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

[jazza 1,323]

yep

same jnrmac

been waiting for this all year

vlad has tried everything to help essendon and i think they realise this

something tells me lawyers are rubbing hands together and QCs are looking at buying the new porsch for the missus

in all my league tables for next year i have the bombers on the bottom

whilst waiting for asada,cant help but feel for james and tania,kerbside interviews are going to be thier life for the next 3 years

was wondering if he could be the next george hamilton of late night telly,selling suntan lotion and holidays in bermuda

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

I dont feel sorry for Hird. He should be sacked and never allowed to raise his head in AFL circles again

I am disgusted with the feather slap he has received compared to Connolly when he was only found guilty of injudicious comments. Cuddles got suspended (without pay!!!) for 12 months and was banned from attending games or the club. While I think we looked after him to a degree after the suspension ultimately he has lost his career. Hird suspended for 12 months. Can attend games and the club, keeps a $1M dollar salary and gets a 2 year contract extension. How is that equitable when Hird by any measure has brought the game into far more disreput?

Cant wait for the day when this P&%#k gets what he deserves.

[Damo 2,997]

I dont feel sorry for Hird. He should be sacked and never allowed to raise his head in AFL circles again

I am disgusted with the feather slap he has received compared to Connolly when he was only found guilty of injudicious comments. Cuddles got suspended (without pay!!!) for 12 months and was banned from attending games or the club. While I think we looked after him to a degree after the suspension ultimately he has lost his career. Hird suspended for 12 months. Can attend games and the club, keeps a $1M dollar salary and gets a 2 year contract extension. How is that equitable when Hird by any measure has brought the game into far more disreput?

Cant wait for the day when this P&%#k gets what he deserves.

LIKE

[Sir Why You Little 34,554]

It is quite amazing when you compare the 2 cases isn't it Bedraggled...

Edited December 13, 2013 by why you little

[old dee 22,925]

It is quite amazing when you compare the 2 cases isn't it Bedraggled...

IMO wyl it has a lot to do with the size of the relative ego's involved

[Slartibartfast 15,800]

Those who were critical of McLardy and co for negotiating a contrived outcome in the "tanking" case rather than spend millions in court costs to clear the club's name should now recognise the wisdom of their decision to settle.

Couldn't agree more. McLardy, Jalland and who ever else was dealing with our issue did a fantastic job. It's just a shame the issue ever existed.

[hardtack 10,127]

was wondering if he could be the next george hamilton of late night telly,selling suntan lotion and holidays in bermuda

Hal Todd, more like it!

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

It is quite amazing when you compare the 2 cases isn't it Bedraggled...

It has a lot to do with cash IMO, oiling the squeaky wheel etc. Hird and the EFC have teams of QC's and have spent over $2M. I doubt we came close spending $1M

[Sir Why You Little 34,554]

It has a lot to do with cash IMO, oiling the squeaky wheel etc. Hird and the EFC have teams of QC's and have spent over $2M. I doubt we came close spending $1M

the EFC bill will be far greater than that before this is all settled (if ever)

Remember they are still paying for the airport facility.

Apparently the supporter base is being hammered regularly for funds.

[binman 38,430]

I was about to post this on the sack AD thread but it has been locked.

Some posters seem confused as to what is governance and what is management. There seems also to be suggestions that somehow AD has been guilty of poor governance.

As the CEO AD manages the AFL, the commission is responsible for governance. The commission, like any board sets the strategic direction of the organisation and it is their responsibility to ensure there are the appropriate systems in place, for example to make sure the strategic plan can be implemented and ensure that risk is managed appropriately. The bombers supplement fiasco is the perfect example of this. There was - as Ziggy made clear - a complete breakdown of their reporting and risk management systems. In short a failure of governance for which their board was responsible. Of course there were also numerous examples of poor management (CEO, coach etc etc).

Sure the CEO is connected to this governance system because he is the boards representative but he reports to the board. As an example the decision to create GWS was the commissions, and AD was charged with the responsibility of making it happen. So whilst you could perhaps argue that it is really AD's baby, so to speak, if there is any criticism about the decision to take the risk it should be towards the board. If there are criticisms of how, say, the implementation has been managed then yes they can be directed at AD.

A terrific example of the distinction between governance and management was the decision to have a joint AFL/ASADA investigation. In the excellent Jon Pierek article in yesterday's age he makes a good point that this decision has now proved to be a flawed one. No doubt some will criticize AD for the decision but he didn't make it, the commission did. Sure he might have pushed for it and recommend the commission agree to go down that track (as part of his management role) - and often boards might go with the recommendation of their CEO - but it was their call. I'm sure as part his performance review the commission might well reflect on the quality of advice they received from AD.

