For Essendon, Hird and the players, it's just another brick in the wall called "comfortable satisfaction".

The question is how big is that brick?

An interesting timeline at play here:

-WADA handed its brief (with the new TB4 evidence) to other parties on July 9.

-Players would have had a verbal 'heads up' on what was in the brief in the week of July 1.

-About July 2 Jobe started talking about 'not enjoying footy anymore' and retiring at eos! Just laying the groundwork for an announcement...!

-Ess collapsed against StK on July 5.

-On July 6 they have a pow-wow and decide to 'play the kids' (getting ready for suspensions of other players next year I suspect).

-On July 7 Jobe Watson pulls out of the rest of the season with a 'shoulder' injury.

I would bet my bottom dollar they all knew about the TB4 tests going into the StK game.

Its why they continue to play like cra p.

To add to this post. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/wada-reportedly-find-abnormal-levels-of-tb4-in-samples-from-two-essendon-players/story-e6frf3e3-1227471708250

Extract from article: "Club great Tim Watson and father of skipper Jobe said he had known of WADA’s apparent evidence for four weeks, and thought it was confidential...I don’t know how significant it is, because it was buried in WADA’s submission...Having had a discussion with (lawyers) after they read the submission I said ‘OK, is there anything in there that you’re concerned about’, and they said their levels of confidence in the players being cleared again … of there being sufficient evidence to charge the players with anything, that hasn’t changed at all".

The '4 weeks ago' tallys with the first week of July and the July 5 St K game debacle and Jobes maybe retiring from football.

I wonder why would Tim Watson be talking to lawyers?

Yes, an interested father but could it be that one of the 2 players is Jobe?

Maybe that explains the 'shoulder' injury and getting as far away as possible.

Maybe he knows his Brownlow will be taken away.

Fantastic line connecting, thanks LH!

Now where's Sue with the latest info from Bomberblitz? I'm having my morning coffee atm and it always tastes better when I know that place is in meltdown.

think bub meant to say "not a court of criminal law"

Thanks. So Bub's point (presumably) is that CAS has only to be "comfortably satisfied" and not 'satisfied beyond reasonable doubt". Anyway, I expect Bub will be on this thread sooner rather than later (given that more than nearly 10% of all posts here are from him) and can confirm or correct as necessary.

Fantastic line connecting, thanks LH!

Now where's Sue with the latest info from Bomberblitz? I'm having my morning coffee atm and it always tastes better when I know that place is in meltdown.

Seconded.

And, more to the point, where's Blanche Underhand to answer all our questions about this? People are just leaping to all sorts of unwarranted conclusions without his incisive advice.

Hmmm Jab "retires" early and goes to the cricket.... Hmmmm

Thanks. So Bub's point (presumably) is that CAS has only to be "comfortably satisfied" and not 'satisfied beyond reasonable doubt". Anyway, I expect Bub will be on this thread sooner rather than later (given that more than nearly 10% of all posts here are from him) and can confirm or correct as necessary.

CAS also aren't bound by any normal rules surrounding evidence and how that evidence is treated. The panel can do what they like with what ever is put in front of them, this is different to 'normal' court procedure.

Hmmm Jab "retires" early and goes to the cricket.... Hmmmm

Jab: The doc reckons my shoulder's gone. I don't think I can play any more games this year.

Craig: Damn. Listen, why don't you go away for a while, take a break and get your head right and your body 100% fit?

Jab: Jeez, I dunno. I'm the captain, I don't want to let the boys down. If I can be of any use around here ...

Craig: Hey, why don't you go into the coaches box? Hang around with Jim, learn the ropes, be his kind of right-hand man ---

Jab: WHEN'S THE THIRD TEST START????

Where does Hird's overseas trip come into this timeline?

Where does Hird's overseas trip come into this timeline?

Might need to be a weekend in Bonny Doon. He does have a rather large legal bill hanging over his head!

Might need to be a weekend in Bonny Doon. He does have a rather large legal bill hanging over his head!

