Play Nice WADA v Essendon 34: Guilty, 2 Yr Susp. (backdated to Mar 2015). Affects 17 current AFL plyrs.

[Underarm]

I started the day so sure of my position on all of this, and yet so much has come out that I just can't comprehend it.

I can't wait for the players to explain why none reported getting Injections, or looked into the drugs they were taking - and if they didn't know why didn't they find out.

I want someone to call out the AFL, Essendon and the AFLPA who all said the players cooperated and did nothing wrong, when ASADA and the CAS hearing both clearly contradict this.

Also why Watson gets a chance to talk at the commission regarding his Brownlow is beyond me. Should be boxed up as we speak and priority mailed to AFL house as we speak.

 

[SBYM]

Bullshit, if it was North or St Kilda the AFL would be welcoming it's brand new Tasmanian team.

Brisbane is protected only because they want 2 Qld teams.

They'd have that 18th team in Tassie

I dunno...maybe in 20 years.

AFL has enough problems on its hands at moment with the QLD teams struggling. Do you really think they'd want to throw another start-up into the mix? In a state as sparsely populated as Tassie?

(I want a team in Tassie btw...should have been one of GC/GWS...)

 

[Selwoods_Slot]

Everything came up Richmond today.

1. Cotchy gets a Brownlow
2. Dusty sneaks under the radar
3. We play Essendon twice.

They only wanted to be a legend like Dusty

 

[carnthemlions]

Yep. The pecking order for the AFL is this

1. Big Victorian Clubs - AFL 'needs' the money, crowds and TV
2. NSW/QLD Clubs - AFL 'needs' to expand
3. Medium Victorian Clubs
4. WA/SA Clubs - Can be made examples of to look tough because they're capable of copping it and absorbing any punishments
5. Small Victorian Clubs - Kept alive because they want 18 teams

You may want to consider putting Brisbane closer to the bottom of that ladder.

 

[shintemaster]

You can have some sympathy for the AFL on this. They got wind of what was happening, they warned Essendon off it, Hird did it anyway. So the AFL were left to eat the shit sandwich Essendon handed them.

Could the AFL have done more? Players not speaking. Off site injections. What could the AFL have done differently?

Ideally stay out of it or catch them in the act. Assuming they had already warned them though...

Send in the testers 3 days after warning them.

 

[Barry Zuckercorn]

Does the tail wag the Dog with the AFL ?
Fancy friggin inviting Jobe Watson into the commission to chat about his brownlow .

Grow a ******* set of balls Gill and strip him of the award FFS , stop trying to be ******* friends with everyone.

The reality is that both aussie rules and the AFL are a backwater sport and league respectively when you look at it on a global scale.
As terribly as the AFL have performed through all this, what do people expect from such an insignificant sport/league?

 

[Mahlepi]

Does the tail wag the Dog with the AFL ?
Fancy friggin inviting Jobe Watson into the commission to chat about his brownlow .

Grow a ******* set of balls Gill and strip him of the award FFS , stop trying to be ******* friends with everyone.

But timmy said that there was a thinking that jab is innocent
And timmy is honest

 

[Inferno]

Settle down mate, was just pointing out that WADA and CAS bothered to actually type it into their report.

Righto play dumb then. It's pretty obvious what you were trying to imply.

 

[jacqui9]

AFL pretty much had to bend over and take what was coming from CAS, and its pretty clear now that today's result was inevitable given what the CAS transcripts reveal. The AFL and the EFC must have known this and all they could do was drum up a bullshit narrative about discounting and backdating the penalty into nothingness, hoping it would make the actual penalty look unreasonably harsh.

But now it is back in their control and what happens? No more penalties, a year of AFL sponsored tanking landing the top picks, hand outs, salary cap concessions, the green light to pillage players from lower league clubs, and a big tough t***ies to those who can see it for what it is.

Back to unaccountable business as usual at AFL house.

I seriously cannot like this post enough. Incredibly disgusted with the AFL tonight.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Also why Watson gets a chance to talk at the commission regarding his Brownlow is beyond me. Should be boxed up as we speak and priority mailed to AFL house as we speak.

I disagree. I think tomorrow morning will be fine.

 

[Grave Danger]

Normally when a plane crashes, five things go wrong.
What were the 5 biggest things that brought the Bombers down?

Any nominations?

Dunno - they haven't been able to find the black box yet.

 

[good4footy]

I think this in itself should put paid to any doubt regards the Brownlow-

The CAS panel labelled “wholly unconvincing” claims from captain Jobe Watson that he was doubtful of the disastrous injection regimen, pointing out he continued being jabbed until late in the season.

“Mr Watson’s explanation as to why, if he had lost faith in the program, he did not simply say that he did not intend to receive further injections, was that it was easier to just say ‘yeah OK’, was not wholly convincing ...” it said.

