Bombers scandal: charged, <redacted> and <infracted>

[Demon Head 299]

Dare I say it, but how does ASADAs outcome play for Trenners?

I think it's been said many times that it depends on the facts and so far they've been sketchy.

[Cards13 9,117]

The entirety of Demonland next year:

Can't wait.

Bring it on ASADA. My popcorn is in the microwave.

Two thumbs up.

My popcorn was getting stale, new batch in the pot as I type!!

Ps MFC still in the gun on the issue too.

[Sir Why You Little 37,307]

Can't believe James Turd just got a $1 mill for 2014 after being Head Coach during 2012-13

It is beyond Words.

ASADA/WADA is getting louder not running away.

You are looking very guilty at this stage James...

[daisycutter 29,892]

would be schadenfreude if young james was a big vlahos investor

[dees189227 12,453]

Cans someone please explain something to me.

What is the difference between Hird getting the 1 mill up front now to essendon just paying him throughout the year next year. He still ends up with the same.

[Rolling Stone 160]

How do Bomber fans feel about James Hird being paid $1 million bucks in advance for doing nothing after presiding over a programme of suspect supplement injection regime on their playing list?

I tried to check what was going on at BomberBlitz and they've not only locked the thread on the subject but obliterated it altogether. Completely redacted and sent into the ether.

Talk about censorship.

[45HG 1,559]

Cans someone please explain something to me.

What is the difference between Hird getting the 1 mill up front now to essendon just paying him throughout the year next year. He still ends up with the same.

But with a much larger tax bill, I'd have thought.

[Crompton's the man 660]

The AFL takes seriously its duty and acts true and consistent to the oath they all took : (the Hypocrytic Oath)

Above all, do no harm (to Essendon)

I doubt I will live to see any meaningful sanction delivered particularly against JH who must surely be threatening behind the scenes to bring out of the closet something(s) which would bring to an end the tenure of the AFL rulers.

I can't conceive of any other motive for the AFL huffing and puffing and then meekly going along with a deal that would not be presented as "justice" by Kim Jong-Un who no doubt would regard all of this lot as despicable scum.

KJU for Integrity Commissioner!

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

The AFL takes seriously its duty and acts true and consistent to the oath they all took : (the Hypocrytic Oath)

Above all, do no harm (to Essendon)

I doubt I will live to see any meaningful sanction delivered particularly against JH who must surely be threatening behind the scenes to bring out of the closet something(s) which would bring to an end the tenure of the AFL rulers.

I can't conceive of any other motive for the AFL huffing and puffing and then meekly going along with a deal that would not be presented as "justice" by Kim Jong-Un who no doubt would regard all of this lot as despicable scum.

KJU for Integrity Commissioner!

Kim Jong-un's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, would have been a much better candidate for integrity officer but the North Koreans executed him overnight.

Sad news really because he and Vlad had a lot in common and I have a feeling he would have sorted this mess out with North Korea's tried and tested methods of gentle persuasion.

[sue 9,193]

But with a much larger tax bill, I'd have thought.

As a tax-payer I'd say that is the only good thing to come out of the whole episode.

Of course with all those lawyers and accountants around, he may be able to figure out a way of avoiding the extra tax in this financial year. And he will have a reduced income in the next year anyway (perhaps - who knows, the AFL may make him a special grant to keep the 'secret' self-reporting leak out of court).

[dpositive 1,818]

WJ

Do hope you're right, but my god I don't have much confidence in anything to do with sport right now. All seems so corrupt and incompetent, driven by the dollar.

This latest chapter in the Hird saga has left me just gob-smacked. The sheer incompetence, the greed, watching Hird emerge from his Toorak mansion with his shark-like wife, the sainted Julian Burnside getting his $10,000 a day, Demtetriou sucking in his blubbery guts.

These people are such fools.

Demetriou - how could the AFL be so stupid as to inflict a supposed punishment and not put it in writing? I mean the scummiest little backyard panelbeater these days has the sense to put things in writing. And now they're going to pay Hird his money in a lump sum and think we're stupid enough to think that's a fair outcome? Who are these guys? None of them are professionals. Demetriou is an ex schoolteacher, Hird a failed engineer who was worshipped by a bunch of morons because he had blond hair. I bet the GMH employees wish they could negotiate a retrenchment package like he's got. And it's all done with the money of ordinary people like those Holden employees who are losing their jobs and conditions because our society's wealth is vanishing into the massive maws of people like Gina Rinehart (sorry to go off track, but my take on it is that we're losing our manufacturing base because the mining boom is driving up the dollar - Govt spends more subsidising miners than it did cars - cheez - sorry again - Saturday rant over).

OK Jara just coz you have some very sound points that require a deeper analysis doesnt mean you have to stop.

Although maybe youd better for your own sanity.

I agree with everything you say and you have already preserved a bit of mine

See you at the gates of the funny farm.

When do the Dees play the Essendones????

And you didnt even mention any supplements flow on plan through Mr Thomson which could explain the success of the cats, who knows what drugs were available at high altitude ?what exactly is high altitude training?, whats in those lollies the hawks have at half time? oh and any other practices that teams above us have followed while we wallowed in woeful performance management.

Ooopps starting to rave now time for my medication

[monoccular 17,642]

Can't believe James Turd just got a $1 mill for 2014 after being Head Coach during 2012-13

It is beyond Words.

