Its all about the players.

The afl in 2012 was an uneven playing field due to the fact the players were pumped full of god knows what.

They are responsible for what goes into their bodies

If they didnt know they should have

If they did know, well, they are a disgrace.

Either way they cheated.

Since then they have done all they can to fight it

They deserve maximum bans if found guilty.

Agree 100%, and im amazed at the softening of opinion on this site.

Illegal performance enhancing drugs. Not once by accident or ignorance. Repeatedly, in secret, off site.

Aided in the cover up by the AFL, and shifty underworld connected figures, and ignored by a toothless worksafe.

WADA and its Australian cousin have only one option here. Bring out the heavy sledge hammer, and send a notice to all team sports in the world. You cheat, you pay the full penalty.

2 year bans, missing 2 full seasons. Yeah, i would be comfortably satisfied with that.

Agree 100%, and im amazed at the softening of opinion on this site.

Illegal performance enhancing drugs. Not once by accident or ignorance. Repeatedly, in secret, off site.

Aided in the cover up by the AFL, and shifty underworld connected figures, and ignored by a toothless worksafe.

WADA and its Australian cousin have only one option here. Bring out the heavy sledge hammer, and send a notice to all team sports in the world. You cheat, you pay the full penalty.

2 year bans, missing 2 full seasons. Yeah, i would be comfortably satisfied with that.

SOFT!

In my day................

Is that really so, though? Could WADA have appealed any settlement the EFC/players struck with ASADA? If so, we don't actually know whether it would have been over or not.

WADA can appeal any decision of any local affiliate to CAS. Indeed, either party can eg if the players also felt hard done by by a ruling of the local sports body, in this instance the AFL tribunal who has first jurisdiction in AFL related cases, they can also appeal to CAS. This has happened in a number of Olympic sports in Australia and elsewhere.

Agree 100%, and im amazed at the softening of opinion on this site.

Perhaps people are softening their stance on the players because the events both on and off the field as they are being played out, have become a nightmare for players, the club and even for Hird himself (although he has kept his position and is earning big $s, his reputation is now in the toilet).

If they only had persevered with the reported Evans way of massaging the situation and making deals with the AFL and ASADA, this would have been behind them now and the club and the football world would have moved on. Now, this won't go away for at least another six months and is likely to continue to hurt the players and the club until well into 2016. In particular, it will affect their recruiting and delay their much-needed rebuild by another year.

Dont care what happens to the players anymore. Only 10 or so will be oi the list after this season and they are all mentally shot.

Hird must get a life ban though. Thats non negotiable.

Hmm that's unfortunate for Dees2014. Hirds tentacles must reach as far as Lausanne. Disturbing.

Wrong again if this is the case but I don't expect that to be acknowledged

So was his year in Paris actually just to get him close to Lausanne to butter them up? Interesting thought.

Cant imagine there'd be too many blokes who'd willingly play for them at the moment

Goddard. Chapman. .......? Notice none of the "young guns".

I still cannot derby and why WorkSafe hasn't bought in yet. I had thought they may have been awaiting WADA etc outcomes but it is just taking too long. Similarly AHPRA / Medical Board and Dr Reid. Unbelievable that they haven't lifted a finger.

So was his year in Paris actually just to get him close to Lausanne to butter them up? Interesting thought.

Goddard. Chapman. .......? Notice none of the "young guns".

I still cannot derby and why WorkSafe hasn't bought in yet. I had thought they may have been awaiting WADA etc outcomes but it is just taking too long. Similarly AHPRA / Medical Board and Dr Reid. Unbelievable that they haven't lifted a finger.

Political interference 'mono'???

It's rather amusing to one sitting here in the cheap seats to spectate the writhing and hand wringing as exhibited by a starved and impatient media. Since events fell under WADA's providence very little (npi) has been divulged other than that which is right and proper as it progresses. The process continues unabated (as compared others efforts) . The CAS appointees have been selected, the brief of evidence re the Arbitration has been afforded those charged. In due course the time and place will be made public and the main show will commence. All running like a Swiss watch one might say.

Must be infuriating to the fanboy and allied media contingents. So much so they'll take any morsel of info and contort to some speculation in order to maintain the rage.

Kinda reminds me of that old classic "the Untouchables" . Old Ness got his goons because they were above being compromised, had no vested interest with those targeted other than catching them and bringing them to justice.

