Jump to content

THE ESSENDON 34: ON TRIAL

Featured Replies

  On 22/02/2015 at 22:15, daisycutter said:

slobbo pushes for essendon man to fill vacancy on afl commission

just what we need. why don't we just hand over the chairman's job too and be done with it

I think the key point about an indigenous representative is valid, though.That Michael Long happens to be a former Essendon player shouldn't be relevant. However, I suspect that in the minds of the AFL-loving public it will be. There are plenty more great indigenous choices, though. It doesn't have to be Long. What about David Wirrpanda, for example?

 
  On 22/02/2015 at 22:10, ManDee said:

Fair point, my reply above was written prior to reading your point.

As to the view of damage to weaker clubs from excising the boil of Essendon from the competition, I think the competition will be better for it.

South & Fitzroy supporters have not all been lost to football. Sometimes short term pain is needed in order to go ahead. Tassie Bombers would be a positive outcome and it would show others that the cost of seriously transgressing the rules can be massive.

I know a good many who have no interest even when the Brisbane Lions were winning flags and they were not removed from the league like some are proposing be done to Essendon.

Any way enough of this it just goes round and round everyone on here has a view and I don't see anyone changing any time soon.

  On 22/02/2015 at 22:18, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

For what it's worth, and without extending the debate, I think whenever team's seriously transgress accepted rules, the punishments should primarily be directed to the individuals who make the decision to break the rules. I agree that clubs also need some form of punishment so that they do not benefit from the crimes committed, but meaningful (ie, longterm or lifetime) bans should be "offered" to those individuals proven to have been culpable.

Your compassion is to be commended.

So if we accept that individuals accept long-term/lifetime bans what is an acceptable punishment for the organisation that stood to derive the benefits of the scheme?

Financial penalty? Would have to be means tested, rich clubs to receive a bigger penalty.

Draft choice removal? Would also have to be scaled, Hawthorn losing their 1st 2 picks for 2 years would be less harsh than StKilda for the same period.

Banning from finals for a period? Would not be a penalty to StKilda.

So how do we structure a suitable penalty? I am not sure if there is a suitable penalty, I am just glad I am not an Essendon supporter.

 
  On 22/02/2015 at 22:24, old dee said:

I know a good many who have no interest even when the Brisbane Lions were winning flags and they were not removed from the league like some are proposing be done to Essendon.

Any way enough of this it just goes round and round everyone on here has a view and I don't see anyone changing any time soon.

OD, I have a two ex Fitzroy supporter friends, one now supports Bulldogs the other Brisbane, both have an interest in Fitzroy in the VAFA.

  On 22/02/2015 at 21:51, old dee said:

I agree jnrmac the rumours on a few players in the AFL are too strong and have been going to long for there not to be some fire.

Only a matter of time in my view.

A lot of people may be very surprised about the amount of Cocaine consumed by the more highly regarded members of this society.

Its the drug of choice as it out of your system in 24 hrs apparently.

The testers should be permanently stationed at Carlton BTW....


  On 22/02/2015 at 22:44, jnrmac said:

Its the drug of choice as it out of your system in 24 hrs apparently.

The testers should be permanently stationed at Carlton BTW....

...or test their players every 12 hours

  On 22/02/2015 at 22:41, ManDee said:

OD, I have a two ex Fitzroy supporter friends, one now supports Bulldogs the other Brisbane, both have an interest in Fitzroy in the VAFA.

Perhaps mine are older and have lost the desire for the game.

  On 22/02/2015 at 22:31, ManDee said:

Your compassion is to be commended.

So if we accept that individuals accept long-term/lifetime bans what is an acceptable punishment for the organisation that stood to derive the benefits of the scheme?

Financial penalty? Would have to be means tested, rich clubs to receive a bigger penalty.

Draft choice removal? Would also have to be scaled, Hawthorn losing their 1st 2 picks for 2 years would be less harsh than StKilda for the same period.

Banning from finals for a period? Would not be a penalty to StKilda.

So how do we structure a suitable penalty? I am not sure if there is a suitable penalty, I am just glad I am not an Essendon supporter.

As a dees supporter that one is up why alley.

 
  On 22/02/2015 at 21:51, old dee said:

I agree jnrmac the rumours on a few players in the AFL are too strong and have been going to long for there not to be some fire.

Only a matter of time in my view.

A lot of people may be very surprised about the amount of Cocaine consumed by the more highly regarded members of this society.

Agree 'old dee', I think the AFL have done their best to manage the problem. In other words keep it quiet.

As for the highly regarded members of society, the pity is some of them are in the media throwing stones and others are siting in judgement.

  On 22/02/2015 at 22:59, old dee said:

Perhaps mine are older and have lost the desire for the game.

I have been to a few matches at Brunswick Street and judging by the age of the supporters at the players race I would think they are the parents of your friends.

