Whispering_Jack

Highlights - Round 4 NAB U18 Championships

If you missed it and have Foxtel, it's being replayed on NITV (144) at midnight.

As Mike Moore was wont to say on his brilliant but now defunct news programme:- "Mmmmmm ..."

Following on from Tom Langdon's stellar introduction to the AFL - TAC Cup's19-year-old rule blossoming in 2014

Fact of the matter is that, from all of the reports, he is among the better players in a major contender for the championship and is possibly on track for All Australian selection. Moreover, why do people categorise him at this early stage of his career, as purely "inside"? I've been following this level of football for some years now and I've seen plenty of instances of players whose description when 17 years of age has not matched their style by the time they have spent a few years on the AFL stage. Look at our most recent #1 draft choices for example. Jack Watts was at one stage going to be a super KPF while Voldemort was supposed to be everything you could wish for in a midfielder. There are lots of other examples. Still, if all the scouts give Stretch the thumbs down, I would be very happy to snap him up as a third rounder based on what I have read and seen about him to date.

Hickey's original article (quoted earlier) and the one published in bigfooty set out the issues very clearly. She argues that Essendon and Hird might not be able to demonstrate their "standing" or right to appear (neither have yet been served with show cause notices) and need to demonstrate a special interest in the case. I think the circumstances clearly are such that they can strongly show that this special interest applies to both. Middleton J would have to interpret special interest very narrowly to bar them on the basis of standing.However, he could be doing them both a favour and saving them a lot of money and grief to all concerned (and especially the players) if he knocked this claim on the head as soon as possible because the rest of their case has little or no merit. Not so long ago, those sympathetic to Essendon and the players were arguing that the whole saga was running far too long, was draining the players and tarnishing the image of the game at its elite level. Now they want this? Come on. EFC and Hird should be careful about what they wish here. The supposed agreement (and whatever it is, it's been vaguely defined) by the AFL to give absolution to the players who co-operate would also get knocked on the head and they might get part of the so called joint investigation declared ultra vires leaving the investigation and show causes to proceed. The club, Hird and the players could possibly be in a far worse position if that outcome is achieved. Middleton J has apparently opened up the directions hearing on 27 June for television. Directions hearings are normally as boring as hell (about as riveting as Young and the Restless) but in this case, some interesting material could come out. And if future hearings into the matter are also televised, the public might get to see and hear things that EFC and Hird don't want anyone to know about. Smart move by the judge - there is so much misinformation being put out there by the pro Essendon camp who are pushing the line that the Bombers "done nothin' wrong". Read Rohan Connolly's piece in the Age, watch Robinson on AFL360 or follow their fans on twitter who try to portray ASADA as the reincarnation of Atilla the Hun while all at the EFC are innocent bystander victims and you'll see why it's a good thing for proceedings like this one to be played out fully in the public eye.

Saty, how did Sam Blease train and did he end up with the Melbourne group or the Casey group?

Sorry, I thought they were deadly serious so I've lodged a cross action on behalf of the MFC for damages involving Chris Heffernan, Gary Moorcroft and Trevor Spencer.

Mixed news on the injury front with Jake Spencer now requiring surgery and out for the rest of the season. Shannon Byrnes is available and Jesse Hogan is now a 6 week proposition but really should IMO be put in mothballs for 2015 (as long as the AFL permits us to do this in writing because I wouldn't want to think someone will accuse us of tanking in three or four year's time). Melbourne injury list: round 14 Shannon Byrnes (ankle) – available Mitch Clisby (quadriceps) – 1 week Jesse Hogan (back) – 6 weeks Jayden Hunt (back) – 4-6 weeks Max King (leg) – 1 week Jake Spencer (ankle) – season Jack Trengove (foot) – season

All Victorian clubs are involved other than Essendon which is already under investigation. It seems to have been instigated as a result of a complaint from someone in the public sphere who wants a fishing investigation to take place. Ironically, the only club that should really be of interest will be the one whose own report is damning and has every chance of resulting in a prosecution and heavy penalties. But what the heck - another million on top of the millions this is going to cost them is only the tip of the iceberg. This will most likely end up in further embarrassment to Essendon as it will show up the vast difference between how that club ran its doping programme and what all of the other Victorian clubs have been doing.

Seems to me that they were spelling out what the anti doping codes provide in cases of no fault or negligence, a subject that has been discussed ad infinitum in the past here and elsewhere. Several cyclists were given substantial reductions for giving evidence that resulted in the sanctions against Lance Armstrong while in one case, an athlete was exonerated because he was administered a prohibited substance whilst unconscious. Ben McDevitt was criticised heavily by Paul Little for stating the offer was still on the table but Little described it as a bullying tactic. And no wonder, he wants it all to go away - Essendon and Hird are actually contesting the show-cause notices because they understand that if the players provide the levels of assistance required to avail themselves of the offer, then they will be well and truly cooked. As an aside, judging by the way information is coming out it's not looking good for the AFL and certain officials (including a former official) either.

Essendon To Take Federal Court Action Against Melbourne Football Club

One of the least enjoyable games I've sat through although I believe that I might have left the premises well before the end that day.

Request for information, not dissimilar to a show cause and possibly part of a wider investigation. If we're in breach in any way, we will be penalised and required to comply in the future.

That will not happen. ASADA would not be generous enough to allow the six months to operate entirely throughout the off season. If the Essendon (and other) players are going to take the rap then it's virually now (i.e. before 23 June) or never and I reckon they'll be kicking themselves later if they don't take it.

