I dont have a legal background but I would imagine that lawyers will step in for Ess and the players when noticed are issued and that this will continue to be played out for the next century. In that event, would it be reasonable for the players to keep playing as long as they can before every possible legal option is exhausted and potential suspensions finally kick in? Seems to me like the tangled mess has a long way to go.

It may be the case that Essendon forfeit the rest of the season, or else field a rump side that gets thrashed by 30 goals a game as seen so often in minor competions.

the punishment starts from when they last played. eg sandor earl whilst his process hasnt been finished yet has started his punishment. if he played now as the process hasnt been finished he would have to start his time from now.

  On 12/05/2014 at 04:25, america de cali said:

It may be the case that Essendon forfeit the rest of the season, or else field a rump side that gets thrashed by 30 goals a game as seen so often in minor competions.

Agreed. Take the 6 month bans. This combined with out-or-court settlement for player claims would be the cleanest outcome. Everyone moves on.

While I want to see cheats punished I don't want to see this dark cloud hang over the game for years and years. While watching Essendon be brought to its knees would be good theatre. a clean, quick settlement is what I'm hoping for (should infraction notices be issued).

From what I can gather, once a show cause letter is issued any player who recieves it would have 10 days to respond to it, otherwise infraction notices would be issued. Theoretically, we could know within 3 1/2 weeks who is (or is likely to be) suspended.

It may well be a sad day for Football, but i have no sympathy at all for the EFC.

They planned all this. It was a 2 year programme.

They got caught and must pay.

Yes it will hurt the comp but if they are let off it will be far sadder and a very dangerous precedence.

Full force of the law thankyou.

I have no sympathy for the players, they knew what was going on, and if they didn't then they deserve a two year ban for being mind numbingly stupid

  On 12/05/2014 at 04:40, Lucifer said:

Agreed. Take the 6 month bans. This combined with out-or-court settlement for player claims would be the cleanest outcome. Everyone moves on.

While I want to see cheats punished I don't want to see this dark cloud hang over the game for years and years. While watching Essendon be brought to its knees would be good theatre. a clean, quick settlement is what I'm hoping for (should infraction notices be issued).

Yes, most agree that Essendon should be severly punished but it would be a disaster for the game and AFL if they were forced to fold or be forever condemned to mediocrity. They are a well decorated founding club and an integral part of the fabric of the competition. There needs to be a mechanism in place to allow them the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves yet still be rightfully punished. Though only they got caught, only a fool would believe that similar jiggery pokey has not occured at other clubs who I might say are very lucky to remain undetected. Let Essendon be an example that this crap must stop forever.

I can see both points of view on the 'sad' day for footy vs clobber the cheats issue. I'd just add if a club had to be made an example of I'm just glad it was one of the big boys and not us, the Dogs, Kangaroos, St Kilda etc. I'd be reluctant to express any glee if they were in the firing line.

But it being Essendon, I don't feel too guilty expressing a bit of glee at the same time as feeling sympathy for the players (to some extent) and for the game.

  On 12/05/2014 at 04:04, PJ_12345 said:

This will be an absolute nightmare.

I agree, the architects who thought of the strategy, went down the performance drugs road and administered it should be the ones to be punished: Hird, Thompson, Cocoran, Reid, and Evans

Whilst the players shouldn't have been naive, they weren't the ones who orchestrated it.

The club has already been hit with a $2m fine but what about WorkSafe, legal costs, and claims from the players (as you mentioned).

I would't say a sad day. I'm not happy that 20+ players might face a 2 year suspension, which will most likely end all of their careers, not to mention that a club might fold.

But at the same time I'm not sad. If they did cheat, then they should face the repercussions.

Reid? From has been written be was not an architect but under WHS laws he should be seriously looked at for negligence in his duty of care.

  On 12/05/2014 at 05:34, Jarka said:

I have no sympathy for the players, they knew what was going on, and if they didn't then they deserve a two year ban for being mind numbingly stupid

What were the players told/sold by the rats in charge, I'm not 100% on slamming the players IF they were not informed by the rats. In saying that they operate in a field where the onus is on them to know.

The architects, the ones who turned a blind eye and the club certainly need to be held to account here.

