Well I will be very shocked if its one of our players. I highly doubt it. I could think of a few before one of our players. Anyway everyone is going to speculate so name the club.

How does it get players off the hook??

They'd still be competing with other players whilst maintaining an unfair advantage.

The players would still be suspended, but maybe only for the minimum 2 years.

Is that the case that even if a player was unaware of what was in his system they are still treated like a willing drug cheat? If so they are worse off then I thought.

Well it looks like the Bombers have been grounded indefinately.

"Whatever it takes" remember TAA, PAN AM, COMPASS?

The Lawyers are going to take that club apart once all the claims go through.

I agree with Demon WA. i still see Dean Wallis running around in 2000.

Enjoy your world of pain.

Surely best case is that they find out that what they were injected with didn't contain banned substances?

Can you imagine the legal costs Essendon will incur if players were injected with banned substances without their knowledge?

Every player and sponsor could sue them for millions.

World of pain.

Is that the case that even if a player was unaware of what was in his system they are still treated like a willing drug cheat? If so they are worse off then I thought.

How could you possibly let a player, let alone a team, continue to compete with an unfair advantage over the rest?

What if they went on to win the flag?

What if they knocked a team out of the finals?

What if a team lost to them and then missed the finals by percentage?

You simply couldn't let them compete.

Interesting question. I would imagine no but that just raises the next question, what if it was 2 players or 3 or 4. Where do you draw the line?

What if it was just 1 player, but that player won the Norm Smith?

How could you possibly let a player, let alone a team, continue to compete with an unfair advantage over the rest?

What if they went on to win the flag?

What if they knocked a team out of the finals?

What if a team lost to them and then missed the finals by percentage?

You simply couldn't let them compete.

Problem is the AFL has said that this investigation will go on for months. We all know how long and drawn out an AFL investigation can be. Bombers will be playing in 2013 unless someone spills their guts very soon. I agree though all players should be banned even if they had no knowledge. I really didn't know if a players punishment would be less or none if they had no knowledge.

Can you imagine the legal costs Essendon will incur if players were injected with banned substances without their knowledge?

Every player and sponsor could sue them for millions.

World of pain.

Our old mate Caro said as much the other night that players were exploring legal options if they are found guilty. Most bomber fans I speak to think there is no case to answer and no drama's to come. They truely have their heads not in the sand but up their ass.

Please take care when naming names - no speculation please.

The 7.30 Report tomorrow night will be interesting viewing to say the least. There may have been some interesting calls fielded in the last few days. It's been previously stated that that no illegal substances or PED's were injected into the players. It's also been previously stated that these 'supplements' were supplied from a well known 'source'.

The trouble could be that the ACC might have some incriminating evidence. I suspect there will be a denial of any sort of wrong doing but it won't be the end of things. This whole new inquiry could go on for months and months before all those involved are satisfied.

Well it looks like the Bombers have been grounded indefinately.

"Whatever it takes" remember TAA, PAN AM, COMPASS?

The Lawyers are going to take that club apart once all the claims go through.

I agree with Demon WA. i still see Dean Wallis running around in 2000.

Enjoy your world of pain.

After Sheedy left, the power vaccuum happened @ Board level. Knights was shafted in order to get Bomba back, & Hird in.

The old board were shuffled aside, & the Bling Board have brought this on.

The superficiality of modern footy is Killing this once great game.

Reduce the Interchange to 2 + 2, & let the game return to its origins.

Players will stay in their positions mostly, & it will be more entertaining. One on One matchups. Star on Star, instead of tag team stoppers rotating thru the bench.

FFS, bring back Footy!

After Sheedy left, the power vaccuum happened @ Board level. Knights was shafted in order to get Bomba back, & Hird in.

The old board were shuffled aside, & the Bling Board have brought this on.

The superficiality of modern footy is Killing this once great game.

Reduce the Interchange to 2 + 2, & let the game return to its origins.

Players will stay in their positions mostly, & it will be more entertaining. One on One matchups. Star on Star, instead of tag team stoppers rotating thru the bench.

FFS, bring back Footy!

I wonder if the all mighty rules committee have some little bit of blame in all of this. I stress little but interchange rules and making the game quicker has pushed the required fitness levels to an all time high. You are correct bring back footy as we all knew it.

Problem is the AFL has said that this investigation will go on for months. We all know how long and drawn out an AFL investigation can be. Bombers will be playing in 2013 unless someone spills their guts very soon. I agree though all players should be banned even if they had no knowledge. I really didn't know if a players punishment would be less or none if they had no knowledge.

