Lock and load !!

Sam Lane ‏@SamJaneLane 32m

Ben McDevitt the new CEO of ASADA. "As Australians we all love sports and we all hate cheats"@theage @smh

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Dem's fightin words

Any relation to Phil McCreviss?

So Dustin Fletcher has admitted he has spoken to Hirdy about football. I thought Hirdy cant get involved in the club till his ban is over. The Afl must investigate this if it has any "integrity". Dustin is the new Brock

I used to be in awe of Dustin Fletchers freakish age defying longevity in the game. Now I wonder if has been drinking the same waters as Hird all along.

Any relation to Phil McCreviss?

Yes, and closely related to McCraken too.

Back on topic, McDevitt's initial stance sounds ominous. Storm clouds gathering in the North West?

It's funny, with the new government there are no positions advertised between 'temp' and Senior Executive Service level. So it becomes easy to notice things like ASADA doing a top-end recruiting drive...

You'd think they could have done that 12 months ago, or maybe they are replacing all their burn-outs from being under-resourced to deal with all this.

What a mess. Part of the fine tradition of ministers and over-eagedrDepartmental Secretaries looking to grab a headline or two and in the process dumping their staff in the unfunded poo for a year or two. Staff get out of the area as fast as they can, making the whole job even harder for the remaining few, and the unfortunate newbies who had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

This whole debacle will one day be prime meat for the Australian National Audit Office - "Australia's leaders in deadpan comedy".

last year we were a bottom of the barrel cellar dweller and i really got excited about the bombers getting gutted ,hung drawn quartered and put to the sword,just to make me feel better.

this year the light has appeared and were on the right track.

so rather than see them gutted,id be happy to see them win 10 games and then get royally munged up the clacker.

so please go right ahead big ben mcdivot.

''In the end, what we would like to happen and doing things to make that happen because we think, and are very clear on, [it is] the right thing for the competition, I'm not sure can come at the expense of transparency and a visibility about where things are at,''

What horrible politician-speak. He'll fit right in.

Does this make it clearer??

Certainly not any bit less clear to me. (Still have no idea what he is saying. )

'' W końcu to, co chcielibyśmy, aby się stało - i robi rzeczy, aby tak się stało - ponieważ uważamy, i są bardzo jasne, [to] w prawo, co do konkursu, nie jestem pewien, może przyjść na kosztem przejrzystości i widoczności o tym, gdzie rzeczy są w''

Any relation to Phil McCreviss?

Yes he is when I was back in Ireland at Christmas I met two of his relatives Patrick Fitzgerald & Gerald Fitzpatrick

Easter and bureaucratic (bungling?) matters A Federal Government decision is likely to delay the ASADA doping investigation have seen this thread relegated to page 4 of the board but the story isn't going away - Panel ruling imminent on Stephen Dank

If, as anticipated, things don't work out well for him, Dank is going to try to delay the inevitable through proceedings in the Federal Court (expensive but it's his right to do so). The delays won't be welcome by the Essendon players implicated because, apart from having to work their way through the strains of the uncertainty surrounding this saga, there's a possibility that this will drag on into a period when the maximum penalty for anti doping violations becomes four years and not two as is the case now. Two years is tough but four would be career ending (although it's not clear whether the four year maximum would apply for offences that took place in 2012).

The additional point I think everyone is missing is that if Essendon players are rubbed out, what remains of their coaching staff at that time (ie Hird) will be rubbed out too , thereby ending his career. All I can say is "hooray to that!"

The additional point I think everyone is missing is that if Essendon players are rubbed out, what remains of their coaching staff at that time (ie Hird) will be rubbed out too , thereby ending his career. All I can say is "hooray to that!"

ASADA is going after Dank first because he is the lynch pin in all of this and once the facts come out about his programme, the next will be those who worked with him on the project, which suggests other members of the fitness staff and also those among the coaches and their support people who were complicit or knowing about it, turned a blind eye. On what I've read to date, that most surely involves James Hird, the Weapon, Doc Reid, Corcoran and in all likelihood Bomber Thompson who is now being touted in the Herald Sun as a potential successor to Paul Roos at Melbourne Melbourne Demons to sound out Essendon interim coach Mark Thompson as potential successor for Paul Roos. I can't give much credibility to this unless the ASADA probe clears him and I'm not certain that it will.

