Bombers set to miss 2013 finals. (The Age, Caroline Wilson, 23/8)

[Concussion]

It just goes to show how crap our administration is....couldn't negotiate their way out of a paper bag

Paper Bags are hard to get out of, when they are under the table.

 

[Concussion]

Methinks she might be in for a long stint in the spare room.

Fixed

 

[docks]

Doesn't matter if they keep draft picks, no one will want to go there.

I wonder how Goddard feels, he went there for a premiership.

 

[docks]

Keep points,lose draft picks.
Keep draft picks,lose points.

AFL cant have it both ways.

Oh yes they can.

 

[Axcellence]

I wonder how Goddard feels, he went there for a premiership.

He's just another bombers face, faceless bomber, or a bomber without a face... Really.

 

[docks]

Yeah this gets sticky, doesn't it?

Freo lost to Essendon by half a kick - they would be looking at a top 2 finish had they won that game...

They might still get the points, one theory has the points awarded to the teams they beat, that was an idea floated early on in this whole sorry mess.

 

[Gumblestar]

If the AFL wants to be soft on them and not take any picks, maybe a compromise would be the following ... (a) EFC are moved to the end of every round in the draft; and (b) with their draft nominations, players can choose an option whereby Essendon is not allowed to draft them.

LOL

 

[AstroboyUK]

Looking at draft picks only.
If the AFL don't hit them for at least two years of 1st and 2nd round draft picks (should be 3 years) then Adelaide has been unfairly treated with their penalties. It would be ridiculous that both Adelaide and Essendon cease their draft penalties at the same time.
Essendon could've taken this route earlier, instead they chose to drag the game down, they shouldn't be able to negotiate now. They've had their chance. Hope players walk out and clubs pick the eyes out of their list.

As long as they lose points this year, and hird is banned - I'd be ok with draft picks being left on the table for now. Why? Not because I dont think they deserve it, but because it is as certain as night follows day that the draft picks and half the team will be gone by the end of the WADA action. The lighter the punnishment now (within reason) the more they are going to be completely rheemed 4-5 months from now. If they were a smarter club they would have front loaded as much of the penalty right now and given reason for ASADA and WADA to ease of in the next set of sanctions (ie when they are found guilty of drug cheating, as opposed to recklessly endgangering their player's health which is the current charge.)

The AFL have so many cards and can play this so many different ways its not funny. Right now, theyre going to win by having Essendon out of hte finals. If that little deal means no draft picks now, well, dont you worry. They'll just play that card on the next trick. Essendon are utterly utterly screwed...let the AFL do them slowly if they like.

 

[Gumblestar]

Of course you are. Your season would have ended a week later anyway. So a 1 week ban is all you think you should cop for poor governance.

The clubs reputation has been destroyed and much of the admin has been gutted. Even the simplest man would surely realise it would not be a '1 week ban'?

 

[Gumblestar]

For those who are saying taking their 2013 points means nothing - get real.

It will gut the players to the point of walking out. They worked their butts off, all those emotional wins... and all of it will be for nothing. It just may well put them over the edge. They do not deserve to be playing finals, for those of you who are saying "they'll lose anyway", then what happens when they pull something out of their arse and beat your team in an elimination final? Winning against them is NO guarantee, especially if allowing them to play lifts their confidence. The AFL can't take that risk, it would make finals a complete farce.

Some seem to think that taking their points this year, and next, are mutually exclusive. It's not. Take both of them away, as well as draft sanctions. You might as well strip their 2012 points too out of principle. That's three wooden spoons already, well deserved ones.

I'd prefer these artificial wooden spoons to the pathetic 05-07 period of the Carlton Blues, champ.

 

[manboob]

They might still get the points, one theory has the points awarded to the teams they beat, that was an idea floated early on in this whole sorry mess.

no ****ing way will that happen

 

[sherb]

I'd prefer these artificial wooden spoons to the pathetic 05-07 period of the Carlton Blues, champ.

You'd better hope Essendon doesn't have its own equivalent period coming up.

 

[Gumblestar]

Ive asked this question before,

Essendon are being done for poor governance committed by their off field staff. So should the penalty only apply "to" the off field staff. By taking their points away that is penalizing the players. If they are found to have committed no doping offences that is massively unfair on them. Suspend the board, allow the team to keep their points, then when ASADA finish their investigation, and if infraction notices are issued, rub the players out and take away any awards won(unlikely to be any) retrospectiely

I commend you on looking at the established facts and coming to what should have been the logical conclusion to this sorry saga.

 

[kiwicrow]

Looks like finally the game is up, Essendon seeing no light at the end of the tunnel and trying to scramble a deal with the AFL. All the chest thumping, fist pumping, litigious BS has been exposed as a house of cards stacked on secrecy and spin.

