Penalty harsh on Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly, says David Parkin AFLCA president David Parkin says the penalties handed out to Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly are harsh. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis. THE AFL Coaches' Association has expressed its disappointment in the 16-match ban on former Melbourne coach Dean Bailey for his involvement in the Demons' tanking scandal. Now an assistant coach at Adelaide, Bailey can continue working for the Crows during his ban, but is not permitted to have any matchday role or work with the players. AFLCA president David Parkin said last night he felt sorry for Bailey and former Melbourne football manager Chris Connolly, who has been banned for working with the Demons until next February. "I personally thought the penalty was pretty harsh and really tough on Dean," Parkin said. They (AFL) set up a competition where it encourages people to do exactly what they are criticising them for doing. I have been tempted and gone down that road, too. I am sad for the blokes. I don't know Dean well, but they tell me he is a terrific bloke and he has been on the end of a sacking and now he is on the end of a 16-match ban. Parkin, who coached at Hawthorn, Carlton and Fitzroy, said he had mentored Connolly when he went into coaching at Fremantle. He is a really good man and a really good football person and a real footy head who loves the game, Parkin said. I have rung him and texted him and I've had no response, so I guess he'd be a pretty shattered man. The coaches' association said it was happy the Crows were backing Bailey. "The AFLCA is disappointed with the sanction handed down to Dean Bailey today, for the impact it will have on Dean and the Adelaide Crows Football Club," operations manager Paul Armstrong said last night. Dean is a highly regarded coach and a respected member of the AFLCA and this will continue.