On the Brownlow issue the AFL did what it had to do. Although a heartbroken Jobe Watson could not bring himself to insist the 2012 medal belonged to the original runners-up and although some commissioners seemed confused by the choice that faced them on Tuesday; the decision was clear cut.

That was the view of AFL chief Gillon McLachlan and chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, not to mention the game's rules. The solemn faces of the two men reflected the magnitude of Watson's horrific punishment in light of what his club shamefully inflicted upon him but the fact remained that Watson was now an ineligible medallist and the second placegetters had earned it.

Earlier on Tuesday, the normally vocal Collingwood president Eddie McGuire again pleaded Triple M's version of the fifth amendment on his breakfast program regarding the Whitfield issue. In fact, McGuire has remained strangely silent on that story from the time it became public.

This is because it has placed McGuire's judgement under scrutiny, undermined his authority at his football club and he knows it. At a time his CEO Gary Pert is under pressure at the Holden Centre and the previously close bond between McGuire, Pert and Nathan Buckley has loosened, the clumsy Graeme Allan appointment has exposed him.

Even though Allan has now resigned from Collingwood after realising the club would no longer back him, genuine questions remain regarding McGuire's decision to appoint him as the Magpies' head of football despite denials issued to the now-departed incumbent Neil Balme and without consulting coach Nathan Buckley.

McGuire has continued to insist that he has watched the saga unfold from a distance but he remains involved in it up to his neck. The Allan decision, the subterfuge that led up to it and the trades that took place between the Magpies and the Giants during Allan's final months at GWS mean that this saga remains, despite McGuire's denials, very much a Collingwood story.

Whitfield and his family have clearly struggled under the weight of the humiliating and potentially career-threatening turn of events emanating from May 2015, but the fact remains he could be representing his club in a grand final next season. Even the potential loss of first and second round picks cannot significantly damage GWS - ironically that is largely thanks to Allan's work from previous trade periods.

But the inescapable impression is that Collingwood availed its former favourite son Allan of a lifeline after his position was questioned at GWS when that club issued both him and Craig Lambert with warnings.

Even so, just why McGuire deemed it necessary to deceive so many senior staff and issue Allan a generous long-term contract seems inexplicable. That is despite the fact that Allan told the club he had no case to answer. And despite the AFL's clunky and lengthy investigation and also taking into account its failure to give either Collingwood or Lambert's Brisbane the heads up regarding either's situation.

This is not to completely denigrate Allan or Lambert. What they achieved at GWS under extremely difficult circumstances in those tough early years will remain an integral part of the new club's foundation. The AFL made Allan a life member in 2014.

Both - despite their poor advice to Whitfield, Allan's lack of nous regarding the game's drug rules and their crazy decision to stick to their ridiculous story regarding the duping of Whitfield's former girlfriend - rightly claim long records in the game and have achieved great things at multiple clubs.

But their methods were old-fashioned and that is being generous. Collingwood, who were  insisting to the AFL as recently as a week ago that they would back their new football boss, was taken aback to say the least when Allan caved in and ceased his resistance to the one-year penalty last Friday. In fairness, he did the right thing by Whitfield.

Lambert's future remains more complex. He has struggled emotionally with the weight of the charges against him and anyone following his turbulent musings on social media in recent months would be well aware of how this threat to his livelihood and reputation has damaged him. His highly regarded wife Melissa remains contracted to the Lions in a welfare role.

Even though Lambert was brought back into the Brisbane fold to largely support his friend Justin Leppitsch, even though his style has raised eyebrows over 2016  and even though a very different football regime now rules, the Lions' board will take its time in determining his long-term fate.

Meanwhile, the Magpies will set out to appoint their fifth football boss in three years. And the position of the president who rebuilt the club is under more pressure than he has previously faced in almost two decades at the helm.