On 11/08/2015 at 00:19, Ted Fidge said:

That's the ACTUAL view! Here's what Tird sees:

Is that a statue of Hird on the left, with his mouth piece Robbo drooling in the fountain?

  On 11/08/2015 at 00:29, Chris said:

Is that a statue of Hird on the left, with his mouth piece Robbo drooling in the fountain?

i think the fountain head is actually maximus gawn re-enacting his triumphant chinese victory

  On 11/08/2015 at 00:29, Chris said:

Is that a statue of Hird on the left, with his mouth piece Robbo drooling in the fountain?

"Robbus, go forth and spreadus disinformationus everywhere ye go. I command it."

"Yes Master."

(pause)

"Master ..."

"What now, o drunken old fool?"

"Can I wait until after happy hour?"

  On 10/08/2015 at 23:24, ManDee said:

James Hirds view of the club he loves.

. . . and then out of the flames comes the new T3000 from WADACORP!!

Would hope that certain Passports are being looked at in "preparation" now.

Trying to think of a word worse than BLACK.....in context "blackest day in Australian sport"

Because this situation is indeed charcoal now

  On 10/08/2015 at 22:04, Dees2014 said:

Don't know about "forget WADA". What you are suggesting is exactly what the CAS hearings will do.WADA as chief prosecutor can be expected to bring all those people to give evidence under oath: Fitzpatrick, McLaughlin, Demitriou, Little, Hird, and Dank. I would also add Charter, the Chinese exporters and the South Yarra chemists who will this time be required under court orders to testify under oath. We must all remember that this in effect is a new trial, and anything and anyone is open for questioning. We may even see some players be called to give evidence and not rely on the transcripts from the AFL/ASADA interviews as the AFL tribunal did. This means of course they will be open for cross examination from a hostile counsel which they weren't at the tribunal. It is a very different hearing, under very different rules, and will have a very different outcome.

I very much doubt that Fitz of integrity, Dill the likeable, AD, Molly Robbo, Hird, Little and co will be called to give evidence at the CAS hearings.

I hope the players take action and all of this gets to play out in a court of law, the WADA case is only a part of a bigger picture.

Hird may find himself a very lonely fellow:

-Tim Watson is said to be disenchanted with Hird's coaching

-Bomber Thompson is being quite liberal with his anti EFC comments

-Matthew Lloyd is 'reconsidering' his J. Daniher coaching role...ie won't be their in 2016.

These are all the club captains for the last 20 years. All are club legends. They can't all be wrong!

Yet the Board, CEO and supporters still blindly follow their 'messiah'.

No promised land here tho...just a road to ruin!

  On 11/08/2015 at 02:26, Lucifer said:

Hird may find himself a very lonely fellow:

-Tim Watson is said to be disenchanted with Hird's coaching

-Bomber Thompson is being quite liberal with his anti EFC comments

-Matthew Lloyd is 'reconsidering' his J. Daniher coaching role...ie won't be their in 2016.

These are all the club captains for the last 20 years. All are club legends. They can't all be wrong!

Yet the Board, CEO and supporters still blindly follow their 'messiah'.

No promised land here tho...just a road to ruin!

LH why are you so dumb.

Of course they are all wrong.

And you will all see the light once the truth comes out.

  On 11/08/2015 at 02:31, old dee said:

LH why are you so dumb.

Of course they are all wrong.

And you will all see the light once the truth comes out.

You could have been a bit more gentle o d

  On 11/08/2015 at 01:51, rjay said:

I very much doubt that Fitz of integrity, Dill the likeable, AD, Molly Robbo, Hird, Little and co will be called to give evidence at the CAS hearings.

I hope the players take action and all of this gets to play out in a court of law, the WADA case is only a part of a bigger picture.

We shall see I guess.

