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FMD I 'd be happy with some average players to replace the below standard ones. But yeah I get the gist.

I think I can do that for you in a nutshell.There are a number of people in the legal profession who are about to earn enough money to send their children/grandchildren to some very expensive private schools.

Please say it isn't so.

the filthy peasants..

Terrific we can replace a soft tall with a soft medium. Yarran is over rated and brings little to the table except a poor attitude. If we are looking to change the culture for the positive give him a wide berth.

yes but 12 months isn't nearly enough out of the Game for Hird.. a minimum of 3 years out of the game for the extent of damage that hes created. & miss the 1st & 2nd Rnds of the 2013 & 2014 national drafts... & to loose 20 H&A points from they're 2014 season.

If all they cop is a fine and points this year, when they are going to lose all games from now anyway, with no loss of draft picks, that would be an unmitigated disgrace. This is the biggest scandal in AFL history, how could they not be sanctioned with something meaningful. Their season is already shot, so what is loss of points, nothing. That would be a joke. AFL rolling over to the big club again.

Frog we have been refusing to play footy for years...

FFS Paul Roos, look at this thread. This sh!t is getting out of control. Just sign the dotted line and go swimming in a pool of $100 bills already!

If Craig gets the nod I will be incredibly disappointed. I know it's hard to make meaningful changes mid season, but his game day moves and team selections leave a lot to be desired. There are 3 good experienced, successful coaches available, two who have won a flag. Two who are keen. Why we wouldn't go for that, I don't know. Adam Simpson or whoever else comes in as the predecessor, must have some seriously big wraps on him and a serious ability to influence the club straight away. Otherwise we have once again gone the cheap easy option.

Nothing quite like approving your own comment daveytrain1

Some bizarre selections and non-selections. Just over it all.

Fairly baseless whingeing, seeing as none of the people who made the previous coaching appointment are involved this time around. Or is the common thread that they all work for MFC and the club is cursed? Give me a ******* break.

Watts is required, really? Time for new President!

I couldn't care less what Sam Newman said about any subject and specifically football. The man is irrelevant.

bugga !!doesnt penalise Essendon that much but actually aids Carlton....where the f'n justice in that I ask you ??

The other aspect to this is the confusion about the actual drugs that were part of Essendon's programme. This article is a help - What drugs are they on about? That is also WADA's position and that of ASADA although there have been attempts by some to muddy the waters but the explanations on AFL360 by Gerard Whately and Essendon's consultant Dr. Garnham sound like spin to me. See also: ASADA'unclear on drug status' IMO whether ASADA lacks clarity on the status of AOD-9604 is totally irrelevant. The AFL Anti-Doping Code is what matters: Section 20.2 In performing its functions under this Code or otherwise, ASADA is not and must not be deemed to be the agent of the AFL. For the avoidance of doubt, it is expressly stated that ASADA has no authority or capacity on behalf of the AFL to: (a) authorise or approve the use of any substance or method prohibited under this Code; (b) give advice as to the application or interpretation of this Code; and © bind or commit the AFL in any manner. Essendon cannot therefore claim this defence even if could prove that someone at ASADA told Dank or anyone else before the programme was initiated (and I doubt such proof exists) for that matter that AOD-9604 wasn't a prohibited substance. Section 26.3 The WADA Code shall be interpreted as an independent and autonomous text and not by reference to the existing law or statutes of the Signatories or governments. Referral to a court won't help them unless we're talking about the Court of Arbitration for Sport (and I don't think CAS will show much sympathy for the bogus argument that the Bomber lackeys are attempting to foist on the public in this misguided PR campaign. Of even more concern to the Bombers is this one:- If you go to the AFL's charge sheet, you will find this point:- It might take time to put the case together, particularly if Dank refuses to co-operate) but if this single point is proved and evidence is produced as to which players had this stuff injected into them, then they might as well turn the lights out at Essendon (especially if the number of players is significant). More reason for the Bombers to pursue a negotiated settlement if they can before its too late.

rumor has it...a pparently hird couldn't get it up for the meeting

doyens don't laugh

Bartlett is playing a certain line and it has quietly but powerfully emerged in all his statements so far. He wants the running of the club and the administration to fade into the background and to pour all the attention and energy into the football department/players. In light of this, I reckon he is going to play his cards close to his chest on everything he does in preparation for 2014. Apart from the coaching announcement when it comes, the other board decisions and management reshuffles will be made public in small media releases, and short radio interviews. We have been so poor in so many ways he is gathering a new group of people around himself and PJ, and they will do a lot of foundational, culture changing work away from media, away from the players, and even away from us supporters. The only exception is the AGM which could be a bit fiery. I like this approach. Let the media focus on Essendon, the finals, Buddy going to GWS or Daisy Thomas etc... I am not buying in just yet - we haven't even seen who the coach will be for 2014 - but I like this strong but quiet approach to institutional change.