I'm not sure if that was the number but it's been mentioned before that in the week following the game, certain people from Carlton turned up at a certain compounding chemist's premises enquiring about the juice the Bombers were on. This was reported in the Age and was also confirmed to me by someone high up in the chain at the Blues. Apparently, they had received overtures from a sports scientist who was pushing the same supplements programme and had rejected it out of hand because they couldn't be satisfied that it was all Kosher.

Bob, if you're asking that question at this stage of proceedings, you need to go back several hundred pages and brush up on your reading.

In the past month I've visited USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia and back to the USA. If the Yanks get up against Ghana this morning, I will have scored the quaddy!!!

Another early Phantom Draft and some interesting observations on this year's main prospects - Paige Cardona's Phantom Draft.

Will be unusual playing Norf at a venue other than Etihad too.

Some (perhaps not) random points:-Essendon's employee, Dank, purchased materials which were ultimately injected into the Essendon players who signed waiver forms authorising their use. Noting that it has been stated that some of those materials cannot be legally sourced in this country where did they come from? The latest news overnight is that Dank might be in a spot of bother - Victoria Police investigate Stephen Dank over possible Medicare fraud. Dank was issued with an ASADA Show-Cause Notice in March and has not responded. ASADA has not served an Infraction Notice on Dank to date. This would seem to leave open the possibility for players to come forward with responses to their SCN's which could result in charges being laid against Dank, thereby activating the 75% remittance enabling them to serve a 6 month suspension partly in season. Essendon Football Club seems to be concerned about bullying and legal technicalities but from where I sit, there is a major concern about the proximity between the club, it's players and the advice they are getting, particularly about how they should be dealing with the SCNs. One of these days, some of the characters who have featured in this sorry saga could be housed at the pleasure of Her Majesty. I think very few will have any regrets if that transpires.

Essendons Federal Court legal action against ASADA: Out of bounds on the full? Respecting ASADA

Articles on the weekend's games:- Plenty of the Wright stuff in Vic Metro win South Australia 1.2 4.8 5.10 10.12 (72) Vic Metro 3.4 7.4 10.6 13.8 (86) GOALS South Australia: Hone 3, Hamilton, Neal-Bullen, Press, Read, Spurling, Tahana, Wigg Vic Metro: Langdon 4, Payne 3, Wright 3, Brayshaw, Langford, Miller BEST South Australia: Wigg, Neal-Bullen, Hone, Johansen, Stretch, Gregson Vic Metro: Wright, Petracca, Brayshaw, De Goey, Langdon, Viojo, Vickers-Willis, Ellis Quick, smart, skilled: Lonie stars for Vic Country Western Australia 0.1 2.2 2.4 5.5 (35) Vic Country 4.6 7.7 11.8 14.13 (97) GOALS Western Australia: Stewart, Pickett, Watson, Bevan, Nelson. Vic Country: Lonie 4, Butler 3, Webb 2, Wilson 2, Parish, Nyuon, Marchbank BEST Western Australia: Blakely, Hardisty, Winton, Watson, Dent, Smith Vic Country: Lonie, Dixon, Parish, Tucker, White, Nelson, Cunico

Fair effort in the ruck from Max Gawn. Dom Barry 14 disposals 11 kicks 3 handballs 3 marks 6 tackles 72 Dream Team Points Sam Blease 1 goal 29 disposals 22 kicks 7 handballs 2 marks 2 tackles 94 Dream Team Points Jack Fitzpatrick 1 goal 6 disposals 3 kicks 3 handballs 2 marks 4 tackles 17 hit outs 60 Dream Team Points Max Gawn 16 disposals 6 kicks 10 handballs 5 marks 2 tackles 63 hit outs 124 Dream Team Points Alexis Georgiou 15 disposals 9 kicks 6 handballs 2 marks 43 Dream Team Points James Harmes 1 goal 18 disposals 6 kicks 12 handballs 1 marks 4 tackles 67 Dream Team Points Jay Kennedy-Harris 1 goal 18 disposals 13 kicks 5 handballs 2 marks 7 tackles 86 Dream Team Points Viv Michie 23 disposals 16 kicks 7 handballs 3 marks 6 tackles 93 Dream Team Points James Strauss 15 disposals 12 kicks 3 handballs 3 marks 4 tackles 68 Dream Team Points Luke Tapscott 1 goal 1 behind 24 disposals 21 kicks 3 handballs 6 marks 5 tackles 1 hit out 114 Dream Team Points Dean Terlich 16 disposals 11 kicks 5 handballs 4 marks 5 tackles 76 Dream Team Points Jimmy Toumpas 1 goal 1 behind 26 disposals 20 kicks 6 handballs 8 marks 4 tackles 120 Dream Team Points

Our first TAC Cup Future Stars Rolling Draft for the year and they have a bit of a surprise player at the top:- 1. GWS Giants Christian Petracca (Med Fwd) Ranges 2. St. Kilda Patrick McCartin (Tall Fwd) Falcons 3. Brisbane Peter Wright (Tall Fwd) Cannons 4. Melbourne Angus Brayshaw (Midfielder) Dragons 5. Bulldogs Sam Durdin (Tall Fwd) West Adel 6. Richmond Jarrod Pickett (Mid/Sml Fwd) Sth Freo 7. Carlton Tom Lamb (Tall Fwd) Stingrays 8. West Coast Clem Smith (Sml Def) 9. Adelaide Lachlan Weller (Sml Mid) Broadbeach 10. Gold Coast Caleb Marchbank (Tall Def) B'rangers Draft order based on positions at start of Round 13 #TACFSrollingdraft