I fully expect Little to throw James under the bus as early as Monday, you don't get to where Little is having an inflated sense of loyalty...

 

[Bazza37]

Draft picks and fines hurt the entire football club including the supporters but Hirdy couldn't care less about them.
What Golden Boy really cares about is coaching Essendon in this years finals.
Take that away from him and he will be extremely pi$$ed off.

 

[mickeyjuice]

Absolutely well said. Goddard is a flog who left a sinking ship for his own personal gain. The karma bus is running him over.

I don't get this - players leave teams all the time. It's only going to increase once FA gets rolling.

I also don't get the "poor Goddard" stuff. He left, the new job didn't work out all that well. First bloke that's ever happened to, right?

I don't understand how a club can "negotiate" its penalties.

I didn't think the AFL could get anymore unprofessional.

Essendon need to be severely punished, and the AFL needs to get its act together.

Hello, the real world is over there to the right. The AFL is trying to get a penalty that both hurts Essendon and doesn't see them running off to court, thereby making a mess of the competition and costing millions of dollars that can be better spent elsewhere. How hard is that to understand?

What is stopping all the clubs booting Essendon out of the comp if it comes to that?

Only the Commission can do that, right? That's the point of the Commission, to stop the clubs doing weird, self-interested stuff.

 

[Bazza37]

Isn't it ironic that Carlton are most likely to replace Essendon in the Finals.
I wonder if Carlton will also replace Essendon in next year's ANZAC Day match.

 

[pjhad1]

I commend you on looking at the established facts and coming to what should have been the logical conclusion to this sorry saga.

It's senseless logic. It's equivalent to saying Adelaide should not have lost draft picks because only Tippett and a few officials cheated, so the other players shouldn't be punished. I commend you for being as narrow viewed, illogical and eager to jump on any theory that suits you as the rest of the Essendon folk around here...

 

[wolfpup]

I wonder how Goddard feels, he went there for a premiership.

i guess a lesson for future free agents. make sure you have a 'get out of dodge' clause or something in your contract. although a doubt that an essendon type situation would ever happen again.

probably no premiership for him but 5 years at 800K for meandering around the field might be ok, unless he can break his contract and go to Freo or Richmond or something

 

[mickeyjuice]

i guess a lesson for future free agents. make sure you have a 'get out of dodge' clause or something in your contract.

Most AFL contracts are substantially the same.

probably no premiership for him but 5 years at 800K for meandering around the field might be ok, unless he can break his contract and go to Freo or Richmond or something

Why would either of those teams want him? He went for money (and to go to a better team as a bit of a bonus) and he'll get his money. There are worse things that can happen to you.

 

[Magruder]

Most AFL contracts are substantially the same.



Why would either of those teams want him? He went for money (and to go to a better team as a bit of a bonus) and he'll get his money. There are worse things that can happen to you.

This. I wonder how much sympathy I'd get if my new job wasn't a lot of fun, but I got paid 10 times the average wage?

 

[Gank Dog]

For what it's worth, there are plenty of good Essendon people hurting like hell right now. I hate the Dons more than most, but spare a thought for these guys.

As for the EFC grog squad and other like minded Dons supporters, I HOPE IT HURTS. You are the reason the public hates your club.

Everyone is taught to hate Collingwood and Carlton. They learn to hate Essendon all on their own

 

[raman]

I don't understand how a club can "negotiate" its penalties.

A player gets a week less by entering in an early guilty plea to the MRP. A murderer pleads guilty to avoid prosecutors pursuing the death penalty. I apologise to my girlfriend even though she was in the wrong, just to get the argument the **** over with.

Negotiated penalties happen everywhere, every day. They happen because it's almost always in the interests of both parties to avoid drama and move on.

I didn't think the AFL could get anymore unprofessional.

That may be true but I don't think this is an example of it. I would suggest that the ability to compromise is a hallmark of professionalism.

Essendon need to be severely punished, and the AFL needs to get its act together.

It cannot be reiterated enough that Essendon and the AFL are only banging out a compromise over EFC's violation of the Disrepute clause. The ASADA spanking is still to come.

 

[Tigerland]

Although the AFL is said to be negotiating penalties, my bet is that the AFL would be starting large and as Essendon
refuse and bargain down, another piece of information is highlighted to them.
The AFL wouldn't go into negotiations like this without plenty of aces up it's sleeve.

Things like : We believe drug infractions are likely once ASADA completes it's report, we want to help you because it's in our interests, and god do you need help.

 

[le dominateur]

Not anymore, they just got word the Bombers have withdrawn from negotiations and are taking the AFL to court, where the Bombers will run rings around them and come out without a penalty.

Great news, appropiate penalties are just around the corner, not soft ones because the CEO follows a certain club.