Thinking further on the additions to the list from outside competitions:

IF their was any fairness and equity at AFL house, big IF, then surely the "innocent bystander clubs" like Port, Melbourne, Dogs, Saints etc should get a go before the guilty party.   I don't for one microsecond think this will happen, by the way. 

Maybe we can unearth another hidden gem from NEAFL. 

 

Just now, Ted Fidge said:

Today's decision does nothing to affect Goodwin. But what is to follow might ... now that it's shown that the players took TB-4, ASADA may now go after the coaches and support staff ...

Given the secrecy that appears to have existed, I'm sure there are whole swathes of people at the club who had no idea.

If the club doctor was exonerated, I think we can be pretty comfortable that Goody is sweet.

8 minutes ago, Bimbo said:

Another typical Bomberblitz sample.  However, more than usual taking aim at the administration

 

efc1robbo said:

Pathetic, disgusting etc.

Corruption of the highest standard. If essendon do not appeal this and make sure our players can play the season they are dead to me!

Fkn concur
EFC has one chance to stand up to the AFL
Gill - you either backdate these bans so players miss no games & walk away from WADA code or we boycott the season
Can't let us do that eh - well maybe our boys who didn't get banned might protest on the ground - how would that make your precious Fkn AFL comp look then eh

Mindblowing.

Good for the sport. Got what they deserved! Suck ot Essenscum.

Again absolutely filthy that this is the price we paid for giving up a 2nd rounder (could have gotten Balic, Tucker, Mathieson and Collins) for a player that i did NOT want. Got howled down for it and the same people have gone silent on this matter.. funny that.

 

14 minutes ago, Bimbo said:

For the MFC this decision means both Michie and White are likely to be able to be upgraded (one can be upgraded at the start of the season automatically).  I note in his "list update" Roos made reference to Michie being in a position to make the round 1 team.  Making Michie a rookie seems to me to be part of whatever back-up plan the administration had.

If they don't have to pay Melksham this year but have him available for pre-season next year (and thereafter) and two ready made players to come up, the risk was worth the potential loss.

 

Exactly my view. Back on deck for the start (or close to), fit and healthy and raring to go, for the next pre season. How many times does a club pick up a player and then lose them for a big chunk or all of a season?  I'm fine wit the decision to draft the Melk. 

7 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Good for the sport. Got what they deserved! Suck ot Essenscum.

Again absolutely filthy that this is the price we paid for giving up a 2nd rounder (could have gotten Balic, Tucker, Mathieson and Collins) for a player that i did NOT want. Got howled down for it and the same people have gone silent on this matter.. funny that.

 

To be honest I would have loved to get Collins. But it is what it is. 

8 minutes ago, watchtheeyes said:

Given the secrecy that appears to have existed, I'm sure there are whole swathes of people at the club who had no idea.

If the club doctor was exonerated, I think we can be pretty comfortable that Goody is sweet.

 

The report does say that not everyone knew, that there was an "inner circle" of only a few people who really knew the exact substances.

What a week, bloody hell.

If anyone wants an easy-to-read summary of the main points, work backwards through these tweets. Really damning of the players:

https://twitter.com/ChrisKaias

6 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Good for the sport. Got what they deserved! Suck ot Essenscum.

Again absolutely filthy that this is the price we paid for giving up a 2nd rounder (could have gotten Balic, Tucker, Mathieson and Collins) for a player that i did NOT want. Got howled down for it and the same people have gone silent on this matter.. funny that.

 

only player im really filthy we missed in the draft is Mitchell Hibberd. Whilst I am not the biggest Melksham fan, it was obvious the club had adopted a longer term outlook rather than the next season. Whilst I dont think they expected him to be suspended, they obviously will have a contingency plan in place and at the end of the day it means for an opportunity for younger players.

Melksham was signed to increase the competitiveness and help for immediate improvement but like most of our decisions in the new regime we have looked to improve in 2-5 years creating sustained success.

1 hour ago, CityDee said:

Tim watson Robbo Mcveigh media people who have cited inside information and  lied claiming absolute innocence should resign from public life immediately . 

 

Reimers deserves a full and public apology from that arseclown McVeigh

43 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Where's Hird? In France on another junket?