But whilst i tend to agree with Pierek the choice to go with the joint investigation this is not an example of poor governance, perhaps a poor choice but not poor governance. And for that matter whilst you could easily criticize the management of the tanking saga i can't see any governance issues.

I can understand how AD's management style might be criticized, particularly his penchant to put himself out on a limb. I can also agree that some of his choices could be questioned - for instance his support for a joint investigation - but these do not represent a failure of governance. Against that by the sort of metrics that apply to a CEO of an organisation as big as the AFL even his critics would have to agree that he has been successful. His salary and the bonuses he has received are evidence of this.

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

They must have money if the can afford to pay Hird $1M for doing nothing. I agree about the bill, if infractions get issued thay will be lucky to remain solvent with the suites that will flow from players etc. Given their governance issues I am not confident that weapon was dealt with in accordance with contractual and workplace relations requirements and they may end up paying there as well. The AFL bailout will make out $1.2M look like chicken feed.

[PaulRB 5,967]

Here it comes... "Only a matter of when"

Drum roll.

Quote ""How can James Hird be at the helm of the club as the head coach when 4000-plus injections have been given to playing staff, none of which anybody can tell us what it was, most of which we know is not approved for human consumption, and put at risk these kids, and not have WorkSafe Victoria banging on their door that this is an unsafe workplace? "

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

Almost exited about this as I am about te Dees next year. WADA have been clear with this message all along and I am a little confused why the AFL and Little keep saying all is well.

[sue 8,441]

Bendigo Bombers to be promoted to the AFL shortly.

[PaulRB 5,967]

One gets the sense that a memo went out recently that ASADA were about to move with the issuing of infraction notices and all the key stakeholders; EFC, Hird, AFL, WADA started to roll out their strategies.

[jnrmac 19,017]

I have been banging on about this from day 1. Where TF are Worksafe Victoria in all of this?????

If I was injecting my staff with illegal substances I would be thrown in jail. Full stop. Why are the AFL sacred cows??

If worksafe came to my workplace and I told then 'we are doing an internal investigation, nothing to see here' I would be laughed out of the office. They would throw the book at me.

They should come down hard on these delusional morons.

[djr 1,067]

Don't get too excited about Essendon's impending demise. ASADA still looking into MFC. There is still a lot of unanswered questions.

[jnrmac 19,017]

Have been thinking about the Hird situation. The only possible explanation in my view is that he knows he will go down when WADA have finished their job. He is goingdown swinging and wants to take AD and the AFL down with him.

He is an ego out of control and this town aint big enough for two of em!!

[Return to Glory 7,730]

I have been banging on about this from day 1. Where TF are Worksafe Victoria in all of this?????

If I was injecting my staff with illegal substances I would be thrown in jail. Full stop. Why are the AFL sacred cows??

If worksafe came to my workplace and I told then 'we are doing an internal investigation, nothing to see here' I would be laughed out of the office. They would throw the book at me.

They should come down hard on these delusional morons.

You have to wonder why WorkSafe has not moved on this at all. Scared shitless to rock the boat rings true

[DemonFrog 1,347]

Wow.

Straight from the mouth of the head of WADA.

This is glorious!

Anyone wants to buy an MessyDrug membership,. As I think they may be selling for a song shortly.

I have to laugh as they are paying Mr Hird for doing nothing and another coach as well. It appears that Mr Hird will do to MessyDrugs that no other opposition Club could not. Bring them to their knees and they are still paying for it.

This stuff is Gold!

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Here it comes... "Only a matter of when"

Drum roll.

Quote ""How can James Hird be at the helm of the club as the head coach when 4000-plus injections have been given to playing staff, none of which anybody can tell us what it was, most of which we know is not approved for human consumption, and put at risk these kids, and not have WorkSafe Victoria banging on their door that this is an unsafe workplace? "

Stirring words from John Fahey.

I don't know what evidence ASADA has accumulated amongst the efforts to destroy records but Fahey has given the clearest possible indication that infraction notices are pending and that Essendon is right in their gun sights.

This will make the AFL vs Essendon irrelevant and Hird's efforts to bring down Vlad as petty, selfish and destructive to the game.

And Fahey is absolutely right about Hird.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Don't get too excited about Essendon's impending demise. ASADA still looking into MFC. There is still a lot of unanswered questions.

On a scale of 1 to 10...........

[dee-luded 2,958]

I once looked up to JHird as one of the legends of our AFL game.

Now all I see is hird cowering around his missus behind. strern looks on their faces & trying to screw the game for their own selfish ends.

I fair-dinkum can't stand seeing their (his/hers) pictures any more in the media. it brings up feelings of intense hatred for them, which I rarely feel.

[Redleg 37,661]

Heard today from a mate who seemed to know, that NRL will see infraction notices soon and Essendon will be fairly early in the New Year, before the season starts and several players are involved.

[PaulRB 5,967]