I can catagorically say i will never go to another Essendon home game, i don't want to contribute money to a team that believes cheating is okay, and STILL to this day the players have never publicly taken responisibility for their own failings in this situation, they just play the victim card.

I have 2 issues with the players. 

1: They have not been contrite in any way and still harp on about being innocent and hard done by, which come from the club mainly. They should just take the punishment, come back and do their job. They have that right and although I would never really respect them they have the right to return to their life.

2: (which is actually aimed at the media) The return of the players should not be celebrated in any way shape or fashion. The whole come back story the EFC are running is disgusting. The players should have simply returned and got on with things. The AFL should have shut down any thought of celebrations or fan fair as it is entirely inappropriate to celebrate the return of a cheat, what sort of message does that send! As we all know the AFL are inept and entirely incompetent and bound to the short term dollar, they have no sense of what is best for the game long term!

12 minutes ago, Chris said:

I have 2 issues with the players. 

1: They have not been contrite in any way and still harp on about being innocent and hard done by, which come from the club mainly. They should just take the punishment, come back and do their job. They have that right and although I would never really respect them they have the right to return to their life.

2: (which is actually aimed at the media) The return of the players should not be celebrated in any way shape or fashion. The whole come back story the EFC are running is disgusting. The players should have simply returned and got on with things. The AFL should have shut down any thought of celebrations or fan fair as it is entirely inappropriate to celebrate the return of a cheat, what sort of message does that send! As we all know the AFL are inept and entirely incompetent and bound to the short term dollar, they have no sense of what is best for the game long term!

Yes! regardless of whether they are as guilty as a lot of people think, they are convicted drug cheats and the number 1 priority of the AFL and AFL media in this and all situations like this should be to make sure that that is condemned! regardless of the personal opinions of those involved, these players have been found guilty of cheating and should be treated as such by everyone outside of their club. 

While people are saying at the moment, and rightly, what should and shouldn't be forgotten, spare a reflection for a  "misguided" medical man and several "misinformed" families.

44 minutes ago, Abe said:

Yes! regardless of whether they are as guilty as a lot of people think, they are convicted drug cheats and the number 1 priority of the AFL and AFL media in this and all situations like this should be to make sure that that is condemned! regardless of the personal opinions of those involved, these players have been found guilty of cheating and should be treated as such by everyone outside of their club. 

Make one of them Captain.

That'll really show the kids what happens to drug cheats.

8 hours ago, jackaub said:

This team deserves to be booed everytime they take the field especially their former capitan 

Is Hird the T#$d still at the Sorbone or has he graduated to some US based business school

I think the Sorbent would be a more appropriate place for him.

8 hours ago, Abe said:

I can catagorically say i will never go to another Essendon home game, i don't want to contribute money to a team that believes cheating is okay, and STILL to this day the players have never publicly taken responisibility for their own failings in this situation, they just play the victim card.

Even though it hurts to to watch my Demons anytime, I cannot go to an EssUndone home game and can't even watch them on TV, whomever they are playing.  So can't even watch any footy at all on Anzac Day. Hope they never reach a GF as it would be the first GF in 60+ years that I will not watch.

Yeah all the celebrations around the return of Dank's hird of guinea pigs does make my blood boil. I guess you can understand Essendon trying to make them war heroes - but the media shouldn't join in. 

For all of that-  the fact that they were rewarded for their mass suspensions with the No 1 draft pick annoys me more. Defies law logic!!

Truth be told the AFL couldn't of a way around it . Banning them from the 1st Round altogether would probably have been seen as one punishment too many. So what was the option? Maybe position on the ladder to a lower limit of around pick 6 ? So if they'd finished 9th they get pick 10 - but if they'd  finished 13th and below  - they'd have to be satisfied with pick 6 - even if they'd snapped up the wooden spoon,

Sounds contrived - and I guess it is. But to see them boast Mc Grath just snuck me as  ludicrous 

Penalise a team - and then reward them for the effects of that penalty How can this be?

 

 

5 hours ago, hoopla said:

Penalise a team - and then reward them for the effects of that penalty How can this be?

Welcome to the wonderful world of the AFL.