ASADA/WADA is getting louder not running away.

You are looking very guilty at this stage James...

Very guilty, and incredibly greedy!! Says he cares for the club, yet he takes them to the cleaners for $1m for what....doing nothing other than killing their brand.

[hardtack 10,859]

How do Bomber fans feel about James Hird being paid $1 million bucks in advance for doing nothing after presiding over a programme of suspect supplement injection regime on their playing list?

I tried to check what was going on at BomberBlitz and they've not only locked the thread on the subject but obliterated it altogether. Completely redacted and sent into the ether.

Talk about censorship.

If you look at the AFL's FB page in the topic dealing with Hird's payment, there are a surprising (or unsurprising perhaps) number of supporters right behind him... all flashing the #standbyhird hashtag.

[Slartibartfast 17,998]

Kim Jong-un's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, would have been a much better candidate for integrity officer but the North Koreans executed him overnight.

Sad news really because he and Vlad had a lot in common and I have a feeling he would have sorted this mess out with North Korea's tried and tested methods of gentle persuasion.

I'd delete this comment Jack. Whilst you have your own view of things this is just tasteless and purile.

[Crompton's the man 660]

AFL press release :

Any opposition fan who dresses up as a syringe or a pill going in to an Essendon game next year will be banned for life and fined $1M

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

I'd delete this comment Jack. Whilst you have your own view of things this is just tasteless and purile.

Sorry. I forgot that you had no sense of humour and was unaware that you were running for the vacancy created in the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea created by JST's untimely demise.

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

Under AD the AFL has had a "nudge nudge wink wink" attitude to dodgy dealings with the expectation that if you don't cover your backside you quietly leave the building. Worked well but in this case JH does not want play by the rules. Just takes one bad egg to spoil the cake.

[Crompton's the man 660]

And by the way, totally agree with (ex) WADA President John Fahey when he questions why Worksafe Victoria have not, nor are they, investigating the EFC in regard to this supplement/injection program.

Remember those ads where employers' faces went grey with fear as the Worksafe inspector arrived?

Another level of farce, pretence and cover-up.

[old55 23,833]

It is all BS anyway, as all the Bombers had to do was double Hird's salary the first year of his comeback, or if he didn't coach again, pay out all the money he was owed after the year was up. I am just glad that he is costing the club another million, the only pity being that he is getting it.

There's no doubt this is a major embarrassment for the AFL and particularly AD, but like you say, in the end there was nothing they could practically do to prevent Essendon effectively pre- or post- paying Hird while he is suspended if Essendon are determined to do so. If infraction notices are served then the Hirds are better off with pre-paying (what is happening now), which is better than progress paying (what was happening), which is better than post-paying (which may never happen). They've won this battle and I imagine the Hirds and Essendon think it is an entirely consistent outcome with their innocence and persecution by the AFL - but they just look even more grubby to me and they must have worsened their relationship with the AFL - if that was possible. AD's days are numbered but I doubt the actions of Hird and Essendon will be forgiven or forgotten.

[beelzebub 23,390]

would be schadenfreude if young james was a big vlahos investor

I do like this

[Jara 1,153]

And by the way, totally agree with (ex) WADA President John Fahey when he questions why Worksafe Victoria have not, nor are they, investigating the EFC in regard to this supplement/injection program.

Remember those ads where employers' faces went grey with fear as the Worksafe inspector arrived?

Another level of farce, pretence and cover-up.

Yes. Imagine the poor dudes at the players association trying to monitor and do something for the players' long-term health but are hamstrung by the fact that nobody (supposedly, but I wouldn't believe it in a pink fit) can say what they were given. They keep records of every bloody little thing they do - except for what they were injecting into their arms (my wife is a nurse - finds this the most surprising aspect of the whole thing - says they have to keep records of every little thing they do. I suppose shes only surprised because she comes from the legitimate health world, rather than the body-building 'sports science' muscles-and-balls-in-inverse-proportions one (if that makes sense)

Hopefully this will continue to punish the Bummers for years to come. Lawsuits from players in ten or twenty years? Delisted players spilling th beans? All good.

[beelzebub 23,390]

You know it is possible for a question to be asked in state parliament as to what efforts have been taken by worksafe victoria

[Whispering_Jack 31,131]

Some views from the Murdoch press on the subject -

Andrew Demetriou is preparing for the fight of his professional life, writes Rebecca Wilson

A million bucks for Hird to twiddle his thumbs - quite a punishment

And this story from Emma Quayle at Fairfax - Essendon warned charges loom

Caroline Wilson is apparently on leave ATM.

Nothing new from Uncle Roy since he savaged Vlad on Wednesday.

[rjay 25,305]

So if Hird was suspended from September (late August or whenever) for 12 months then how can he be paid now and not be in breach of the suspension? He wasn't suspended for the calendar year starting 2014 and they can't back date the payment to early August can they???????????

[monoccular 17,642]

You know it is possible for a question to be asked in state parliament as to what efforts have been taken by worksafe victoria

But by whom?

So if Hird was suspended from September (late August or whenever) for 12 months then how can he be paid now and not be in breach of the suspension? He wasn't suspended for the calendar year starting 2014 and they can't back date the payment to early August can they???????????

Oh yes they can. They are Essendon after all. They can do what they please and AD is too weak and scared to take them on. WADA / ASADA on the other hand may prove to be a different proposition.