Another triumph for journalism

[DeeSpencer 23,058]

Silly Essendon and players. They should've just denied it all like Dank has. That said if the only evidence ASADA has is that the players said they did stuff then the players will be fine!

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

I think a lot of you have misread my criticism.

I'm not bashing her for telling readers where to find the names.

I'm bashing her for saying that her paper would not release the names, thereby implying that she somehow has the moral high ground, and then explicitly telling the reader where the names can be found. It's disingenuous.

She should have simply said her paper would not release the names and left it at that. She did not need to point out a competing paper where the names could be found.

I made no comment on the actual ethicality of releasing the names as that is a different issue.

[binman 37,774]

She should have simply said her paper would not release the names and left it at that. She did not need to point out a competing paper where the names could be found.

I made no comment on the actual ethicality of releasing the names as that is a different issue.

Even if she chose to not take the free kick her editor would not have allowed her to miss the opportunity to have a shot at their only real competitor (particularly given the criticism she and the Age have copped from the sanctimonious double act of Warner and Yobbo).

[KingDingAling 3,589]

What suprises me is it is not the other way around.

I would have thought Wilson would be the one naming. But there you go.

Robinson is in deep water now. Hope he knows how to swim.

Maybe he should take some tips off Dank, he can swim without even getting wet.

[titan_uranus 22,220]

For the HUN to reveal the names whilst trying to shape the story as one of sympathy towards the players is a total joke.

For Wilson to be bleating on her high horse about confidentiality after 18 months of reporting about the MFC tanking investigation and the EFC substance investigation via the use of a torrent of leaks of what should have been confidential information is worse.

[Undeeterred 2,816]

Tell you what, if they lost that group for any length of time, they are absolutely stuffed.

[DeeSpencer 23,058]

I don't get why the Age didn't just publish them.

The list of 44 bombers has been trimmed to 10 plus the 2 at other clubs plus the 2 out of the AFL. It's good news for the other 30 on the bombers list that year.

Now of course if those 10 get sanctions the bombers and probably the comp is in big trouble due to the quality of player listed. Essendon would have to get special list and salary cap concession to sign the best 10 free agents or mature VFL players they could get and they'd be a bottom 4 list for sure.

It's also good news for Jobe Watson who now is not alone as the poster boy for admitting to peptides

[Whispering_Jack 27,918]

What we are seeing is the continuation by segments of the media to manipulate the narrative away from the primary story of an alleged sophisticated programme involving the injecting of AFL footballers with prohibited substances to one of the integrity of the organisation that has been invested with the carrying out of that investigation.

This has been the Murdoch agenda for quite some time and its insidiousness is palpable. We got a preview of things to come from Gerard Whateley who chaired yesterday's edition of the Offsiders on ABC1 but who will also co-chair AFL360 with Robertson commencing tonight on Fox Footy. Whateley keeps parroting the line used by the Bombers that ASADA told them (presumably through their agent Dank) that AOD9604 was not prohibited (a claim that has never been verified and sits in the face of what the WADA Code states) and that the thymosin used in the programme was legal although it is said that "the AFL and ASADA investigation could find no source of legal thymosin being sourced by Essendon" (Players union hits naming of Dons over drug use).

Whateley has been plain wrong on this from the very get go and he was also wrong on the Offsiders when he made the outrageous claim that nothing new had come to light since the interim report. I would have thought that the revelation by Patrick Smith last week (in the Oz) that ASADA had access to ACC material including two comprehensive interviews with Dank would be game chargers.

Yet we can expect Whateley and Robinson to repeat the same old stuff tonight and scratch their heads wondering why Dank hasn't been called up to give evidence.

What a pity there will be no opportunity for a dissenting view on that programme or that Roy Masters didn't appear in the Offsiders yesterday.

[old dee 22,811]

WJ your comment above suggests you expect a balanced account from the Murdoch media.

I hope you don't really believe that as you are bound to be disappointed.