We do but this is no longer an AFL investigation.

I wonder if the all mighty rules committee have some little bit of blame in all of this. I stress little but interchange rules and making the game quicker has pushed the required fitness levels to an all time high. You are correct bring back footy as we all knew it.

they played a small part, probably pressured by the broadcasters who want the game to move.

Will be fascinating to see how the league handle all this.

Doubt it will help Essendrug though...Major turbulence ahead.

Our old mate Caro said as much the other night that players were exploring legal options if they are found guilty. Most bomber fans I speak to think there is no case to answer and no drama's to come. They truely have their heads not in the sand but up their ass.

Yeah, it's almost a carbon copy of how we've reacted to the tanking claims except ....... I'm not sure some of their supporters realise how serious this whole thing is. There seems to be bit of a lack of understanding about the anti doping agencies and the ACC.

If illegal substances were administered they are in a world of trouble. Whether the players or officials knew about it or not. There is a bit of wriggle room with the anti drug agencies but not much. Sentences have been reduced previously but only under extraordinary circumstances. It's not that easy to do a deal.

If PED's are proven to be injected then their first 9 games last season comes under question. The clubs that they defeated (amongst them North, Carlton, Richmond and West Coast) may have been at an unfair advantage. Ladder positions could have been affected as well. Obviously not much can be done to change what has happened but it can illustrate as to what penalties could be handed out going forward.

I wonder if the all mighty rules committee have some little bit of blame in all of this. I stress little but interchange rules and making the game quicker has pushed the required fitness levels to an all time high. You are correct bring back footy as we all knew it.

the extra interchange rotations, from the 2 Int', to 3, then 4, has slowly changed the game.

Add, to this, sports science, & the 4 man interchange is too much,,, & stoppers can run a star off their natural legs. Especially with Tag Teaming.

Bring in 2 on 1 star, & add the defensive zone in case of messing it up.

The randomness & spontaneous creativity of a Robbie Flower, has been stolen from the game...

Its time for the game to Go 'Organic'.

"After all that [censored] hoohaar on Thursday, what we have is one individual, and a club that has been potentially duped. And surprise surprise some no neck thugby players doin roids. No match fixing in the AFL. So assuming we get off, the AFL actually only has one person of interest. Is this a sick Joke?
We have copped so much enormous and unnecessary additional heat an innuendo over this c*** of a government's political grandstanding."

Just took the above of B'Blitz. This halfwit is blaming the government! The are some real rocket scientists on Blitz. Great reading.

"After all that [censored] hoohaar on Thursday, what we have is one individual, and a club that has been potentially duped. And surprise surprise some no neck thugby players doin roids. No match fixing in the AFL. So assuming we get off, the AFL actually only has one person of interest. Is this a sick Joke?

We have copped so much enormous and unnecessary additional heat an innuendo over this c*** of a government's political grandstanding."

Just took the above of B'Blitz. This halfwit is blaming the government! The are some real rocket scientists on Blitz. Great reading.

PeaCock.

AFL supremo Gillon McLachlan also said "Further, the AFL is not aware of any instance of suspected match fixing in the AFL competition". Isn't tanking, deliberately losing or throwing games a form of 'match fixing'? Just thinking bout MFC with the tanking claims.

Timelines > Oct 23, 2012

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/weapon-targeted.978571/

In a strange move the AFL is apparently going to dispense with the policy applied in previous investigations and will widen its anti Essendon drugs enquiry to other clubs. Gold Coast Suns and Geelong now in the gunAFL vows to investigate The Weapon's former clubs

What happened to the one club at a time policy they applied to alleged "tanking"?

What policy? On tanking, the AFL can (and probably will) do whatever it likes. With WADA, ASADA, ACC and the Federal government watching their every move, they will probably investigate everything under the sun, and some that aren't (such as Essendon suddenly emvracing an away strip and making a mess of it) ...

AFL supremo Gillon McLachlan also said "Further, the AFL is not aware of any instance of suspected match fixing in the AFL competition". Isn't tanking, deliberately losing or throwing games a form of 'match fixing'? Just thinking bout MFC with the tanking claims.

True.

I considered that any allegations of "match-fixing" could have been in reference to our investigation.

Obviously not, it would seem...

Timelines > Oct 23, 2012

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/weapon-targeted.978571/

a wise supporter there.

Many club officials over many clubs have been waiting for this to blow open for over 12 months from What i was told last night. What is found thus far may only be the tip of the berg.

People have known about it...

I agree Jose