Unsurprisingly gave his first statement to Slobbo (gee there must be something in that) and said it was a miscarriage of justice and that he didn't expect this result. 

31 minutes ago, Redlegs said:

Thanks for that info Bing but how does it work? Doesn't this mean that the players played through a period of suspension season 2015?

That's one way of looking at it! The bans were backdated to take into account delays that weren't caused by the players.

When it comes to CAS, the dating of when bans start is something of a black art, and somewhat opaque.

AFL must ensure they don't get #1 draft pick

AFL must rejig the schedule to get them off primetime - Friday games against Port in Adelaide and the Hawks? Thursday night against WCE in Perth and Dreamtime Saturday night against the Tiges. ANZAC Day against the Pies? These will be absolute disasters.

While people condemn the Essendon players they should also remember that MFC flirted with these drug Cowboys or so called "sports scientists". We're just lucky that we didn't go too far with it. The Essendon club officials are to blame, not the players.  They were naive but most of us, if we were a young player, would trust the club and do as we were told. Football's recent history would suggest Essendon were not alone. There are serious doubts over WC, Geelong as well. 

1 minute ago, btdemon said:

The Essendon club officials are to blame, not the players.

I think you'll find that CAS agree with you on the first point, but not the second.

10 minutes ago, Chris said:

Unsurprisingly gave his first statement to Slobbo (gee there must be something in that)

 

Are you saying they were in close contact?

If players cannot be paid, Essendon are going to have to pay the upgraded players a shltload of money to reach the minimum salary cap total payment. Or increase the payment to senior players not hit with the ban. And we will have to deal with the SC reduction due to Milkshake not playing in 2016. My guess is the AFL will bend the SC rules for all clubs with banned players to accommodate this scenario.

6 minutes ago, btdemon said:

While people condemn the Essendon players they should also remember that MFC flirted with these drug Cowboys or so called "sports scientists". We're just lucky that we didn't go too far with it. The Essendon club officials are to blame, not the players.  They were naive but most of us, if we were a young player, would trust the club and do as we were told. Football's recent history would suggest Essendon were not alone. There are serious doubts over WC, Geelong as well. 

I disagree with your post. The MFC had a process in place that weeded out Dank. The Doctor we had was removed.

And yet again, players sit through dozens of hours of lectures on drugs... they should know better. That they didn't ask anybody and were complicit in the black ops nature and they signed consent forms yet apparently failed to do a rudimentary internet search  cooked their goose.

 

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

No it's not. It's a terrible day. Saying it's a great day is like saying dropping a bomb on Hiroshima was great because it brought WWII to its end.

But if CAS formed the view that the players (a) took a banned substance and (b) knowingly did so, then a terrible day is the day we had to have. We cannot allow drugs in any sport. EFC stand condemned for its cavalier attitude both with its lack of care for the rules and more importantly its lack of care for its players. 

 

let's not dilly dally with words ldvc. essendon stand condemned for cheating.....pure and simple

For those who understand the legal side of things I have a question

does todays result have a significant bearing on any players attempts to sue the club for failing their duty of care given the players are responsible for what goes into their bodies and signed consent forms? has the club covered their own bums and hung the players out to dry?

Rohan Conolly on SEN after 11

should be a great laugh if you can stomach his Bogan accent...

Sometimes one can be left a little flat reading Bummerblitz. Not today. The angst is delicious. Not as deeeeeliciouuuus as Cyril Rioli, but pretty nice nonetheless. Go Dons !!!!!!!!!!!!

7 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

AFL must ensure they don't get #1 draft pick

AFL must rejig the schedule to get them off primetime - Friday games against Port in Adelaide and the Hawks? Thursday night against WCE in Perth and Dreamtime Saturday night against the Tiges. ANZAC Day against the Pies? These will be absolute disasters.

Surely, the have to lose the ANZAC day game.

A club who has been found to cheats (yes let's call if for what is), who withheld information to drug testing authorities, who abused their players health, who fought tooth and nail in the courts to avoid exposure cannot be allowed to ever again be linked to ANZAC day. 

EFC's behaviour is the antithesis of everything ANZAC day stands for. 

Disgraceful, if the AFL do not have courage to strip them of it.