Jokes aside It is plain they have an agenda and we should kept that in mind when we read other "serious" pronouncements by them on the next "big" story.

This is the world according to Rupert.

[Whispering_Jack 27,918]

Very true OD but my disappointment is with Whateley who I once regarded above that but has since become another sock puppet for Murdoch.

Shame.

[binman 37,774]

What we are seeing is the continuation by segments of the media to manipulate the narrative away from the primary story of an alleged sophisticated programme involving the injecting of AFL footballers with prohibited substances to one of the integrity of the organisation that has been invested with the carrying out of that investigation.

This has been the Murdoch agenda for quite some time and its insidiousness is palpable.

Good post WJ. I'd also add that Essendon and its media allies have also looked to manipulate the narrative in such a way that the focus is on the legality or otherwise of the drugs used. Indeed Whateley has been adamant on this point since the beginning and i heard him on Offsiders repeat the assertion that this is really the only issue.

The narrative is if ASADA do not charge any players then EFC are vindicated. This infuriates me. It is the very definition of a furphy. For a start it is possible that EFC did in fact used banned drugs but ASADA don't have sufficient proof (or desire?) to lay charges. This scenario is no vindication in my eyes. Bu in any case, for me to an extent the charges are secondary.

The real issue is the failure of the club to protect their players from harm. For god's sake they can not even equivocally say what drugs the players received and what is completely missed by Yobbo and the EFC apologists in discussion about AOD and the potential wrong advice from ASADA is that it is a drug that has not been properly tested and was not being used for its intended purpose. And this is just a couple of examples of how they let down their players. Hundreds of off site injections, a lack of proper proper medical oversight, ignoring their own doctors warning and in in the words of their own expert brought in to review what happened - 'a pharmacological experimental environment'.

Finnis made this very point ie the issue of the legality of the drugs is secondary to the health and welfare of the players. EFC and journos like Yobbo and Whateley refuse to address this.

And like you WJ i have lost a lot of respect for Whateley.

[Sir Why You Little 34,407]

The change in Whateley since he joined the Murdoch organization has been quite staggering.

[Outside fifty 967]

I think your on to something here WJ. I'm reading this as an attempt by the HUN to muddy the waters of the ASADA investigation, the hypocrisy is monumental. This appears to be a calculated move aimed at discrediting ASADA and prejudicing the entire process.

[old dee 22,811]

I think your on to something here WJ. I'm reading this as an attempt by the HUN to muddy the waters of the ASADA investigation, the hypocrisy is monumental. This appears to be a calculated move aimed at discrediting ASADA and prejudicing the entire process.

Correct me if I am wrong here OF but the HUN belongs to the same organization that taped peoples phones.

They seem to have forgotten that they are supposed to report the news not make it.

[Outside fifty 967]

Yes OD the Herald and Weekly times is a subsidiary of News Corp so we shouldn't be surprised I suppose.

[ManDee 7,073]

Over the years one from time to time knows the truth of a story. eg. When the hill opposite you is on fire and the media congratulates the firies for putting it out. When in reality it is still burning and being heli bombed for three days after it was put out.

I have been in the position of knowing that facts several times. ON EVERY OCCASION THE MEDIA INCORRECTLY REPORTED THE FACTS. Every time. I have discussed this with several friends whose experiences are similar.

My more mature outlook is that I believe very little of what I read and nothing that is said on TV (it is a light box for the display of sport- sound down please - commentators are worse that journos)

Yes I may be jaded but I am not disappointed.

If the Essendon facts ever come out I will only be reading official reports, if any, and they will not tell the whole truth, but the truth to the extent that they can display it without recourse to legal action. The reality is that usually the real truth is so juicy that it would probably even shock me.

[MikeyJ 60]

I think a lot of you have misread my criticism.

I'm not bashing her for telling readers where to find the names.

I'm bashing her for saying that her paper would not release the names, thereby implying that she somehow has the moral high ground, and then explicitly telling the reader where the names can be found. It's disingenuous.