Yes, Bailey won't coach Melbourne to a flag, that's fairly certain.

Of course he is required, required players get traded for better picks.

We already did that retrospectively in round 2 this year.

The club will have him step down/removed etc within the next week i think. He is damaging their club and it will hurt them far worse if he stays. No matter the outcome that group is always be stained with the allegations. Glad its not us.

I wouldn't be factoring Essendon into this draft either.

sure. They warned bird not to use peptides. Then the Australian crime commission got involved and miraculously essendon self exposed on the eve before that was made public. But I think the AFL has been ok on this and now will be in damage control. I don't see Hird as a pawn at all. He was warned. He knew better and he got busted. He threw all and sundry under the bus while clearly acting to defend himself. But yes between this and the Dees I'm really getting into NFL.

The culture instilled by Choco? I've been saying for weeks to drop Watts, but if we do that we might upset him and he will want out. That's been our problem everyone's to afraid of upsetting someone. It's a tough game, weeds must be removed.

I question that he has built a club from our position before... Barassi left in '95 with 9 wins. Eade already had players of the likes of Lockett, Kelly, O'Loughlin, Lewis, Creswell, Roos, Kickett, Dunkley, Bayes... its not a wonder he got them to a grand final that following year. The dogs when he arrived in 2005 had West, Darcy, Johnson Smith, Murphy, Eagleton, Cross, Gia, Gilbee, Lake, Cooney, Grant to name a few... My point is not so much that he is not a good developer of players, and not a good coach, but it's perhaps worth understanding that he had the nucleus of a good team already at his club and on the list. We don't have that core group yet. We have some nice bookends and a lot of 'potential' but in terms of experience, leadership, and hardness at the ball we are miles away from those lists above.

the AFL need to make a HUGE statement here. they cannot let systematic doping, including the use of multiple types of banned drugs, with the permission of senior officials, go lightly. if they do, it effectively gives every other team the green light to do the same. There is more at stake here than reputations and the Essendon FC. WADA is currently looking at excluding Jamaica from the next Olympics as their testing protocols are not up to standard. DO we really want Australia to be excluded from the Olympics so that Essendon can go free??

And what was it that worked for Port? Demoralised team for whom nothing seemed to go right - check! Sacked coach who had seemed the right man at the start, but turned out to be very wrong - check! Moribund club culture, and Board who had no idea of how to build and nurture it - check! They even had a couple of likely coaches turn them down flat (Leon Cameron was one, wasn't he?), and lost some senior players. But there was a long history of tenacity and struggle that Kochie was able to tap into, and to rebuild the club culture - and, most importantly of all, self-respect - very quickly. They then made a wise and careful and unhurried choice of coach. And then (and only then) did key players in Boak & Trengove recommit to the club, because it became clear that things were improving from the base, instead of just papering over the cracks on the surface. For us, so far so good. This time it really does seem to be different because we're building from the base too. The Neeld debacle may have done us a favour in the long run, to show up how deep the problems ran. Unless we stuff it up from here on (sadly, not impossible), no reason why we couldn't bounce back quickly too.

Some famously socio challenged types over the years. There was Icahirdus... who knew best... flew a bit too close to the heat...and ooops !! then there was Marie Antoinhird, she didnt quite get it and thought they should all just take jabs !! but then there was this guy....he was seriously maniacal The Hirder !!!

You have never laughed at a stiffy joke Rhino? Not even a teansy weansy bit...How sad for you. It is actually very healthy to laugh. But i am sure that is beyond your boundries. Sad really.

I see that sniper C. Brown is going around again next year. If there is one thing I would like to see other than an improved performance by the Dees next year is that someone, anyone, from any team take this guy out. Good and proper! *Note - the C doesn't stand for Campbell.

He was asked if he had been in contact with Roos about the job. His reply was that there was a committee in place to conduct the questioning and decisioning and that he would leave it to them to handle the process and come up with a recommendation. Ok, now I'll move away from what he said and give my opinion (which is worth as much as anyone wants to make it worth). He didn't specifically say that he had no contact, I got the impression that he probably has spoken to Roos, which would make sense. I'd imagine that both parties would at some stage want to get together for a chat, even if only informally, to get an understanding of each other. He's obviously very intelligent, I also like the fact that he has a footballing background and understands the dressing room mechanics. I'm hoping that what he wants to achieve will take place, only time will tell.