Fairdinkum would anyone be comfortable renting Hird a holiday house? Might sue for slipping on a banana peel he dropped.

Fairdinkum would anyone be comfortable renting Hird a holiday house? Might sue for slipping on a banana peel he dropped.

Too much like hard work. He'd sue you for not paying his rental fee for him.

He would sue for not hanging the toilet paper the right way.

No, I'm talking about the recent one he had for study?

No, I'm talking about the recent one he had for study?

That trip was during the bye so around June 20, from above this all came down in early July so he was away a couple of weeks before hand.

Might need to be a weekend in Bonny Doon. He does have a rather large legal bill hanging over his head!

Tell him he's dreamin'

Edit: Bonnie Doon

The Essendon apologists certainly scratch around. That bloke on Radio National AM was at it again. I admit I wasn't listening carefully, but I think he was saying the fact that only 2 players had a 'bad' result indicated it was innocent because all of players would have had the same result. But I thought this was a result of a random test which surely would not be done to an entire team at once?

The logical question out of this is why would ANY player have any hightened levels of this protein ?

Tell him he's dreamin'

Edit: Bonnie Doon

I hear it is nice and serine up that way.

To add to this post. http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/wada-reportedly-find-abnormal-levels-of-tb4-in-samples-from-two-essendon-players/story-e6frf3e3-1227471708250

Extract from article: "Club great Tim Watson and father of skipper Jobe said he had known of WADA’s apparent evidence for four weeks, and thought it was confidential...I don’t know how significant it is, because it was buried in WADA’s submission...Having had a discussion with (lawyers) after they read the submission I said ‘OK, is there anything in there that you’re concerned about’, and they said their levels of confidence in the players being cleared again … of there being sufficient evidence to charge the players with anything, that hasn’t changed at all".

The '4 weeks ago' tallys with the first week of July and the July 5 St K game debacle and Jobes maybe retiring from football.

I wonder why would Tim Watson be talking to lawyers?

Yes, an interested father but could it be that one of the 2 players is Jobe?

Maybe that explains the 'shoulder' injury and getting as far away as possible.

Maybe he knows his Brownlow will be taken away.

Tim Watsons role in all of this is extremely compromised for many reasons, not the least being hes an absolute nong !!

CAS also aren't bound by any normal rules surrounding evidence and how that evidence is treated. The panel can do what they like with what ever is put in front of them, this is different to 'normal' court procedure.

Im sure you agree that this is often the most perplexing part of this ludicrous situation ,: that the legal bunnies for the defendants keep rolling out their stance based upon the idea it was going to court...and not CAS. Bemuses me no end

The question is how big is that brick?

more a block then a brick

I hear it is nice and serine up that way.

Yes it is very serene.

Can't see Mt Buller at the moment it is under cloud. Snow Good. 19 lifts operating. Lake Eildon 59% full. Think I'll have another espresso.

Tim Watsons role in all of this is extremely compromised for many reasons, not the least being hes an absolute nong !!

How satisfying would it be if the Essendon Football Club went down for this? Just to not have to hear Watson ramble on would be reward in itself.

I know others say we shouldn't wish ill on clubs, but if Essendon cheated, and have malingered this whole process, with the knowledge that they have cheated, then I would be happy to see them go under as a club.

Where is Paul Little?

Maybe he is miles underground in The War Room

under heavy sedation....

2 get done.

One more and the club walks the plank??

How satisfying would it be if the Essendon Football Club went down for this? Just to not have to hear Watson ramble on would be reward in itself.

I know others say we shouldn't wish ill on clubs, but if Essendon cheated, and have malingered this whole process, with the knowledge that they have cheated, then I would be happy to see them go under as a club.

The sporting world is now throughly corrupted. There is hardly a sport that is clean.

I keep following AFL because I am hopeless rusted on to the MFC otherwise I would have left the game already.

The latest news on re testing the Olympic athletes just proves what I have always thought.

Most sports are so tainted I have no interest any longer.

For me the horse bolted long ago.