 

[KM00]

Geez, not only has the club been punished (yes, I understand it was for poor governance) but it has lost its coach, chairman, some of its best players such as Ryder and Carlisle, Goodwin, Basset and now 12 players for a year, it's reputation and on - field competitiveness shredded ......can't we accept that as punishment enough?

Hird, Dank and Co are out of football, players now know their responsibilities (or if they don't they are truly dim).....mission accomplished I reckon.

you know what - if the club had come out today and said

"well - we did do the wrong thing, and we have to cop our punishment. We have been kicked out of the finals, fined, lost draft picks and our players suspended ... and that is due completely and totally to our own actions. As a club we must review what happened fully, we must hold those in authority at the time of this responsible for the way they led our club into this darkest time. We must sweep everything clean and accept responsibility for our actions before we can start fresh. We apologise to our players, and to the football going public for everything we have done, and we accept that we deserved the punishments that have been given."

then I would probably say the punishments are enough.

But for the club (and the AFL) to come out and persist with the whole 'the punishments are unfair' 'unjust' 'Hirdy is an Icon of our club' 'these are fine young men' 'the players shouldnt be punished' ... there is no responsibility.

Essendon have perpetrated the largest doping scheme ever in Australian sport. And they seem to think they have been hard done by.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

You may want to consider putting Brisbane closer to the bottom of that ladder.

Brisbane aren't going anywhere, doesn't mean the AFL will give them much help but they will stop them from dying if they need to.

But if the AFL could get Footscray, North or St Kilda on the chopping block they would, especially North.

 

[Percel]

One positive note, at least it's all over with. The competition can start again without all this ruckus in the background..

Essendon finally starts afresh..

they need Kylo Ren

 

[Big Sim is Back]

Final penalty is actually a year playing while suspended and a year off on full pay.

Not so much as a slap with a lettuce leaf as a slap with a wad of hundred dollar bills.

Now, who will pick up the players CAS costs, because no way they will.

Not exactly Scot Free but certainly financial penalty or loss of any kind free.

Could be worse. Ask Saad.

 

[SBYM]

If any of youse interwebz genius's can upload either 360 or Classifieds or both I would luv that.

Ta.

 

[Freya]

The reality is that both aussie rules and the AFL are a backwater sport and league respectively when you look at it on a global scale.
As terribly as the AFL have performed through all this, what do people expect from such an insignificant sport/league?

Interesting. The AFL have been overreaching for years, trying to be everything to everybody, getting involved in issues and making big statements. They have become bigger than the 18 clubs when their job is just to regulate those clubs. This great decision is a wake up call for the AFL. It may be a backwater sport and league but it's now part of the world doping landscape and the days of AFL cover ups are over, certainly at least where doping is concerned.

 

[Captain Morgan]

They were punished for 'poor governance'.

The AFL made that painstakingly clear.

The club should absolutely be sanctioned for running a doping regime.

Yeah they kinda made a rod for their own back there didn't they by not wanting to link governance to illegal drugs in their statement at the time hey...

 

[jaydog]

I watched that efc suckfest with kochie tonight and I think I may have dreamed it but is sir james of hird selling tickets to his tell all interview at $33.00 a pop??? I cant put a WTF big enough on here.. does tania really need more surgery??

 

[The_Wookie]

Some good analysis

 

[motr]

Final penalty is actually a year playing while suspended and a year off on full pay.

Not so much as a slap with a lettuce leaf as a slap with a wad of hundred dollar bills.

Now, who will pick up the players CAS costs, because no way they will.

Not exactly Scot Free but certainly financial penalty or loss of any kind free.

Could be worse. Ask Saad.

My understanding is that Keeffe and Thomas were fined $50,000 by the AFL and the club withheld some of their income. Why won't the Essendon players be hit with similar fines when they deliberately misled ASADA over the injections.

 

[Captain Morgan]

They were both loving it.

Gary was trying hard not to grin like a Cheshire cat. Loved his nudge nudge wink wink comments about the AFL way of doing business.

Both his and Barrets sarcasm tonight was quite interesting, almost like the CAS finding has brought the double-standards, spin and manipulation by the AFL into focus for them.

Can't wait for Caro's article tomorrow.

 

[medusala]

Geez, not only has the club been punished (yes, I understand it was for poor governance) but it has lost its coach, chairman, some of its best players such as Ryder and Carlisle, Goodwin, Basset and now 12 players for a year, it's reputation and on - field competitiveness shredded ......can't we accept that as punishment enough?

No chance

At all

Whatsoever.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Yeah they kinda made a rod for their own back there didn't they by not wanting to link governance to illegal drugs in their statement at the time hey...

Standard AFL.