Prefer to see them play finals and tigers finish 9th again.

But reading the court case ASADA will never stop this investigation and they will get EFC no matter.

This court case clearly showed how bad EFC and staff were.ASADA tabled very important documents and EFC are gone.

Dont bother with the press,they are AFL registered reporters and dont make comments on the important official documents.

I wonder if the ASADA case coming to a head at Cronulla is any indication of what might be to come for Essendon?

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/asada-pain-could-end-soon-for-cronulla-sharks-20140817-10546c.html

This may already have been clarified here somewhere amongst the 285 pages of this thread, but it appears that suspensions apply from the date of issue rather than over the actual season (which to me seems pointless - it may work for sports like cycling and athletics that are run year round, but not for a seasonal sport such as NRL or AFL):

"With the bans expected to be offered to 17 past and present Sharks players believed to be between one month and six months in length, all will be back playing after the first month of next season - if not earlier."

I think the Sharkies actually tried to help ASADA as such. EFC havent . When the bombers finally gt smacked it will more than likely see 2 year bans placed on the naughty lads unless some serious capitulation occurs very soon

I massively disagree. If they dod have an interest in the broader game they would have taken their penalty at the start and moved on.

Its way too late now to say they have the games interest at heart. FMD they are trying to single handedly destroy it.

Re-read my post - that's exactly what I am saying.

Their initial attempts to be conciliatory by self reporting and feigning cooperation went straight out the window when they realised the depth of poop they were in. Then self interest kicked in big time and since then it has been deceive, deflect and generally muddy the waters at all costs.

The only thing I disagree is " they are single handedly trying to destroy the game" - no they are not - they don't give two hoots for the game. This is all about protecting Essendon by any means possible - nothing more nothing less.

The saddest part of all this is that right now - after yesterday's miserable performance - this thread is more interesting than any of the multitudinous threads on the team I love.

And I say that knowing full well that most people don't agree with most of my posts in this thread (except, perhaps, this one).

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.

Just sayin... I flagged this a while ago...got a bit of schtick for it as well.....

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/tony-abbott-slams-blackest-day-in-sport-claims-by-labor-20140818-1059h9.html

Just sayin... I flagged this a while ago...got a bit of schtick for it as well.....

http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/tony-abbott-slams-blackest-day-in-sport-claims-by-labor-20140818-1059h9.html

Not surprisingly there is not a lot of substance to those comments...

Not surprisingly there is not a lot of substance to those comments...

Because the blackest day in sport has turned up what evidence? Please enlighten us.

Not surprisingly there is not a lot of substance to those comments...

That's cunning punning!

Because the blackest day in sport has turned up what evidence? Please enlighten us.

how would we know? asada conduct their investigations under strict confidentiality

we are yet to know what asada have dug up

Because the blackest day in sport has turned up what evidence? Please enlighten us.

I made no comment about the blackest day in sport.

Abbot said the other mob are no good. Wowee.

What is he going to do about it to enhance performance?

It is interesting watching Bomba Thompson and Roos on 360. Something is brewing there.

Bomba said that he doesn't have a role when Hird returns and he is always upbeat about The Dees performance, actually making excuses for yesterday's performance.

You get the impression he really wants to work with Roos next year.

It is interesting watching Bomba Thompson and Roos on 360. Something is brewing there.

Bomba said that he doesn't have a role when Hird returns and he is always upbeat about The Dees performance, actually making excuses for yesterday's performance.

You get the impression he really wants to work with Roos next year.

tell ya what, Lingy was exactly the same while commentating the game, I was thinking the entire time that I would bet my left one he is at the club next year

he described part of what we were doing in a weird way, and then at quarter time Roosy said exactly the same thing and it just seemed like they have had a serious discussion about the game plan over one of their little coffee dates.

Because the blackest day in sport has turned up what evidence? Please enlighten us.

ASADA /WADA have a strict protocol regarding the procurement and verification of evidence. As a follow up their due dilligence runs it past a number of 'test of validity" and is then further proofed for the purposes of prosecution.

I.e By the time they get around to issuing SCN they have something more than solid. I'm surprised they didnt contact you Jnr for your opinion

It is interesting watching Bomba Thompson and Roos on 360. Something is brewing there.

Bomba said that he doesn't have a role when Hird returns and he is always upbeat about The Dees performance, actually making excuses for yesterday's performance.

You get the impression he really wants to work with Roos next year.

Might need its own thread but I certainly got that impression as well. There were a few "knowing " looks happening there not to mention the description of the other coaching arrangement where one did the general coaching and one was the game day coach. Bomba was clear there was no role for him at Essendon. Will we see Roos , Bomba as game day coach and Ling as an assistant?

ASADA /WADA have a strict protocol regarding the procurement and verification of evidence. As a follow up their due dilligence runs it past a number of 'test of validity" and is then further proofed for the purposes of prosecution.

