred the matter and made submissions based only on the information available to us.”

The AFL released the following statement on Monday.

“In this matter, the AFL received numerous submissions and conducted a broad range of interviews.

“The documents made public today are only one side of the story, and their publication is unfair to all parties involved.

“The AFL reiterates that the Western Bulldogs acted appropriately in reporting the matter.

“Furthermore, robust submissions and exchange of views are important parts of the process and the proper functioning of the competition’s integrity.”