How long will the players go along with the Essendon hierachy

[the conch]

Robbo on 360 tonight indicated some of the thinking at the EFC is that ASADA are bluffing. If this is actually the thinking the EFC are playing a despicable game of chicken with someone else's (their own players) livelihoods.

Little's approach is like it's some business deal.
Caro believes the whole board and management will have togo. I agree

 

[the conch]

When the penny finally drops that the EFC are only trying to protect their own a$$ and not any of the players I suspect the united front will soon unravel into a free for all. Hirdy might not be the only one that ends up with a paid holiday, and then some.

The board are a disgrace too.

 

[QuietB]

The board are a disgrace too.

Who are the rest of the board?

 

[Watson_my_mind]

I would prefer the players take the 6 months starting in September so they miss little time. But who has to go for that to happen?

 

[KennyHunter9]

I see no capacity for independent thought amongst these players.

So I'd say they'll go along until someone with more authority tells them otherwise.

They are hird-like.

I am staggered by the near universal view that they have no responsibility as professional athletes for standing up against a regime of injections straight into the stomach from non-medical personnel.

I have a little sympathy for the 18 and 19 year olds. Beyond that, these players need to accept their own recklessness put them in this mess.

 

[the conch]

Who are the rest of the board?

People who ok the statagies and how and who gets paid, and who are ultimately responsible for the lack of governence. Listed on EFC wevsite. Simon Madden is only new one in recent times i think.
Little said new legal attack was unanimous from the board.
Caro said the board was not fully consulted.
What does Madden say?
Do Little and Hird treat the board like a bunch of Muppets? Wouldnt surprise me. Seems they might be right. If Caro is right ... Its time for the Muppets to not take it anymore. This disaster has and is happening on their watch. At least Evans had the decency to get out.

 

[van peebles]

See that's ****n bullshit the players told everything they could possibly know to Asada when they had their interviews,you then have Mcnuggets come on radio offering players to come forward so so their bans can get reduced imo that would of pissed of the players he's basicly calling them liars and they didn't tell the whole truth during their interviews.

I would prefer the players take the 6 months starting in September so they miss little time. But who has to go for that to happen?

I see no capacity for independent thought amongst these players.

So I'd say they'll go along until someone with more authority tells them otherwise.

They are hird-like.

I am staggered by the near universal view that they have no responsibility as professional athletes for standing up against a regime of injections straight into the stomach from non-medical personnel.

I have a little sympathy for the 18 and 19 year olds. Beyond that, these players need to accept their own recklessness put them in this mess.

Watson,on the weekend{believe this if you want}i spoke to somebody within the eye of the cyclone.
Their take was that a player such as Howlett,who is far away from close family,Is now without a contract{september}he and other players who may get dropped off list are just now finding out.
They have so far towed the line of the club,Its now "reasonable" that they will soon seek personal legal advice and their personal management will advise them to seek that advice.
After all the deadlines and it seems this SHOULD be over by october 2014 for the sake of the game.
The last bridge thats standing is those silly little boys screaming f..k you from the top of the tulla bunker.

 

[the conch]

I see no capacity for independent thought amongst these players.

So I'd say they'll go along until someone with more authority tells them otherwise.

They are hird-like.

I am staggered by the near universal view that they have no responsibility as professional athletes for standing up against a regime of injections straight into the stomach from non-medical personnel.

I have a little sympathy for the 18 and 19 year olds. Beyond that, these players need to accept their own recklessness put them in this mess.

Assuming they werent complicit.

 

[KennyHunter9]

Assuming they werent complicit.

Indeed, reckless is a generous assessment, I will admit.

 

[Big Sim]

I would prefer the players take the 6 months starting in September so they miss little time. But who has to go for that to happen?

Would have to think that Hird's head on a spike would come a long way to clinching the deal. Patrick Smith in today's Oz said that Hird was behind the club's move to go to court. Read into that what you will.

 

[Watson_my_mind]

Would have to think that Hird's head on a spike would come a long way to clinching the deal. Patrick Smith in today's Oz said that Hird was behind the club's move to go to court. Read into that what you will.

But how many players would Asada accept for Hird's head to be on a spike? Just one to come forward? Or would it need all of them to unanimously sink him?