They love their team.

http://www.fitzroyfc.com.au/

Worth a read, specially the section on the AFL's most successful side.


  On 22/02/2015 at 22:23, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

I think the key point about an indigenous representative is valid, though.That Michael Long happens to be a former Essendon player shouldn't be relevant. However, I suspect that in the minds of the AFL-loving public it will be. There are plenty more great indigenous choices, though. It doesn't have to be Long. What about David Wirrpanda, for example?

Long can't put 2 words together (then again nor can Robbo) so to me he shouldn't be a prime candidate for the commission, there must be better indigenous representatives. Goodes will be a prime candidate although he does galvanise supporter opinion.

  On 22/02/2015 at 23:12, rjay said:

Agree 'old dee', I think the AFL have done their best to manage the problem. In other words keep it quiet.

As for the highly regarded members of society, the pity is some of them are in the media throwing stones and others are siting in judgement.

Exactly who I was hinting at rjay, I have a relative in the second group and if 10% of the stories he tells are correct then there is a lot of Cocaine in the community

  On 22/02/2015 at 21:46, jnrmac said:

It is alleged Hunt and the co-accused arranged for cocaine for personal use or to be passed on to friends or colleagues between June and December 2014.

Hunt was playing in the AFL for the Gold Coast Suns and training with the Reds during that time.

Clearly our drug testing regime is still pretty loose.....

This article is Queenland-focused, but I think the same comments very much apply everywhere.

Some turkey on the radio just said that the current cocaine cases are perhaps the 'darkest day in sport' rather than the EFC situation. If people like him can't see the difference between a few individuals who happen to be sportsmen facing criminal charges for supplying illegal drugs to the systematic cheating program at Essendon, I despair.

  On 22/02/2015 at 23:52, sue said:

Some turkey on the radio just said that the current cocaine cases are perhaps the 'darkest day in sport' rather than the EFC situation. If people like him can't see the difference between a few individuals who happen to be sportsmen facing criminal charges for supplying illegal drugs to the systematic cheating program at Essendon, I despair.

I think the cocaine problem reflects a darkness in the community and is not just related to sport.


  On 22/02/2015 at 22:15, daisycutter said:

slobbo pushes for essendon man to fill vacancy on afl commission

just what we need. why don't we just hand over the chairman's job too and be done with it

Well I could be convinced I would like to hear his views on performance enhancing drug use, recreational drug use and preventative strategies he has been involved with.

But he would need to indicate that Essendons actions are unforgivable and players and the club must be treated in the firmest possible way including meeting international expectations.

If that means the transfer of Essendon Bombers licence to Tasmanian Bombers that could be a positive step

  On 22/02/2015 at 23:15, rjay said:

Long can't put 2 words together (then again nor can Robbo) so to me he shouldn't be a prime candidate for the commission, there must be better indigenous representatives. Goodes will be a prime candidate although he does galvanise supporter opinion.

Ricky Jackson says no...

So does Troy Simmonds.

Mongrel player.

Is he the best person for the role? No. Then he/she should not get it, no matter what colour, ethnicity, religion etc

Best. For. The. Role!

  On 23/02/2015 at 02:14, Gorgoroth said:

Is he the best person for the role? No. Then he/she should not get it, no matter what colour, ethnicity, religion etc

Best. For. The. Role!

agreed gorgo, but not sure that is the way the afl work - lol

There must also be gay/lesbian, junior and senior citizen commisioners. That will cover most bases.


  On 22/02/2015 at 05:47, biggestred said:

this is exactly why all the evidence needs to be laid very clear, very publicly.

otherwise people will never understand whats happened.

IMO there is literally going to be the biggest, loudest and longest s%&t storm in the history of the AFL if this mob get off. Mind you I guess it's pretty safe to say it's already that. The lack of transparency if they get off is going to be one of the big contributors to how bad this storm is going to be not just from AFL supporters but from followers of all sports worldwide. The damage to Australia's international sporting standing will be massive.

IMO the system should require that once it is established that an athlete took a substance, as has been proven conclusively here, then the onus should be on them to prove what it was and if they can't they should automatically face a ban. If this was how the system ran then the players would have pleaded guilty a long time ago. I know BB thinks this is how the system works but everything I have read indicates that the onus is on ASADA to have to prove "to reasonable satisfaction" what they took and that it was illegal.

We all have our opinions about this whole saga but none of us have seen all the evidence and the Tribunal will have to make a very forensic legal assessment of the evidence. No matter what anyone's personal opinion if the evidence isn't enough to prove it legally then they will have to find them not guilty. ASADA already start on the back foot because they don't have any direct evidence eg positive blood tests and can't even call the two key witnesses. They have to rely on a whole lot of circumstantial evidence to prove what they took. Hopefully for everyone's sake other than the Bumbers this is enough.