The final nail in the coffin will come if they go lightly on GWS for their role in the Whitfield affair.

5 hours ago, hoopla said:

Yeah all the celebrations around the return of Dank's hird of guinea pigs does make my blood boil. I guess you can understand Essendon trying to make them war heroes - but the media shouldn't join in. 

For all of that-  the fact that they were rewarded for their mass suspensions with the No 1 draft pick annoys me more. Defies law logic!!

Truth be told the AFL couldn't of a way around it . Banning them from the 1st Round altogether would probably have been seen as one punishment too many. So what was the option? Maybe position on the ladder to a lower limit of around pick 6 ? So if they'd finished 9th they get pick 10 - but if they'd  finished 13th and below  - they'd have to be satisfied with pick 6 - even if they'd snapped up the wooden spoon,

Sounds contrived - and I guess it is. But to see them boast Mc Grath just snuck me as  ludicrous 

Penalise a team - and then reward them for the effects of that penalty How can this be?

 

 

The AFL should have said Pick 1 doesn't reflect where their list is at and we can't penalize teams like the Brisbane Lions who didn't cheat so we're going to give Essendon their first pick at the end of the first round giving them pick 18 

I think that would have been fair, Pick 1 is an absolute disgrace. 

I see no reason why the AFL couldn't have pulled their 1st roubd pick. Theyve handed out similar sanctions in the past.

The game is run by hypocritical floggs though.

26 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

I see no reason why the AFL couldn't have pulled their 1st roubd pick. Theyve handed out similar sanctions in the past.

The game is run by hypocritical floggs though.

quite!

to add insult it is disgraceful that the media (and the other afl clubs) has made almost no criticism of this glaring inconsistency 

18 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

quite!

to add insult it is disgraceful that the media (and the other afl clubs) has made almost no criticism of this glaring inconsistency 

He who is without fault cast the first stone?

Edited November 30, 20168 yr by old dee

McGrath should be pretty stoked, best fitness staff and training conditions inside the business and out.....

On 11/29/2016 at 2:23 PM, iv'a worn smith said:

I don't know.  Do you?

It's pretty obvious that they were colluding or were coached into the responses they would give. I know that from speaking to one of the lawyers on the case. Everything they did was in lock-step except for a few like Hal Hunter that had been discarded by the club.

 

Hard to see how you could defend (by implication) the players actions in not telling the truth to ASADA on the injections.

2 hours ago, Abe said:

The AFL should have said Pick 1 doesn't reflect where their list is at and we can't penalize teams like the Brisbane Lions who didn't cheat so we're going to give Essendon their first pick at the end of the first round giving them pick 18 

I think that would have been fair, Pick 1 is an absolute disgrace. 

In fact the AFL said exactly that when refusing to give Melbourne a PP. They said the Melbourne list was in good shape and their ladder position didn't reflect their list.

Just now, jnrmac said:

In fact the AFL said exactly that when refusing to give Melbourne a PP. They said the Melbourne list was in good shape and their ladder position didn't reflect their list.

Ah yes....but that was then...... this...

2 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

It's pretty obvious that they were colluding or were coached into the responses they would give. I know that from speaking to one of the lawyers on the case. Everything they did was in lock-step except for a few like Hal Hunter that had been discarded by the club.

 

Hard to see how you could defend (by implication) the players actions in not telling the truth to ASADA on the injections.

Very dangerous to assume any "implication".  My entire premise is that much of what has been said is entirely anecdotal.  Of more concern to me is the AFL's - the "peak' sporting body in this case - deafening silence on this issue and their continuing obfuscation 

1 hour ago, iv'a worn smith said:

Very dangerous to assume any "implication".  My entire premise is that much of what has been said is entirely anecdotal.  Of more concern to me is the AFL's - the "peak' sporting body in this case - deafening silence on this issue and their continuing obfuscation 

Spot on iv'a.

Their silence the new player agreement is also deafening.

3 hours ago, iv'a worn smith said:

Very dangerous to assume any "implication".  My entire premise is that much of what has been said is entirely anecdotal.  Of more concern to me is the AFL's - the "peak' sporting body in this case - deafening silence on this issue and their continuing obfuscation 

It can be dangerous. But in this case it is damning that all 34 players lied on their ASADA forms re injections. That is collusion or stupidity.