 

[Big Sim]

But how many players would Asada accept for Hird's head to be on a spike? Just one to come forward? Or would it need all of them to unanimously sink him?

Good question. You would have to think that all the players would want the same deal, and if that was an off season ban with a fresh start and it all done and dusted by March next year they would go along with the coach carrying the can for what happened, as many think he should. Would also think Reid and Bomber would have to go, and the board. A clean start would involve a broom through the club sweeping away all involved with 2012.

Only outcome that I can see that would appease the AFL, ASADA and WADA. And maybe a fair few Essendon supporters would go along with it too. Would you? I'm not trying to be provocative, genuinely interested.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Good question. You would have to think that all the players would want the same deal, and if that was an off season ban with a fresh start and it all done and dusted by March next year they would go along with the coach carrying the can for what happened, as many think he should. Would also think Reid and Bomber would have to go, and the board. A clean start would involve a broom through the club sweeping away all involved with 2012.

Only outcome that I can see that would appease the AFL, ASADA and WADA. And maybe a fair few Essendon supporters would go along with it too. Would you? I'm not trying to be provocative, genuinely interested.

Won't be off-season ban, they are always 'in-competition'.

 

[Watson_my_mind]

Good question. You would have to think that all the players would want the same deal, and if that was an off season ban with a fresh start and it all done and dusted by March next year they would go along with the coach carrying the can for what happened, as many think he should. Would also think Reid and Bomber would have to go, and the board. A clean start would involve a broom through the club sweeping away all involved with 2012.

Only outcome that I can see that would appease the AFL, ASADA and WADA. And maybe a fair few Essendon supporters would go along with it too. Would you? I'm not trying to be provocative, genuinely interested.

I would only go along with it if the majority of players got the deal, and this may sound harsh, but as long as the key players to our 22 are amongst those. It depends what they can do in the 6 months off? Will Dyson Heppell and Jake Carlisle be able to train at Essendon during their bans? If they took off season bans would they lose fitness and drop performance due to being away from the club for 6 months? If they get banned from AFL during the season, are they allowed to play at another lower level to perhaps keep up match fitness? Whatever way you look at it, it is still a punishment, and if the players did drug cheat they deserve it.

 

[Big Sim]

I would only go along with it if the majority of players got the deal, and this may sound harsh, but as long as the key players to our 22 are amongst those. It depends what they can do in the 6 months off? Will Dyson Heppell and Jake Carlisle be able to train at Essendon during their bans? If they took off season bans would they lose fitness and drop performance due to being away from the club for 6 months? If they get banned from AFL during the season, are they allowed to play at another lower level to perhaps keep up match fitness? Whatever way you look at it, it is still a punishment, and if the players did drug cheat they deserve it.

I don't think they are allowed anything to do with the club or the league or to play during that time, but personal trainers/coaches and kickabouts with the rest of boys would not be able to be disallowed. So they could keep fit and then play round one. Game plan etc would have to be worked on during the season proper but you could see that disadvantage as a repercussion and accept it.

Just surmising.

 

[QuietB]

If that's the case then it should be the clubs coaching and admin staff that should cop bans not the players,all the players were doing was following club protocols like what every player in the league does.

Kind of like Chinese swimmers

 

[qman]

Another thing I heard on 360 tonight was Little's comments from the weekend that he hopes players "don't take the soft option" - how arrogant and inappropriate is that comment

About as arrogant and inappropriate as the man himself! I really don't like that guy. Hopefully he follows Hird out the door. That was a disgraceful comment re:soft.

 

[base615]

I would prefer the players take the 6 months starting in September so they miss little time. But who has to go for that to happen?

You what? You want the players to be serving their suspensions at a time when they wouldn't be playing football anyway? Fat chance of that happening.

 

[Pinnell]

I see no capacity for independent thought amongst these players.

So I'd say they'll go along until someone with more authority tells them otherwise.

They are hird-like.

I am staggered by the near universal view that they have no responsibility as professional athletes for standing up against a regime of injections straight into the stomach from non-medical personnel.

I have a little sympathy for the 18 and 19 year olds. Beyond that, these players need to accept their own recklessness put them in this mess.