As i prepare to be howled at if we have anything to answer...then so we must. If not, then not. This is a scurge that needsto be unequivocally espunged.

You seem to just take everything you read on here at face value. From believing Roos is a certainty to now believeing that we will make a panic installation of a coach simply because you have read it on here. Whoever gets the job will most likely - I hope - have to go through the rigorous process that TimD would like to see, and be appointed with the best of faith and intentions to win games of footy. A caretaker should be given less credit when things go well, and less haranguing when things go poorly. The only tangible improvement I have seen since Craig has come in is the team works harder offensively, the losses still occur because we are a bad team and that any major structural changes will need a pre-season and confidence.

you're velcome

I'm just curious... what's with all the hate on giving players like Toumpas, Kent etc more AFL games? Kents form has warranted him playing.... If we drop our players who are preforming isnt that tanking? I know I would much rather play for Melbourne than Casey. Im sure all players on the list would... Im staggered by the hate given to Craig, Jackson etc for this? Theres only one way to dvelop players at AFL level and thats to play them there.

Maybe the concussion is why he signed a new contract with us?? He didn't realise what he was doing! We should be using this method for any players that we need to retain. Bop them on the head with a stick, and shove a contract under their nose!

If true just another beige decision from a club turning that into an art form. This side has shown little more under Craig than it did under Neeld, and we all know how that turned out. MFC has completely lost the plot if true and shows an acceptance of the pathetically low standards being currently set.

there was nothing sly about the afl releasing the charges. they were clear that this was coming within a week of it being given to essendon, and so it proved to be.

Want to hear that the club is developing a bit of mongrel........... 1st evidence is that Watts is out the door.......

Yep 'stuie', the mail is that Roos, Eade, Williams and now Craig have the job, and also Simpson was a big chance. Hope the AFL is putting up the cash, first AFL club with 5 men running the show.

I don't follow how you would make the connection unless you were totally delusional. Perhaps you didn't hear the mother of the Essendon player talk about the effect of the supplements scandal on her son? Perhaps you haven't read Dr. Reid's letter? Perhaps you're not aware that Hird took responsibility for what was going on? Perhaps you haven't taken notice of the many facts that are not in dispute and/or have been admitted in the report commissioned by Essendon (The Switkowski Report)? I haven't put him on trial. I don't have to base my judgement on the outcome of such things but on what is accepted as fact and it's truly horrific although obviously beyond the comprehension of some individuals.

FCS we should be backing them and helping them to make the best out of the finals campaign. There has been some bad luck with Hogan, Blease and Strauss getting injuries at the end of the year and Jmac retiring. IMO Toumpas should be playing for them for the rest of the year to get him September action, Pederson definitely should be playing for them this week instead of Gawn. Not happy with MFC's attitude towards Casey and their finals tilt.

Happy,happy.joy,joy digusting what these ego driven pr1cks have done to these kids and the game.

I would rather see him play some tough, hard, uncompromising VFL finals myself and hopefully enjoy some success and the sought of player bonding that comes from finals success. Got to be better than some witches hat training in October. Gee that must be exciting.

Actually Hoody it's fare worse than this. Apart from Jimmy T, Jack Fitzpatrick, Cam Pedersen, Luke Tapscott and Rohan Bail all needed just one more game to qualify for VFL finals with six games. Jordie and Dean Kent also needed one more but they were never in contention to play in VFL this week after strong games last week. One of Bail or Jetta will be the travelling 23rd backup to Adelaide tomorrow and I'm betting it will be Bail. The reason is because Melbourne don't give a s.t about Casey and developing players via VFL finals - they think they have a great development program in October and therefore want palyers back from their break early - you can tell how good it is by the results it has achieved the past few years!

Please tell me this is not true, that this disqualifies Jimmy T from the Casey finals campaign! If true I say we have not got a clue. The best development for JT is some high pressure finals games where he might be challenged physically and expectations on his contribution to the side would be high. The alternative is he plays two non descript games for MFC at the end under no scrutiny. That said Ihope he puts in a blinder tomorrow.

Yes I'm sure Neil Craig will no longer be considered for the coaching role because Demonland members disagree with his team selections. I was looking forwards to seeing Magner and Taggert in too but the fact is that we don't really know what goes on inside the club, he does so I'd be backing him to be making a much better informed decision than anyone on here.