She should have simply said her paper would not release the names and left it at that. She did not need to point out a competing paper where the names could be found.

I made no comment on the actual ethicality of releasing the names as that is a different issue.

I made the initial criticism and I didn't misread it. I think you're wrong.

EVERY news report about the issue has identified either the Herald Sun specifically or News Corp's Sunday papers generally as the source of the named players.

Is every reporter wrong? I doubt it. Why have you singled out Caro? Seemingly because of some personal bias.

Again, I suggest that you don't know what poor journalism is.

[Whispering_Jack 27,918]

I happened to be driving to an appointment today and Robbo was talking on SEN about his newspaper's revelation of the player's named in the interim report. He was building himself up to a crescendo and finished by blaming everything on ASADA.

Now, I don't know who leaked the information to Robbo but as sure as hell, I know why and that was to discredit the ASADA investigation.

Without doubt, there will be more to come tonight on AFL360.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,381]

That list has been copy pasted from the interim report. AOD isnt the only illegal one there. One of them is extract of pigs brain ffs.

Slightly off topic, but the apparent distaste for "extract of pigs brains" may be unfair. Just ask Jack Fitzpatrick what he thinks about "extract of pig's pancreas".

I accept that "extract of pig's brains" may be an unproven and even unhealthy (and possibly even an un-kosher) product. But a knee-jerk reaction just because it sounds a bit icky can be a bit short sighted.

[biggestred 4,259]

Slightly off topic, but the apparent distaste for "extract of pigs brains" may be unfair. Just ask Jack Fitzpatrick what he thinks about "extract of pig's pancreas".

I accept that "extract of pig's brains" may be an unproven and even unhealthy (and possibly even an un-kosher) product. But a knee-jerk reaction just because it sounds a bit icky can be a bit short sighted.

Fair comment, however colostrum (extract of pigs brain) is well and truly on the banned list...

[Redleg 37,474]

Even Peter Jess has a fair idea who leaked the report to an Essendon supporting journo.

As Jess said on SEN today, why would ASADA leak it when they know it is illegal to do so, it could affect their process and they know what is coming anyway and are in control of it.

It has been done to garner support for the Essendon players, before the sh-t hits the fan. Now who would be most likely to want to protect Essendon players?

[daisycutter 28,455]

Fair comment, however colostrum (extract of pigs brain) is well and truly on the banned list...

i think you mean Cerebrolysin.

colostrum is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals (including humans) in late pregnancy.

[sue 8,411]

As usual just ask 'who benefits' by the publication of the players' names.

The HUN and al New Ltd media outlets just push a few agendas - somehow all those independent editors around the world always know just what Rupert wants - the uniform support in every one of his outlets for the IRAQ invasion typifies that when other papers had all sorts of views. While I doubt Rupert would personally have a position on ASADA, the mindset of running agendas rather than objective reporting permeates his organisations and everything they do. (And they have the gall to criticise the ABC for bias.)

The suspicion that this is a desperate attempt to muddy the waters and discredit ASADA seems very believable.

[biggestred 4,259]

i think you mean Cerebrolysin.

colostrum is a form of milk produced by the mammary glands of mammals (including humans) in late pregnancy.

My apologies

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

As usual just ask 'who benefits' by the publication of the players' names.

The HUN and al New Ltd media outlets just push a few agendas - somehow all those independent editors around the world always know just what Rupert wants - the uniform support in every one of his outlets for the IRAQ invasion typifies that when other papers had all sorts of views. While I doubt Rupert would personally have a position on ASADA, the mindset of running agendas rather than objective reporting permeates his organisations and everything they do. (And they have the gall to criticise the ABC for bias.)

The suspicion that this is a desperate attempt to muddy the waters and discredit ASADA seems very believable.

Rupert might have view on WADA though.

After Brooke's recent claim on phone hacking I am surprised News waited for the leaked report and didn't just hack players phones