Absolutely no sympathy if they cheated they need to cop it

  On 12/05/2014 at 06:04, Cards13 said:

What were the players told/sold by the rats in charge, I'm not 100% on slamming the players IF they were not informed by the rats. In saying that they operate in a field where the onus is on them to know.

The architects, the ones who turned a blind eye and the club certainly need to be held to account here.

The club will get more pain, don't you worry about that, possibly years of pain. Club, coaches, admin, and players deserve a fair kick up the Khyber. Sooner the better.

Edit: Add Khyber

  On 12/05/2014 at 06:04, Cards13 said:

What were the players told/sold by the rats in charge, I'm not 100% on slamming the players IF they were not informed by the rats. In saying that they operate in a field where the onus is on them to know.

The architects, the ones who turned a blind eye and the club certainly need to be held to account here.

The players know enough to realize that ongoing injections directly into their stomach conducted in an off-site non-medical place isn't going to be within the rules.

Then there's the whole issue around the unknown Mexican drug which is just bizarre that they didn't question..

Tick tick tick..... The sound of the Bombers about to go off.

  On 12/05/2014 at 05:57, sue said:

I can see both points of view on the 'sad' day for footy vs clobber the cheats issue. I'd just add if a club had to be made an example of I'm just glad it was one of the big boys and not us, the Dogs, Kangaroos, St Kilda etc. I'd be reluctant to express any glee if they were in the firing line.

But it being Essendon, I don't feel too guilty expressing a bit of glee at the same time as feeling sympathy for the players (to some extent) and for the game.

They have been pretty bolshie and smug Sue.

Deserve a big whack...

Didn't the new boss of the AFL say he had a plan in place if Essendon were handed notices? What type of plan could you possibly have for this situation?

  On 12/05/2014 at 08:45, cowboy_from_hell said:

Didn't the new boss of the AFL say he had a plan in place if Essendon were handed notices? What type of plan could you possibly have for this situation?

Stick your fingers in your ears, close your eyes and yell lalalalalalalalal I can't hear you!!!

  On 12/05/2014 at 08:45, cowboy_from_hell said:

Didn't the new boss of the AFL say he had a plan in place if Essendon were handed notices? What type of plan could you possibly have for this situation?

well he didn't say it was a "good" plan though

  On 12/05/2014 at 09:53, daisycutter said:

well he didn't say it was a "good" plan though

or in the case of Essendon, one that would necessarily fly !!

  On 12/05/2014 at 08:45, cowboy_from_hell said:

Didn't the new boss of the AFL say he had a plan in place if Essendon were handed notices? What type of plan could you possibly have for this situation?

Which if true indicates that the writing has been on the wall for a long time. Given Essendon's monumental arrogance I can't muster have a shred of sympathy for them. Given the AFL has had enough time to formulate a plan then I gather that even these arrogant tossers have a contingency plan in place.

I find it hard to believe the players didn't know what was going on, all they had to do was make a phone call to their own doctor or perhaps the AFL, for advice. They were told this was right on the edge so there must have been some concern; ignorance is bliss.

They tried to cheat their way to a flag and got caught, you roll the dice and sometimes the wrong numbers come up.

my question is

will Watson be forced to hand back the Brownlow if found Guilty

what will the AFL do ?

  On 11/05/2014 at 21:39, sydneydee said:

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

  On 12/05/2014 at 03:54, biggestred said:

the sad sad day for footy is that people cheated.

the punishments need to be dealt out so that others do not cheat.

no punishments would be a sadder day - it would effectively be condoning cheating.

Exactly - it would be an even sadder day for not only Australian sport, but sport in general if a team that tries to gain unfair advantage by the use of drugs gets away with it.

It would turn many people, myself included, off watching sport.

  On 12/05/2014 at 10:13, Outside fifty said:

Which if true indicates that the writing has been on the wall for a long time. Given Essendon's monumental arrogance I can't muster have a shred of sympathy for them. Given the AFL has had enough time to formulate a plan then I gather that even these arrogant tossers have a contingency plan in place.

The AFL would be negligent if they hadn't spent the last 18 months working on a range of contingency plans. And I expect they've talked to Essendon about them too.