disgusting that the bombers have asked the afl for salary cap relief for legal fees for their players.

lets remember that fat scullys had to go into the cap

Saad had to pay his own fees

This just about sums up all of that which is rotten about the way Essendon has approached its drug problem:-

Making young Australians good sports through fair play by Hans Westerbeek

Who is this guy and why is he making sense?

Why is it that so many cannot see the damage this whole sorry debacle has caused? How can Essendon still be trying to defend their actions? Can they not understand what sort of message it would send if the AFL gave in to their demand for salary cap relief?

Is it okay to write a post consisting solely of questions?

The worst part is the AFL will allow it to be outside of the cap for "the benefit of the game" ie for the broadcast rights rather than the intergity of the game.

Who is this guy and why is he making sense?

Why is it that so many cannot see the damage this whole sorry debacle has caused? How can Essendon still be trying to defend their actions? Can they not understand what sort of message it would send if the AFL gave in to their demand for salary cap relief?

Is it okay to write a post consisting solely of questions?

Probably a non sporting writer Reverend.

Maybe one of those people we don't see much of now.

I think they were called journalists!

According to the latest @TitusOreily tweet, Essendon's litany of unconscionable acts has plumbed a new low...

"Essendon say that if the don't get salary cap exemptions for legal aid, they'll cancel Peppa Pig."

They really just dont get it.

And for that very reason they should be smacked almightedly.

Reminds me of a saying I remember ...... more money than sense. Essendon offering to pay any potential legal costs for players impacted smacks of an attempted case of cya.

Btw, are they only offering to pay legal fees only for players currently on their list? If so, it is highly hypocritical and should definitely be included in the salary cap even if it is spread over a few years.

Maple case of what now? cya?

I think it would be extremely unfair if the Bombers were allowed to bend the rules to gain salary cap exempt payments to the players to cover legal fee's!

they got into this mess.

Just issue the infraction notices.

FFS we all know they did it.

Maple case of what now? cya?

Cover your a_s.

I hate Essendon. I want to see them fry. But I am sick to death of waiting. As Mr Nike said to ASADA JUST DO IT!

I think it would be extremely unfair if the Bombers were allowed to bend the rules to gain salary cap exempt payments to the players to cover legal fee's!

they got into this mess.

I think it is fair that Essendon pays the costs as they directed the players to take the substances. It is a bit hard for players to defy their club.

In the end this is not about salary caps or costs, it will be about players careers and lives being affected, that is the real issue.

It's easier for Essendon to pay the legal costs than to defend a civil action by players to recover their costs. Though that might be entertaining.

except it wasn't his hair! baaahahahahahahaha

except it wasn't his hair! baaahahahahahahaha

Very good, its was priapism. I could hardly do a meme with James and a stiffy. Wait a minute, back soon.

Missed this a day or so ago but Patrick Smith's offering is right on the button.

Phoenix of redemption rises from ashes of sport’s blackest day.

Of the "blackest day" ...

It just might have saved Aus­tralian sport. The moonwalkers are just determinedly rewriting history and justifying their own poor judgments before they dis­appear into oblivion.

Missed this a day or so ago but Patrick Smith's offering is right on the button.Phoenix of redemption rises from ashes of sport’s blackest day.

Of the "blackest day" ...

Not a huge fan of this particular Smith, but i agree this time and the Senator is right to back her decision to have a press conference. It is naivety in the extreme to think Aussie sport doesn't need scrutiny with all the sharp dealings and practises going on.

As a side note I'm appalled by the allegations against Chris Cairns re match fixing, never thought such a great competitor could lose his way like that, I had more faith in our sheep chasing cousins.

They still dont quite get it do they

Essendon’s immediate future remains in doubt on and off the field

Robinson, (god knows how he's the chief scribe ) trots out yet another biased and coloured version of history all the whiles still pushing the "oh Essendon's the victim" line.

They bloody did it to themselves Robbo

There is no doubt in my mind that press conference was called for political purposes.

Eddie Obeid was in the witness box at ICAC. Labor were taking a drubbing in the press.

Jason Clare was the new Attorney General and they were looking for anything to distract them from the Eddie Obeid ICAC mess.

The ACC later admitted they had no evidence of any illegal activity. There was scuttlebutt only.

So why did they call the grandstanding presser with the heads of all major footy codes???

Why are the Bombers so peezed off that they were 'coerced' into self reporting? Why haven't they taken their medicine and moved on.

There is plenty that has still not come out and it s being hidden behind the 'we can't comment because of ongoing investigations' crap.

oh, and Gillard was two weeks away from calling an election. It was a farce.

They still dont quite get it do they

Essendon’s immediate future remains in doubt on and off the field

Robinson, (god knows how he's the chief scribe ) trots out yet another biased and coloured version of history all the whiles still pushing the "oh Essendon's the victim" line.

They bloody did it to themselves Robbo

Agree BB, another pathetic piece of work from a very, very ordinary journalist. He should stick to trying to be a TV star.

He clearly didn't he see any point in mentioning at the very least, that this disgusting episode has put the health of 44 players at risk. This whole episode continues to sicken me.

i wonder if Essendon's offer to pay the player's legal fees would also cover the legal costs for players who sue the club?

ASADA is an under-resourced shambles and anyone who thinks the public service is over-staffed and over-resourced should stop and think of the tiny team there trying to handle huge, complex, high-stakes cases all while being pilloried in the media and under political pressure from ministers in two different Commonwealth governments and plenty of interested state governments.

As someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, ASADA's funding is being cut significantly in this budget. Remember it.

Just like everyone needs to remember that organisations like the child protection agency are routinely the first area cut by new governments trying to 'stop the bloated waste'.

All I'm saying is, if you vote for those cuts, you don't get to complain about failures. You get to raise your hand and say 'sorry, my fault'.

Come to think of it, I wonder how ASADA's total budget for handling the Essendon saga compares to Hird's salary for sitting quietly out of the way?