Sounds familiar

Just about EVERYONE" in the media has an agenda. I'm happy to just watch it unfold.

Listened to SEN this morning where Xavier Campbell was interviewed. Robbo not in typical manner threw in some curly questions. It appears there are many seriously [censored] off players there at the moment.

Listened to SEN this morning where Xavier Campbell was interviewed. Robbo not in typical manner threw in some curly questions. It appears there are many seriously [censored] off players there at the moment.

Robbo asked if the club would re-sign Hird. He tried to avoid an answer saying it was too hypothetical, before Dermott interjected and flatly asked "if you are in this position in 2016, do you re-sign him?" The answer was yes.

Robbo asked if the club would re-sign Hird. He tried to avoid an answer saying it was too hypothetical, before Dermott interjected and flatly asked "if you are in this position in 2016, do you re-sign him?" The answer was yes.

I heard the answer as a short not too emphatic "yep".

The sword fights have begun

Marvellous....

So what does Hird have on the club? Presumably he'll implicate the entire board and executive committee as being complicit in the drugs program?

So what does Hird have on the club? Presumably he'll implicate the entire board and executive committee as being complicit in the drugs program?

There has to be legal connatations. Hird should have been shown the door after Ziggy's internal report was released

So what does Hird have on the club? Presumably he'll implicate the entire board and executive committee as being complicit in the drugs program?

It's a mystery to me, but most if not all fellow travellers except the good doc have already left the club. It does look like though that his oily tongue is starting to lose its lubricating qualities.

Edited July 11, 201510 yr by america de cali

Hird knows exactly what the players were given in my opinion ... and those with influence at the Essendon club will know that he knows all. The devil would be in the detail so it's best to keep that information suppressed. So, they're tied to him.

Cutting him loose before the final judgement from the CAS is high risk. If they do cut him loose then I'd expect a sizeable settlement and a confidential agreement to be signed off. He'll be well compensated.

.

Edited July 11, 201510 yr by Macca

james hird claiming the truth of the saga was never meant to come out..

Yes that's why there are no records of what players took.

Well after the weekend I hope the players all get 2 years and they are stripped of draft picks the next 5 years and Hird is banned for life and goes to jail along with Reid and Dank

[censored] that disgusting club and everything to do with it

Destroy them WADA

Edited July 13, 201510 yr by hogans_heroes

Well after the weekend I hope the players all get 2 years and they are stripped of draft picks the next 5 years and Hird is banned for life and goes to jail along with Reid and Dank

[censored] that disgusting club and everything to do with it

Destroy them WADA

You want to punish them more because we played badly?

Well after the weekend I hope the players all get 2 years and they are stripped of draft picks the next 5 years and Hird is banned for life and goes to jail along with Reid and Dank

[censored] that disgusting club and everything to do with it

Destroy them WADA

Then watch them rebuild and get back into the 8 before we do

You want to punish them more because we played badly?

Yes

I want Hird in jail cos we didnt kick straight. Off with his head

Hird knows exactly what the players were given in my opinion ... and those with influence at the Essendon club will know that he knows all. The devil would be in the detail so it's best to keep that information suppressed. So, they're tied to him.

Cutting him loose before the final judgement from the CAS is high risk. If they do cut him loose then I'd expect a sizeable settlement and a confidential agreement to be signed off. He'll be well compensate [/quoted]

Yes he may well know what they took. Personally, I can't see how Essendon could benefit from tying him up legally, because it will all come out at CAS as witnesses are supenored and evidence comes forth under oath, including presumably Hird and Reid. Now I look forward to the cross examination of Hird and Reid by WADA's American lawyer - they will not be allowed to get away with the sorts of lies they have been peddling to the Australian press and what Hird put forward in his court cases.

There will be enough evidence there against Hird for ASADA to not only issue infraction notices against him, but also for Essendon to fire him without compensation IMHO. To move on him before the finding will only make themselves liable foe further compensation. It makes no sense. Mind you, nothing in this saga does!

Re the comments on the afl .

Big Hird the hole digger . What an absolute tool. Mr credibility skipping a few steps , a deluded mess.

Then watch them rebuild and get back into the 8 before we do

Then everyone does that JC

Funny how ess lose few games in a row, win, and now they have won five, we lose to them and we continue to lose and nobody cares.

If ess had of lost to Melb the media would have been right up ess . You know "how could you lose to Melb" etc.

If we had of won it would have been "so what, you only beat half a team".