Heard on SEN this morning the comment that he was suffering a back complaint for a fair bit of last season.

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The spin doctors are hard at work OD.

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The spin doctors are hard at work OD.

They were suggestion this as the reason he may have pushed the envelope but were not using it as a reason to feel sorry for him.

They were quite critical in their comments.

at this stage i have no reason to believe the "pain-killer" story

may be true, may be not

athletes who get caught in testing always come up with a similar excuse

at this stage i have no reason to believe the "pain-killer" story

may be true, may be not

athletes who get caught in testing always come up with a similar excuse

Spot on dc

Was it significant yesterday the the Freo President said Crowley is using his own lawyers?

Spot on dc

Was it significant yesterday the the Freo President said Crowley is using his own lawyers?

maybe

at this stage i have no reason to believe the "pain-killer" story

may be true, may be not

athletes who get caught in testing always come up with a similar excuse

There is a lot still to play out in this story. At the moment we're just hearing Freo spin.

It is a bitter pill for Crowley to swallow.

But [censored] him.

It is a bitter pill for Crowley to swallow.

But [censored] him.

Quite right Biff!

The guy must surely be a simpleton. What else explains getting done for drugs in the current climate?

The Freo guys apparently have four educational sessions a year warning about drugs. FMD.

Quite right Biff!

The guy must surely be a simpleton. What else explains getting done for drugs in the current climate?

The Freo guys apparently have four educational sessions a year warning about drugs. FMD.

It's not just the Freo boys who have it drummed into their heads that players are responsible for what goes in their body but all AFL players and that's been going on since the AFL signed on to ASADA/WADA.

The players are lectured about and warned that they need to take responsibilty and will be held accountable for breaches.

This is why it's the responsibility of the AFL/ASADA/WADA to ensure that players found guilty of ingesting banned substances are appropriately punished in such circumstances.

In the case of Crowley, it's extraordinary that he went over the head of the club and its medical people and took a painkiller without the proper advice and he will suffer for it as will the EFC 34 if found guilty.

The wet tram ticket punishment suggested in some circles would be an affront to all clean sportspersons and make our sport a laughing stock.

Quite right Biff!

The guy must surely be a simpleton. What else explains getting done for drugs in the current climate?

The Freo guys apparently have four educational sessions a year warning about drugs. FMD.

Why on earth any player in any team in the league would need a educational session about drugs with what has unfolded with Essendon is simply beyond me. ( the education session should go something like this - "good morning players. Essendon. That's all. The end")

seems likely that if he did use a pain-killer it was one of the opiates only available via prescription

he would need to be a able to provide proof of a script from that time-frame

so far he has not (publicly) named the pain-killer

it was mentioned in the paper that the reason for the delay of a tribunal hearing was at his request in order to prepare a defense

I hope this doesn't tarnish his good guy reputation.

I am still laughing at this....

Why on earth any player in any team in the league would need a educational session about drugs with what has unfolded with Essendon is simply beyond me. ( the education session should go something like this - "good morning players. Essendon. That's all. The end")

But at the moment "Essendon have done nothing wrong". The players are all victims. The AFL is victimising James.

It is definitely why this case has to be finalised with adequate penalties

It's not just the Freo boys who have it drummed into their heads that players are responsible for what goes in their body but all AFL players and that's been going on since the AFL signed on to ASADA/WADA.

The players are lectured about and warned that they need to take responsibilty and will be held accountable for breaches.

This is why it's the responsibility of the AFL/ASADA/WADA to ensure that players found guilty of ingesting banned substances are appropriately punished in such circumstances.

In the case of Crowley, it's extraordinary that he went over the head of the club and its medical people and took a painkiller without the proper advice and he will suffer for it as will the EFC 34 if found guilty.

The wet tram ticket punishment suggested in some circles would be an affront to all clean sportspersons and make our sport a laughing stock.

It would be very difficult for even the AFL to spin enough to justify any penalty being any less than that imposed on Saad.