You stated the following: Precisely, and other than conjecture, no-one in the public domain ever will.  So regardless of their guilt, naivety or otherwise, there is an ample school of thought on here that these young men should be totally deprived of their careers, despite the obvious culpability of their 'employer'?

I just hope I will never have to appear before the 'Star Chamber' that is Demonland.

Your statement is clearly implying that you think the players have been dealt harshly and that the club is culpable. Yet is it has been proven that the players lied.

They were hoist on their own petard. Don't know why you would overlook this or forgive them for it.

And probably while everyone is saying they have done their time, JH will sneak in through the back door, midway through this season or next , just to say hello

2 hours ago, jnrmac said:

It can be dangerous. But in this case it is damning that all 34 players lied on their ASADA forms re injections. That is collusion or stupidity.

You stated the following: Precisely, and other than conjecture, no-one in the public domain ever will.  So regardless of their guilt, naivety or otherwise, there is an ample school of thought on here that these young men should be totally deprived of their careers, despite the obvious culpability of their 'employer'?

I just hope I will never have to appear before the 'Star Chamber' that is Demonland.

Your statement is clearly implying that you think the players have been dealt harshly and that the club is culpable. Yet is it has been proven that the players lied.

They were hoist on their own petard. Don't know why you would overlook this or forgive them for it.

My point is, what is a commensurate penalty?  I am not talking about guilt or otherwise  But clearly some on here believe that the 34 players should never set foot on an AFL football field again.  Yet, their employer gets comparatively very light treatment.  Doesn't seem to add up to me, but then what would I know.

Edited December 1, 20168 yr by iv'a worn smith

17 minutes ago, iv'a worn smith said:

My point is, what is a commensurate penalty.  I am not talking about guilt or otherwise  But clearly some on here believe that the 34 players should never set foot on an AFL football field again.  Yet, their employer gets comparatively very light treatment.  Doesn't seem to add up to me, but then what would I know.

It is certainly debatable what is appropriate.

Did the 16yo gymnast that lost a gold medal for taking a panadol at the Sydney Olympics get treated appropriately? I would argue that footballers have been treated very lightly by comparison as an example.

That players are not lacking culpability. The proponents of the scheme should never be allowed near a sporting club again IMO. And that includes the Doctor. 

Just now, jnrmac said:

It is certainly debatable what is appropriate.

Did the 16yo gymnast that lost a gold medal for taking a panadol at the Sydney Olympics get treated appropriately? I would argue that footballers have been treated very lightly by comparison as an example.

That players are not lacking culpability. The proponents of the scheme should never be allowed near a sporting club again IMO. And that includes the Doctor. 

Fair enough.

21 minutes ago, iv'a worn smith said:

My point is, what is a commensurate penalty.  I am not talking about guilt or otherwise  But clearly some on here believe that the 34 players should never set foot on an AFL football field again.  Yet, their employer gets comparatively very light treatment.  Doesn't seem to add up to me, but then what would I know.

My opinion is personally if any athlete in any professional sport is found guilty of drug cheating they should be banned for life if they did so knowingly, i understand there have been circumstances under the WADA code where the athlete was silly or negligent and i believe 2 years is about right for those cases, but if these players have indeed cheated, and lied about it i strongly believe they and all involved deserve a lifetime ban from the AFL, obviously that won't happen though because $$$ matter a lot more to the AFL than justice or integrity of the contest.

5 minutes ago, Abe said:

My opinion is personally if any athlete in any professional sport is found guilty of drug cheating they should be banned for life if they did so knowingly, i understand there have been circumstances under the WADA code where the athlete was silly or negligent and i believe 2 years is about right for those cases, but if these players have indeed cheated, and lied about it i strongly believe they and all involved deserve a lifetime ban from the AFL, obviously that won't happen though because $$$ matter a lot more to the AFL than justice or integrity of the contest.

Yep and give the players' employer dibs at a number 1 draft pick in 2016.  As for the players, let them eat cake (hash)

 

Edited December 1, 20168 yr by iv'a worn smith