News Writ issued by Melbourne lawyer against Mike Fitzpatrick and Gillon McLachlan over saga conduct.

[WEEVZ]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/essend...lan-and-mike-fitzpatrick-20170215-gudpm7.html

Melbourne lawyer Jackson Taylor has lodged a writ against outgoing AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and chief executive Gillon McLachlan, alleging acts of deceptive or misleading conduct during Essendon's supplements saga.

Taylor has lodged papers in the Victorian Supreme Court, and now awaits an AFL response.

The statement of claim includes allegations the AFL deceived the public over both the integrity of the joint investigation conducted by the AFL and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the AFL's responsibilities for player health and safety.

It cites interviews McLachlan has done with journalists and alleges "the AFL contributed significantly to the exposure of players to risks to their health and safety" by failing to regulate against the use of peptides before September 2012.

Taylor also takes aim Fitzpatrick over claims Fitzpatrick had said former Essendon coach James Hird would "never" be allowed back into football.

Taylor failed to get to court because of a lack of funds when he initially lodged papers against the AFL in September, 2015, with the league successfully seeking an order for security of costs. But this time Taylor believes he will have enough financial support to have McLachlan and Fitzpatrick take to the stand.

"You would be right to ask me: 'If they rubbed you out last time, how do you think your chances are better this time?' This time I think there are people out there who are concerned enough about the conduct, they will back me if the AFL does get an order for security," Taylor said on Wednesday.

"The whole thing feels differently now. I think there are people out there now who would be willing to fund this litigation to force the AFL to confront the accusations made against them."

Fitzpatrick, having revealed on Wednesday he was stepping down from the top role, said the AFL had no regrets over the manner in which it handled a saga that led to a doping suspension of 34 players and ultimately appears to have ended the AFL careers of Hird, former football-department chief Danny Corcoran and Hird's senior assistant, Mark Thompson.

"The ultimate end game is to have a trial and to allow the public to have clarification the ways in which the AFL mishandled the investigation, including the way it treated Hird, Corcoran and Thompson," Taylor said.

Taylor has worked with Arnold Bloch Leibler in Melbourne and Latham and Watkins in London.

Really hope this guy isn't some sort of crank, if this is genuine things are about to get interesting!

 

[ezard15]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/essend...lan-and-mike-fitzpatrick-20170215-gudpm7.html



Really hope this guy isn't some sort of crank, if this is genuine things are about to get interesting!

Probably a crank

 

[Drummer_19]

Holy shit, let it go.. It was done, just let them kick a ball around without the stress.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

ugh, just **** off Taylor. Let it be ffs

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Someone stop him...please

 

[Runk]

Where are the snipers when you need them?

 

[eDPS]

 

[DapperJong]

Kakkle

 

[The Prosecutor]

What a dumb campaigner

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Won't effect Essendon imo it's between Taylor,Gil and Fitzpatrick.

 

[Kakkle]

(Pictured: Jackson Taylor)

 

[Zach Package]

Where are the snipers when you need them?

If they're good enough they can do all three.



That would be swell

 

[carnthedons]

#putoutyourwritsforhirdy

 

[Lizardempire]

i dont see a problem with this. we all know this guy is trying to expose he truth we all seek

 

[Bunk Moreland]

i dont see a problem with this. we all know this guy is trying to expose he truth we all seek

We already have the truth mate. Everybody knows what happened.

This isn't going to achieve anything.

 

[Runk]

It'll just stir the ****ing pot and rehash the same shit over and over again. Media will have another field day and this in no way helps anyone.

Plus it'll ensure that Hawthorn thread will never stop.

 

[Blind Turn]

I honestly don't mind background digging. Whilst a part of me wants to never hear of the saga again I'm curious by nature and I have a strong sense of justice. The players and club shouldn't be affected by further digging anymore as they have come out the other side with nothing pending. There's a bigger picture than our club. I've moved on and wouldn't be bothered busting my own gut to find out more but if others with legal platforms wish to then good on them I say.

 

[Eleven 38]

They are never going to tell the truth. Pointless exercise.

 

[Blind Turn]

It'll just stir the ******* pot and rehash the same shit over and over again. Media will have another field day and this in no way helps anyone.

Plus it'll ensure that Hawthorn thread will never stop.

i hope the Hawthorn thread does go on forever. I can't remember ever going on their board aside from SuperCoach stuff anyway. I hope they stew in their own obsessive spew.

 

[Vander18]

We already have the truth mate. Everybody knows what happened.

This isn't going to achieve anything.

I'm a bit torn on this.

I have the same desire to "move on" that we all do but I'm not sure you can sit back and accept alleged corruption going unchallenged for that reason alone. Is that healthy for a society?

On balance, if this guy is serious/sane/competent then I like the idea of these guys taking the stand under oath. I think it's important that somebody pursue the truth and that it be made public - I believe it would actually be good for our club long-term.

 

[DapperDon]

Awesome!! Just before our first pre-season match

Jackson Taylor, if you're reading this seriously **** off man. Take your egotistical lawyer bullshit and just **** right off.

 

[MightyDon]

I want the players cleared and Jobe his brownlow back, anything that moves towards this direction isn't bad. I hope Fu(kspatricks little speech at that drugs in sport meeting comes back to bite him on the ass

 

[threeleggedgoat]

The idea that anyone involved in this from the AFL would ever tell the full truth, even on the stand, is hilarious. Will never happen.

 

[Vander18]

The idea that anyone involved in this from the AFL would ever tell the full truth, even on the stand, is hilarious. Will never happen.

Sure but if proven to have lied under oath then guilty of perjury. It's very different to give testimony in an actual court where what you say will be challenged and there is a consequence if found to have lied.

 

[Eleven 38]

Sure but if proven to have lied under oath then guilty of perjury. It's very different to give testimony in an actual court where what you say will be challenged and there is a consequence if found to have lied.

You don't need to lie, you just need a bad memory.