My understanding is that WADA see this as effectively a "retrial" (as they regard the AFL Tribunal Hearing as a joke), and like many royal commissions no one knows where this might go. What did, I think, Paul Keating say; "never call a royal commission unless you know the outcome". Not that this is a Royal Conission, but it has some of the opened ended nature to it which will make it unpredictable, particularly as much of the truth is yet to come out as all the previous enquiries were very closely defined in order for the vested interests to control the damage. Further, with the AFL being asleep at the wheel through much of this saga, and their wish to repress the truth, and allowing Hird and Essendon to get away with outrageous behaviour in so many areas, WADA are determined to uncover these practices and expose them once and for all. In so doing, make the price of them so high that no one will dare try them again.

This means very severe consequences for Essendon and Hird, but it also means "looking under rocks" which have been known only by rumour. This will be far more extensive than everyone believes, which I would suggest includes grilling all the major players at Essendon and the AFL. I can't see how that would not include the list I posted before, particularly Demitriou and GM. It will also include the outside players who were muzzled by Hird's henchmen just before the AFL Tribunal hearings, plus some further afield such as the Chinese suppliers who sold the drugs. I have no doubt some of the Essendon players who are the subject of the hearings will be asked to testify and be cross-examined.

  On 11/08/2015 at 02:31, old dee said:

LH why are you so dumb.

Of course they are all wrong.

And you will all see the light once the truth comes out.

But Dees, how sure are you that CAS will have to the power to subpoena? I thought that was still up in the air.

  On 11/08/2015 at 03:32, Ted Fidge said:

But Dees, how sure are you that CAS will have to the power to subpoena? I thought that was still up in the air.

The power last at the AFL Tribunal was not granted last time on essentially a technicality which is not there this time. I have read a number of legal opinions on this and most are saying they believe this time the Supreme Court will grant the subpoena powers. Again we shall have to see. Certainly WADA believes they will be granted this time.

  On 11/08/2015 at 03:10, Lucifer said:

You could have been a bit more gentle o d

Sorry LH I am sure you knew it was very tongue in cheek.

  On 10/08/2015 at 23:14, jnrmac said:

I repeat that either:

A) the club knew what was being given to the players

- if it was legal we would know about it by now. Hence it was clearly illegal.

or B) the club didn't know what was given to the players.

-which is actually as bad if not worse that they would experiment on young players like that

Footy clubs keep meticulous records on everything. There is nothing left to chance. Particularly when you are running a 'cutting edge' program that costs around $600-700k. They wantto know the levels of improvement or otherwise on each player. It is simply implausible that they did not have records.

The questions I don't get are why the players are still behind Hird? Why aren't parents, player managers, wives and partners up in arms about this? If I had "concrete injected into my arse" I would not be happy...

Unless you were a hard arse already of course ... FWIW I agree about the legality and knowledge, but I also think that several in this saga have had concrete in their heads for some time ...

  On 11/08/2015 at 03:24, Dees2014 said:

We shall see I guess.

My understanding is that WADA see this as effectively a "retrial" (as they regard the AFL Tribunal Hearing as a joke), and like many royal commissions no one knows where this might go. What did, I think, Paul Keating say; "never call a royal commission unless you know the outcome". Not that this is a Royal Conission, but it has some of the opened ended nature to it which will make it unpredictable, particularly as much of the truth is yet to come out as all the previous enquiries were very closely defined in order for the vested interests too control the damage. Further, with the AFL being asleep at the wheel through much of this saga, and their wish to repress the truth, and allowing Hird and Essendon to get away with outrageous behaviour in so many areas, WADA are determined to uncover these practices and expose them once and for all. In so doing, make the price of them so high that no one will dare try them again.

This means very severe consequences for Essendon and Hird, but it also means "looking under rocks" which have been known only by rumour. This will be far more extensive than everyone believes, which I would suggest includes grilling all the major players at Essendon and the AFL. I can't see how that would not include the list I posted before, particularly Demitriou and GM. It will also include the outside players who were muzzled by Hird's henchmen just before the AFL Tribunal hearings, plus some further afield such as the Chinese suppliers who sold the drugs. I have no doubt some of the players will be asked to testify and be cross-examined.

However it happens 'Dees2014', I would and I'm sure most would like to see the truth come out.

I love the fact I'm seeing a bloody lot less stand by Hird crud in the last two months.

