Whispering_Jack

I think it's not so much about penny's dropping but more about the instructions given by Roos to the team for round 1, how he wants them to go about playing the game and whether they are strong enough and fit enough mentally and physically to carry out the plan. I would like to think that the game style they are going to be asked to reproduce will be that which we saw from them in the first half against the Bulldogs at Ballarat and not in their last three halves of football which have been mainly back to the future stuff except for the heroics.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Hird's contract was renewed after the Switkowski Report was published. The latest contract would no doubt contain terms and conditions relating to each party's right to terminate but in the absence of any specific references to the 2011/2 doping saga, Hird would most likely maintain that the club was aware of his role in the regime at the time of contracting him. Unless there was some major non disclosure by Hird at the time, the club could be forced to compensate an amount very close to the full measure of loss and damage. Let's see what the Tribunal says and what ASADA does next.

vandenBerg is a monte to be upgraded in the next week or so and in time to play against Gold Coast. Harmes is next cab off the rank but still a way back and then it's daylight to King and White. At this stage, it's highly unlikely for the foreseeable future that we will upgrade more than one player unless we absolutely have to or a decision is made to give one of them a run late in the season.

True but there's also the law of contracts which might force the Bombers to make the difficult decision between retaining him or making a crippling pay out (a situation they have no doubt already considered). Therefore, there's a strong chance that even if the players are sanctioned, Hird will stay - especially if the penalty turns out to be the farcical 3 to 6 weeks some are suggesting. If the bulk of the players do the genuine time for a doping breach of this nature, both Essendon and Hird are going to look even more stupid over this than they do already. Then of course, there's always the possibility of infraction notices being served against Hird and other Bomber officials which could solve the problem.

Tragically, that didn't happen but I really do believe in that adage about every cloud having a silver lining. As the dust from Friday's humiliating result against a team with four top ups picked up from a Corn Flakes packet, we learn that our NAB Challenge percentage improved and remained in the 90's and thanks to the Bullies' big victory we finish ahead of the Magpies. The men I blame for our overall woes and our failure to make the eight over this torrid period of a little over a fortnight are Mark Neeld and Neil Craig who were in the Bombers' coaching box and I'm told haven't stopped giggling since Friday night. They must be on something. Brisbane 2½ ½ 196 157 124.84 10 GWS Giants 2 0 191 110 173.64 8 Western Bulldogs 2 1 266 190 140.00 8 North Melbourne 2 1 285 268 106.34 8 Adelaide 2 1 275 260 105.77 8 GC Suns 1½ 1½ 200 228 87.72 6 Richmond 1 2 276 246 112.29 4 Hawthorn 1 2 289 240 120.42 4 ___________________________________ Fremantle 1 1 117 108 108.33 4 Geelong 1 1 158 147 107.48 4 Melbourne 1 2 187 200 93.50 4 WC Eagles 1 1 127 136 93.38 4 Collingwood 1 2 234 258 90.69 4 Carlton 1 1 118 142 83.10 4 Port Adelaide 1 2 219 269 81.41 4 Sydney 1 1 104 131 79.39 4 St Kilda 1 2 195 254 76.77 4 Essendon 1 2 180 273 65.93 4

No, it's not a case of him making the difference to the result although it could well have done yesterday and in any event, had we stopped the last two goals and finished up 10 point winners, the game would still have been looked upon as a singular failure on our part.I would have thought that he earned a place in the NAB Challenge team ahead of at least a few others on the basis of his first hit out for Casey. The opposition played a few 19 year olds and were not at full strength and everyone agreed the result of the game was meaningless. He deserved to be given the test.

Cringeworthy, that's all.

Two dozen spectators on hand. The excitement in the crowd is palpable.

Must be related to Rob Sitch.

Who do they replace?

Anyone know whether the Saints were happy with the changed format of their pre game format and if they were happy with the effect it had on the outcome of the match?

They weren't very smart to be betting in the first place because they've been found out and they and the club should be heavily penalised notwithstanding that they made an early disclosure. The bet on Melbourne given that they had inside knowledge of the team make up was a pretty educated bet in the circumstances.

It all depends on how you define "corrupt" but the standard definition is "guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked." On that basis, and given what is known about a number of other organisations around the country, I don't think you've made out your case that the AFL is "one of the most corrupt." I would suggest that whilst many of its practices in recent years could be looked upon as open to debate on integrity and governance and its decision making found lacking in a number of areas I'm not prepared to label the AFL itself as "corrupt". We've seen some highly questionable conduct from some constituent clubs and individuals and the way it's run often is open to criticism but calling the organisation itself "corrupt" is way out of line compared to some of the things that go on in this country and elsewhere in the world.