I.e By the time they get around to issuing SCN they have something more than solid. I'm surprised they didnt contact you Jnr for your opinion

Correct. Abbott is just playing his usual politics - any excuse to put the boot into the opposition to deflect from his numerous broken promises. Regardless of whatever devious political motives the Labor party may have had at the time, he and we should await the outcome to see just how black or white the blackest day was.

The real worry here is that his remarks may indicate that Little's 'circuit breaker' may be getting activated. That would indeed be a black day for sport (and independent process).

It is interesting watching Bomba Thompson and Roos on 360. Something is brewing there.

Bomba said that he doesn't have a role when Hird returns and he is always upbeat about The Dees performance, actually making excuses for yesterday's performance.

You get the impression he really wants to work with Roos next year.

tell ya what, Lingy was exactly the same while commentating the game, I was thinking the entire time that I would bet my left one he is at the club next year

he described part of what we were doing in a weird way, and then at quarter time Roosy said exactly the same thing and it just seemed like they have had a serious discussion about the game plan over one of their little coffee dates.

Might need its own thread but I certainly got that impression as well. There were a few "knowing " looks happening there not to mention the description of the other coaching arrangement where one did the general coaching and one was the game day coach. Bomba was clear there was no role for him at Essendon. Will we see Roos , Bomba as game day coach and Ling as an assistant?

I hope all 3 of you are right

Correct. Abbott is just playing his usual politics - any excuse to put the boot into the opposition to deflect from his numerous broken promises. Regardless of whatever devious political motives the Labor party may have had at the time, he and we should await the outcome to see just how black or white the blackest day was.

The real worry here is that his remarks may indicate that Little's 'circuit breaker' may be getting activated. That would indeed be a black day for sport (and independent process).

some of what abbott says about the "blackest day in australian sport" is probably correct

however he should stay out of politicizing it any further

he should though ensure that asada is properly resourced to enable swifter resolution of investigations

he should affirm and support asada's independence unequivocably

nahh...he should just shut up !!

There are some extraordinary goings on surrounding the NRL.

I can't see any of this getting past WADA and I suspect Australia is going to look very sick in the eyes of the sporting world if the back room deals I'm reading about come to fruition.

Correct. Abbott is just playing his usual politics - any excuse to put the boot into the opposition to deflect from his numerous broken promises. Regardless of whatever devious political motives the Labor party may have had at the time, he and we should await the outcome to see just how black or white the blackest day was.

The real worry here is that his remarks may indicate that Little's 'circuit breaker' may be getting activated. That would indeed be a black day for sport (and independent process).

Please don't turn this into a politics thread.

The ACC are already on record as saying they had no evidence that would have necessetated a press conference the way it was conducted. In fact no evidence of any actual law breaking.

And while we are all waiting for the result of the ASAD probe it is blindingly obvious the press conference was political...not sure why you can't see that.

Please don't turn this into a politics thread.

The ACC are already on record as saying they had no evidence that would have necessetated a press conference the way it was conducted. In fact no evidence of any actual law breaking.

And while we are all waiting for the result of the ASAD probe it is blindingly obvious the press conference was political...not sure why you can't see that.

I don't deny that the press conference was political. I did refer to 'devious motives'. I just think Abbott is playing the same game of trying to score political points. And the worry is that this is a prelude to the making it go away as Little has called for.

Personally I think sweeping this under the carpet while scoring political points would be far more serious than any stunt or over-reaction the previous government may have made. This is a case where exaggerating the problem for political purposes is far less damaging than sweeping it under the carpet for political purposes. Let's just hope it doesn't happen.

Edited August 19, 201411 yr by sue

There are some extraordinary goings on surrounding the NRL.

I can't see any of this getting past WADA and I suspect Australia is going to look very sick in the eyes of the sporting world if the back room deals I'm reading about come to fruition.

Keep us all posted WJ

There are some extraordinary goings on surrounding the NRL.

I can't see any of this getting past WADA and I suspect Australia is going to look very sick in the eyes of the sporting world if the back room deals I'm reading about come to fruition.

This is the odd thing WJ..if they dont penalise correctly , WADA will step in anyways. Who's trying to kid who here.

I don't deny that the press conference was political. I did refer to 'devious motives'. I just think Abbott is playing the same game of trying to score political points. And the worry is that this is a prelude to the making it go away as Little has called for.

Personally I think sweeping this under the carpet while scoring political points would be far more serious than any stunt or over-reaction the previous government may have made. This is a case where exaggerating the problem for political purposes is far less damaging than sweeping it under the carpet for political purposes. Let's just hope it doesn't happen.

Agreed

http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/asada-saga-likely-to-drag-on-for-another-three-years-20140819-105pyi.html