Supporters aren't loving him as much now.

  On 11/08/2015 at 04:47, Gorgoroth said:

I love the fact I'm seeing a bloody lot less stand by Hird crud in the last two months.

Supporters aren't loving him as much now.

Reality bites as Hird becomes more and more irrational as he becomes more and more desperate. He is being exposed for what he is - a lying and desperate man, and even the most rusted on will see it more and more as we moved towards the November hearings.

  On 11/08/2015 at 04:47, Gorgoroth said:

I love the fact I'm seeing a bloody lot less stand by Hird crud in the last two months.

Supporters aren't loving him as much now.

Yep! the new one is better . .

#standonhird

_{Just a question Dees 2014. Would there be any liaison between the ACC and this enquiry and notwithstanding this as the press have}

_{played a "vital" role of misconstruction why wouldn't a bloke like fish and "chip" have his wings withered as well?}

_{In your opinion.....}

More popcorn please

Truly becoming a Greek Tragedy. The case of a man of importance who falls to disaster as a result of his personal failings and circumstances which he cannot control.

Although his personal failings have been apparent for some time, it has now become evident that he can no longer control things (if he ever could). The tipping point has arrived and he really is on borrowed time. It really is like a morality play. A lesson for us all.

  On 11/08/2015 at 06:47, hemingway said:

Truly becoming a Greek Tragedy. The case of a man of importance who falls to disaster as a result of his personal failings and circumstances which he cannot control.

Although his personal failings have been apparent for some time, it has now become evident that he can no longer control things (if he ever could). The tipping point has arrived and he really is on borrowed time. It really is like a morality play. A lesson for us all.

Wow very deep today Ernest.

Actually has a lot of elements from one of your books.

Are we approaching the last chapter?

  On 11/08/2015 at 05:59, willmoy said:

_{Just a question Dees 2014. Would there be any liaison between the ACC and this enquiry and notwithstanding this as the press have}

_{played a "vital" role of misconstruction why wouldn't a bloke like fish and "chip" have his wings withered as well?}

_{In your opinion.....}

Whilst I have no direct knowledge of this, my guess is that the connections are more Australia to the rest of the world than the other way around. WADA clearly has a very close relationship with ASADA, which is only right and proper, and much of WADA's views on their initial reaction to the Australian football codes behaviour would be formed by that connection. ASADA would also have made them aware of the role of the ACC, but whether there are any direct introductions I am not sure.

but, much of this changed when the Federal Government, ASADA, THE ACC, and all the major sporting codes fronted for the news conference in 2011, and the headline "the blackest day in Australia sport" got extensive coverage worldwide. Put it this way - it could have been handled better. What they should have said was "the blackest day for all the Australian professional football codes". It has caused Australian Olympic sports no end of embarrassment, and created considerable anger.

There is no doubt that event alerted the international regulatory bodies to the issues in team sports in general, and because of Australia's up until then squeaky clean reputation, it sounded alarm bells about domestic team sports, which the AFL and NRL essentially are. The AFL and NRL do not have the clout that for instance the NFL have in the U.S., who to this day remain outside the WADA code, and you can see why when you look at almost daily scandals to do with drugs and bad behaviour. The AFL and the NRL are only signatories to the WADA code because successive governments have made it clear they would withdraw the financial support for the codes (particularly through the billions that has been put into stadium development) if they were not. This very much [censored] off the NRL and AFL, perhaps because they could foresee what was to come.

Where we are now, is that WADA has taken a very keen interest in what has gone on here, and this has been magnified after McDevitt's appointment - they are immensely impressed with him, and the professional team built around him. They are also outraged ( to put it mildly) about how their local offshoot has been treated by the local media, the Codes and the Federal and State governments. They are determined to ensure they do not get away with it, hence they see the EFC saga, as a test case to ensure that local affiliates around the world cannot be bullied and corrupted by powerful local vested interests and beholden local governments.

Does this answer your question?

  On 11/08/2015 at 07:10, Dees2014 said:

...

Does this answer your question?

I suspect it answers it twice over.