Agree 100%. I too have some sympathy for the 18-19 year olds, but ZERO for the older "leaders" of the team. If Kyle Reimers thought it a strange practice, and he was supposed to be a sandwich short of picnic if you believe McVeigh, then the guys like the CAPTAIN, I repeat the CAPTAIN, whom is also in a place of power when it comes to these youngsters, should have been concerned by what was taking place. So guys like he an McVeigh I have absolutely NO sympathy for. They should have asked questions. And if they did, then they took these drugs, and make no mistake, they are DRUGS, to enhance their recovery and performance. Its one thing to swallow some protein powder or creatine, or take a multivitamin but its a whole different ball game to anyone to have something INJECTED into their body.

Jobes pathetic "am i getting the good thymosin or the bad one" is one of the worst lines I have heard in this. What a pathetic cop out. He cheated. And he dragged his younger team mates further into this. I guarantee it, that as the CAPTAIN , he discussed all of this with HIrd. They cheated. No sympathy.

 

[QuietB]

I would prefer the players take the 6 months starting in September so they miss little time. But who has to go for that to happen?

I still cannot believe that they just don't do it now. Your season is done - you are not winning a premiership this year. Just take the hit and get it over.

• Pay all the players a extraordinary bonus this week.
• Then handball the rest of this years problems (how to field a team, etc.) to the AFL
• Sack everyone involved - and that means everyone. Board, medical team, coaches. Everyone.
• Wait until the Tigers sack Hardwick - then appoint him like they should have the first time.
• Start again next year with a complete fresh start.

Then the entire competition can get on with things with little or no risk to TV deals or anything else.

Right now the entire competition including fans of the EFC are being held ransom to two people. Hird and Little. Get rid of them Essendon fans.

 

[Reppie]

I still cannot believe that they just don't do it now. Your season is done - you are not winning a premiership this year. Just take the hit and get it over.

• Pay all the players a extraordinary bonus this week.
• Then handball the rest of this years problems (how to field a team, etc.) to the AFL
• Sack everyone involved - and that means everyone. Board, medical team, coaches. Everyone.
• Wait until the Tigers sack Hardwick - then appoint him like they should have the first time.
• Start again next year with a complete fresh start.

Then the entire competition can get on with things with little or no risk to TV deals or anything else.

Right now the entire competition including fans of the EFC are being held ransom to two people. Hird and Little. Get rid of them Essendon fans.

Sending Hardwick there to coach. That's just too extreme.

 

[Dicky_Knee]

It seems pretty clear that ASADA are saying to the players, we've got you cold, but we do realise u may not have been fully up to date with what was happening, come clean and you will get a reduced sentence, as you are responsible for what goes into YOUR body you have to do some time, We know where it all started and who was driving, you can stand with them as is YOUR right, but do so at YOUR peril.

Surely they arent stupid, they have agents, parents and what not, talk some sense to these guys.

 

[Dudley Leopard]

Good post.

I would also add that their continued participation in the AFL is conditional of them permanently relocating to Hobart for the start of the 2015 season.

 

[Kwality]

Just to add - the only choice the players have is whether they want to stand themselves down and start serving whatever sentence they get. Don't know why anyone would though, especially when they look at Sandor Earl. Unless they won't be playing anyway (Watson, Gumbleton) or their club can afford to do without them and cross their fingers they will be ready to go next season (Crameri) - but in any case there's no need to jump until they know whether the injunction gets up and if so what its impact is.

Watson is the key to the scenario you outline & he has time on his side IMHO.

 

[TerryWallet]

It seems pretty clear that ASADA are saying to the players, we've got you cold, but we do realise u may not have been fully up to date with what was happening, come clean and you will get a reduced sentence, as you are responsible for what goes into YOUR body you have to do some time, We know where it all started and who was driving, you can stand with them as is YOUR right, but do so at YOUR peril.

Surely they arent stupid, they have agents, parents and what not, talk some sense to these guys.

Correct. That is exactly what McDevitt is saying to the players. And doesn't Paul Little hate it.

McDevitt has stated that not ALL the penalty can be served outside competition.

IMO, after listening closely to McDevitt, the players are looking at 18 months to 2 years if they go along with EFC's and Hird's continued deceit.

or

They can get a 6 to 12 month penalty, depending on their level of co-operation and truthfulness.

That 6 to 12 month option will include competition time, either this year if they stand down very very soon. Or next year, if they dither.

McDevitt made it clear that 6 months , all out of competition, won't pass the smell test.