The players remain very much in the gun and I think they might be getting worn down mentally by the whole thing. They were terrific earlier in the season but have dropped off considerably. They have a pretty good fixture that might help them if they get on a bit of a roll but if the players are hit with infraction notices, they are in a fair bit of bother.

As a matter of interest we play them on 15 June and by that time, I think the fan might have met the full force of whatever ASADA has in its armoury.

Comment from the new head of ASADA:

"Frankly, in my view, ignorance is no excuse," he said.

"Each professional athlete is personally responsible for what substances enter their body."

New ASADA boss Ben McDevitt issues 'no excuses' warning to would-be drug cheats

ASADA is going after Dank first because he is the lynch pin in all of this and once the facts come out about his programme, the next will be those who worked with him on the project, which suggests other members of the fitness staff and also those among the coaches and their support people who were complicit or knowing about it, turned a blind eye. On what I've read to date, that most surely involves James Hird, the Weapon, Doc Reid, Corcoran and in all likelihood Bomber Thompson who is now being touted in the Herald Sun as a potential successor to Paul Roos at Melbourne Melbourne Demons to sound out Essendon interim coach Mark Thompson as potential successor for Paul Roos. I can't give much credibility to this unless the ASADA probe clears him and I'm not certain that it will.

The players remain very much in the gun and I think they might be getting worn down mentally by the whole thing. They were terrific earlier in the season but have dropped off considerably. They have a pretty good fixture that might help them if they get on a bit of a roll but if the players are hit with infraction notices, they are in a fair bit of bother.

As a matter of interest we play them on 15 June and by that time, I think the fan might have met the full force of whatever ASADA has in its armoury.

New ASADA boss Ben McDevitt issues 'no excuses' warning to would-be drug cheats

I don't disagree with any of the above WJ.

But excuse my cynicism I don't think anything will be resolved by 15th June.

just watched outsiders.

3 people agreed the bombers in trouble,gerardW was host ,so didnt add any comment.

but all agree,the new broom sweeping through asada will be bringing it to a head within 14 days.

Hopefully, Jazza. Thid whole saga has gone on for too long already.

http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/dozens-of-players-across-two-codes-face-penalties-over-doping-20140511-zr9rg.html

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority’s inquiry into the use of prohibited substances in two football codes is on the cusp of a staggering climax as 17 players from Cronulla’s 2011 squad and as many as 40 from AFL team Essendon face possible sanctions.

Well, I think we can pencil in a win for the 15th of June if this progresses quickly.

40.

Essendon won't be able to field a team.

Gill said there's contingency plans in place... whatever that means. But if it's 40 show cause letters, they're in a world of trouble.

We are getting closer

Cant wait to see Essendon wiped off the map

it will be glorious

I hate Essendon as much as the next person. However this will be a sad day in Australian sport.

Once infraction notices are served are they banned instantly even if they appeal? If not this will drag on for years

Once infraction notices are served are they banned instantly even if they appeal? If not this will drag on for years

not sure about that, wada and other international sporting bodies prefer even if innocent,that athletes dont contaminate their sport while under investigation at that stage.

they could influence a race/medal/grand final.

Show cause notices not infraction notices. If served the players respond to argue why they should not be charged. Have option of appeals board and supreme Court. Will gone for monrgscand months

As my young colleague likse to say "this shits gunna get real".

I hate Essendon as much as the next person. However this will be a sad day in Australian sport.

Sad day indeed... 40 at Essendon and 17 at Cronulla... I wonder how many of those are no longer on their respective teams playing lists. Even if it was as many as 10 at Essendon, their list would still be decimated and they would not be able to field a team without dipping into their VFL affiliate (or whatever it is called); would that be the AFL's contingency plan?

Sad day indeed... 40 at Essendon and 17 at Cronulla... I wonder how many of those are no longer on their respective teams playing lists. Even if it was as many as 10 at Essendon, their list would still be decimated and they would not be able to field a team without dipping into their VFL affiliate (or whatever it is called); would that be the AFL's contingency plan?

We should get the 4 points from the weekend if Stewart Crameri is issued an infraction jotice

How unfair is it that a guy that may have used PED's kicked 4 goals against us including the one to put them in front deep in the final quarter?

We should get the 4 points from the weekend if Stewart Crameri is issued an infraction jotice

How unfair is it that a guy that may have used PED's kicked 4 goals against us including the one to put them in front deep in the final quarter?

Probably more unfair that we let him kick 4 goals hh.