I can't bare the thought of Hird and Little's behaviour if they get off. It would be enough for me to turn off all media for an extended period.

  On 23/02/2015 at 02:27, america de cali said:

There must also be gay/lesbian, junior and senior citizen commisioners. That will cover most bases.

I have my hand in the air for the last spot adc

Can I expect demonland support?

  On 23/02/2015 at 02:42, old dee said:

I have my hand in the air for the last spot adc

Can I expect demonland support?

You've got my vote 'old dee'...

 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • FEATURE: 1925

    A hundred years ago today, on 2 May 1925, Melbourne kicked off the new season with a 47 point victory over St Kilda to take top place on the VFL ladder after the opening round of the new season.  Top place was a relatively unknown position for the team then known as the “Fuchsias.” They had finished last in 1923 and rose by only one place in the following year although the final home and away round heralded a promise of things to come when they surprised the eventual premiers Essendon. That victory set the stage for more improvement and it came rapidly. In this series, I will tell the story of how the 1925 season unfolded for the Melbourne Football Club and how it made the VFL finals for the first time in a decade on the way to the ultimate triumph a year later.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: West Coast

    Saturday’s election night game in Perth between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne represents 18th vs 15th which makes it a tough decision as to which party to favour. The Eagles have yet to break the ice under their new coach in Andrew McQualter who is the second understudy in a row to confront Demon Coach Simon Goodwin who was also winless until a fortnight ago. On that basis, many punters might be considering to go with the donkey vote but I’ve been assigned with the task of helping readers to come to a considered opinion on this matter of vital importance across the nation. It was almost a year ago that I wrote a preview here of the Demons’ away game against the Eagles (under the name William from Waalitj because it was Indigenous Round).  I issued a warning that it was a danger game, based on my local knowledge that the home team were no longer easybeats and that they possessed a wunderkind generational player in Harley Reid who was capable of producing stellar performances playing among men a decade and more older than he.  At the time, the Eagles already had two wins off the back of a couple of the young man’s masterclasses and they had recently given the Bombers a scare straight after their Anzac Day blockbuster draw against the then reigning premiers.

    • 1 reply
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 08

    Round 08 of the 2025 AFL Season kicks off on Thursday with a must-win game for the Bombers to stay in touch with the top eight, while the struggling Roos seek a morale-boosting upset. Friday sees the Saints desperate for a win as well if they are to stay in finals contention and their opponents the Dockers will be eager to crack in to the Top 8 with a win on the road. Saturday kicks off with a pivotal clash for both sides asthe Bulldogs look to solidify their top-eight spot, while Port seeks to shake their pretender tag. Then the Crows will be looking to steady their topsy turvy season against a resurgent Blues looking to make it 4 wins on the trot. On Election Night a Blockbuster will see the ladder-leading Pies take on the Cats, who are keen to bounce back after a narrow loss. On Sunday the Sydney Derby promises fireworks as the Giants aim to cement their top-eight status, while the Swans fight to keep their season alive. The Hawks, celebrating their centenary, will be looking to easily account for the Tigers who are desperate to halt their slide. The Round concludes on Sunday Night with a top end of the table QClash with significant ladder implications; both Queensland teams are in scintillating form. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons?

    • 147 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: West Coast

    The Demons hit the road in Round 8, heading to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium. With momentum building, the Dees will be aiming for a third straight victory to keep their season revival on course. Who comes in and who goes out?

      • Like
    • 563 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Richmond

    The fans who turned up to the MCG for Melbourne’s Anzac Day Eve clash against Richmond would have been disappointed if they turned up to see a great spectacle. As much as this was a night for the 71,635 in attendance to commemorate heroes of the nation’s past wars, it was also a time for the Melbourne Football Club to consolidate upon its first win after a horrific start to the 2025 season. On this basis, despite the fact that it was an uninspiring and dour struggle for most of its 100 minutes, the night will be one for the fans to remember. They certainly got value out of the pre match activity honouring those who fought for their country. The MCG and the lights of the city as backdrop was made for nights such as these and, in my view, we received a more inspirational ceremony of Anzac culture than others both here and elsewhere around the country. 

    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Richmond

    The match up of teams competing in our great Aussie game at its second highest level is a rarity for a work day Thursday morning but the blustery conditions that met the players at a windswept Casey Fields was something far more commonplace.They turned the opening stanza between the Casey Demons and a somewhat depleted Richmond VFL into a mess of fumbling unforced errors, spilt marks and wasted opportunities for both sides but they did set up a significant win for the home team which is exactly what transpired on this Anzac Day round opener. Casey opened up strong against the breeze with the first goal to Aidan Johnson, the Tigers quickly responded and the game degenerated into a defensive slog and the teams were level when the first siren sounded.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland