Whispering_Jack

Said to have made the statement tonight at an Assumption College sportsmen's night.@gthompson01: #asada #afl #essendon #hird Mike Sheehan - Hird to resign tomorrow with handing down of AUSCrimecCom report tmrw http://t.co/EZegLa2t38

Is someone going to come up with a secret handshake or something to that effect so that we can exclude intruders, alpacas and members of Voldemort's family?

The sky's falling ... help

As long as the investigation remains inconclusive we're left with fertile ground for the lawyers to have a field day and it's quite possible that Essendon and Hird might even get a temporary reprieve. I sense that such a scenario might see the Bombers taking part in the finals but in the long run, they might regret it even more. Of course, if Hird stays on for the time being it might also create a situation where his assistants and supporters staff feel more and more in limbo and therefore prone to take offers from other clubs for security reasons. And what does that all do to rumours that Paul Roos is waiting in the wings to take the Essendon job if Hird falls.

Essendon players given banned drugs The headline says it all but the story tells us that there's no conclusive proof; rather, that so far, it's all circumstantial and that's why the investigation must go on and on. The players get a reprieve for the moment but one wonders whether this is for the good of the AFL, the EFC, its players or the game in the long run. And I wonder how much the AFL, ASADA and the investigators are interested in getting to the truth of the matter and what's WADA's position on this?

Makes sense to me.We really have no choice but to play them at the end of the year. Otherwise, in 3 or 4 year's time some disgruntled ex-employee or disaffected supporter might contact Caro or Robbo and tell them that the decision to omit these players was part of a concerted plot to lose games for the purposes of acquiring a priority draft pick. Before you know it, stories will be told of PJ looking grim-faced after the win over the Bulldogs (the last 15 minutes evidence of a failed plot to lose an unloseable game) and a double page spread will appear in the Hun about how some drunk in a Rooty Hill motel told the source's cousin that Frawley was really fit to play against the Giants, raising eyebrows about the dropping of speedster Sam Blease and the selectors refusal to pick James Magner because the ball magnet would have changed the outcome of the game. All this after a certain player, traded to Essendon at the end of 2013 tells the On The Couch panel that he went to the Bombers because of that club's clean, wholesome culture. And this would constitute irrefutable proof that Don McLardy, Cameron Schwab and Mark Neeld were still conspiring to bring down the club. Nah ... sorry but that trio must play as soon as they prove their fitness (if not before). In fact, I'd go further to prove our innocence of any possible future charges by the AFL and play Mitch Clark in a moonboot in round 23.

Diet Coke allowed?

This week's list according to melbournefc.com.au:- Chris Dawes (calf) test Tom Gillies (calf) test James Sellar (hamstring) test Nathan Stark (ankle) test Tom Couch (hamstring) 2 weeks Mark Jamar (foot) 2 weeks Michael Evans (foot) 3 weeks James Frawley (hamstring) 3 weeks Mitch Clark (foot) season Also Jesse Hogan is going to be rested as part of his development programme this week - Hogan to be rested before VFL finals

I don't think Dawes played last week.

Two articles from abroad that demonstrate how far off the mark we are in Australia in terms of cleaning up our sport of drug cheats - Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell know the rules they are responsible for everything they consume This principle applies everywhere else in the world but in the light of what we've heard and read about the ASADA investigation, can we say the same about the football codes in Australia?Turkey is way ahead of us too - Turkey hands out two-year drug bans to 31 of its track and field athletes, including Olympic medallist Esref Apak We spend millions on ASADA and, after 6 months and changes in our legislation, our drugs in sport watchdog can't even carry out a complete investigation - Teflon Dons escape drug bans

Since Shane Warne's retirement we have lacked a spinner to deliver the killer blow. It's time for Lyon to step up and claim at least three wickets on this pitch to get us home. The pace men are bowling beautifully but we need Lyon to stand up.

Round 16 VFL player review Nothing much said about Jordie McKenzie but that review sounds solid.

Declaration with a lead of 350 is my tip.

Bombers examine drug report Correct me if I'm wrong but May 6 was before the Essendon players were interviewed by ASADA and well before the investigation was completed and the report written. If true, this is the back room deal of the century. Well played ASADA and EFC!

Get over it Redleg. Water under the bridge.

Strauss putting his hand up with almost weekly appearances in Casey's best player list.

A month ago we beat the Doggies and then went down to the Swans by 31 points. True we've been poor the past couple of weeks and yesterday was horrible (but we had 2 scoring shots less than GWS and we have injuries to key players. The commentators on the Bulldogs v Swans game were waxing lyrical with praise from the Dogs today after they lost to the Swans by 35 points with a full side, many of who are aging players. Interesting.

I like your work but since it's a thesis that will be marked, you should make sure you have your facts right. We weren't bleeding money in Neeld's first year. We made a modest profit in the year before and also in 2012. Our financial woes only became apparent when we were thumped mercilessly in our first 2 - 3 games so the financial bleeding occurred after players were reaching their low point. It's therefore probably worth exploring the chicken v egg part of your proposition.

Richard Ings, formerly of ASADA is now saying the AFL is backing away from a decision before the finals. The heat too much for Vlad?

The accurate Cats are getting on top. First two goals of the second term and lead by 8 points.

What's the point in trying to score points at this time? The fact is we haven't had effective leadership for a long time. We're effectively under AFL administration and what happens in the next few months is what will determine whether we continue to exist and thrive in the future.

Well, if he did I would appreciate a link because it certainly wasn't on the bigfooty site where he posts now.Knightmare's details on bigfooty reveal that he first posted there on Sept 22, 2010 (i.e after both those players were drafted).

The club that beat us today had the first five picks in the 2011 National Draft and 9 of the first 14 and yet today was its first win of its second season. I think it's time for the AFL to get serious with the sort of draft assistance it's prepared to hand out to this club to help get it back on its feet. Draft assistance alone isn't going to do the trick but without 2 to 4 mini draft or priority picks I can't see us breaking through for a long time.

I think it's disingenuous to blame Neeld alone for out current situation. The train wreck that we are today left the station a decade ago and was caused by a combination of poor coaching, poor recruiting, list management and player development. It started in Neale Daniher's latter years and was compounded during Bailey's term. Needless to say, things didn't get any better under Mark Neeld's short tenure but the mess was already there when he arrived.

James Aish was again named in Norwood's best players in his team's big win over the Port Adelaide Magpies last night. This article describes him as "precociously talented" and Trent Dumont also gets some praise:- Superior Redlegs grind down struggling Port Magpies NORWOOD 4.4 6.4 10.4 13.5 (83) PORT ADELAIDE 1.2 1.4 2.5 2.8 (20) BEST - Norwood: Fuller, Aish, Donohue, Suckling, Thomas, Dawe. Port Adelaide: Watt, Kirkwood, Gray, Young. SCORERS - Norwood: Donohue 3, Aish 2.1, Dumont, M.Evans, Warren 2, Fuller, Dawe 1.0, Suckling, Evans, Pfeiffer, Newton 0.1. Port Adelaide: Johncock 2.1, Young, Johansen 0.2, Summerton, Thurgood, Madden 0.1 Stats: Aish 17 kicks 6 handballs 23 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 1 hitout 2 goals 1 behind Dumont 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 2 goals