Club loyalty among players (and I accept it's a two way thing) has been severely tested with the introduction of free agency. We've already seen a few Demons change clubs through free agency in recent years and the James Frawley scenario from last year certainly left a bitter taste seeing him running around in the club colours but feeling fairly certain that he would jump ship as soon as the final siren sounded at the end of August. I don't think I was alone when all that mattered with respect to the player by that time was to say "good riddance" and hope the club gets adequately compensated. Whether people think it's good or bad for the sport, as far as I'm concerned, it's an unwelcome development when you go to a game and wonder whether a player's heart and his head are really with the club. In addition, the anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that its inflationary and will increase pressure on the less well heeled clubs at a time when the combined debt of AFL clubs is said to be soaring. There have been two offers reported this week for players coming out of contract at the end of the year: * $750k per annum from the Western Bulldogs for Carlton's Lachie Henderson and * $750k per annum from the Fremantle Dockers for Richmond's Alex Rance. I wonder what the supporters of these players' current clubs are going to be thinking if they strike a run of poor form? And how much worse can it get? Well ... we could become like the National Rugby League where players can announce they're switching clubs a year in advance and while still under contract to play out the season. Daly Cherry-Evans is a star player for in the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. A Queensland State of Origin and Australia national representative halfback/five-eighth, he has played over 100 games with the club including the 2011 NRL Premiership in his debut season. Although committed to the Sea Eagles for this year, he recently revealed he had agreed to join the Gold Coast Titans in 2016 on a 4-year contract. I really think if that trend hit the AFL, I would have to re-examine my interest for the game. There comes a time when enough is enough.

Dramatic changes to the ladder as a result of today's epic clash between the third placed Saints and the Hawks (17th) with the teams almost changing their positions. GWS Giants 2 0 191 110 173.64 8 Brisbane 2 0 133 94 141.49 8 Richmond 1 1 170 126 134.92 4 Collingwood 1 1 180 143 125.87 4 Hawthorn 1 2 289 240 120.42 4 Western Bulldogs 1 1 151 136 111.03 4 Fremantle 1 1 117 108 108.33 4 Geelong 1 1 158 147 107.48 4 ___________________________________ North Melbourne 1 1 165 162 101.85 4 Adelaide 1 1 158 167 94.61 4 WC Eagles 1 1 127 136 93.38 4 Melbourne 1 1 112 123 91.06 4 Carlton 1 1 118 142 83.10 4 GC Suns 1 1 137 165 83.03 4 Port Adelaide 1 1 126 152 82.89 4 Sydney 1 1 104 131 79.39 4 St Kilda 1 2 195 254 76.77 4 Essendon 0 2 103 198 52.02 0

Is there any medical evidence to support this proposition?

With absolutely nothing to play for and some games not even screened, the NAB Challenge is descending into nothing more meaningful than a series of scratch matches. In order to bring back some interest into it all, I've had a go at putting together the ladder to this stage of proceedings which shows that a win to the Dees tomorrow should see them move into the eight. Now, we've got something to play for GWS Giants 2 0 191 110 173.64 8 Brisbane 2 0 133 94 141.49 8 St Kilda 1 1 156 109 143.12 4 Richmond 1 1 170 126 134.92 4 Collingwood 1 1 180 143 125.87 4 Western Bulldogs 1 1 151 136 111.03 4 Fremantle 1 1 117 108 108.33 4 Geelong 1 1 158 147 107.48 4 ___________________________________ North Melbourne 1 1 165 162 101.85 4 Adelaide 1 1 158 167 94.61 4 WC Eagles 1 1 127 136 93.38 4 Melbourne 1 1 112 123 91.06 4 Carlton 1 1 118 142 83.10 4 GC Suns 1 1 137 165 83.03 4 Port Adelaide 1 1 126 152 82.89 4 Sydney 1 1 104 131 79.39 4 Hawthorn 0 2 144 201 71.64 0 Essendon 0 2 103 198 52.02 0

I've just spent 10 minutes truncating this thread so that it looks and feels like a training report rather than a grade 4 school yard fight. Done my best and hope nobody minds.

That could mean either he's stuffed for another month, that they're assessing whether to play him this week or next in the VFL or anything in betweem

Yeah, much like the Bombers, nowhere near our best side if everyone was available.

Hopefully not because the moderators really don't like giving posters a holiday from the site at this stage of the season

It's not just the Freo boys who have it drummed into their heads that players are responsible for what goes in their body but all AFL players and that's been going on since the AFL signed on to ASADA/WADA. The players are lectured about and warned that they need to take responsibilty and will be held accountable for breaches. This is why it's the responsibility of the AFL/ASADA/WADA to ensure that players found guilty of ingesting banned substances are appropriately punished in such circumstances. In the case of Crowley, it's extraordinary that he went over the head of the club and its medical people and took a painkiller without the proper advice and he will suffer for it as will the EFC 34 if found guilty. The wet tram ticket punishment suggested in some circles would be an affront to all clean sportspersons and make our sport a laughing stock.

I'm not sure what the training regimen has been since the Bullies game but they're back tomorrow morning for the final run before team selection for Friday's NAB Challenge match. Look forward to some more quality reports.

The game starts late in the afternoon on Friday and it's against a team cobbled together of the rump of the Essendon list so it's not really an exciting draw card is it? I'm wondering whether we'll go for a strong side or whether we'll rest a few and go for some of the younger blood.

I don't think Crowley played in our NAB Challenge game, did he?