hoopla

No we'll get the same same "assistance" every club gets when a player suffers a season long injury - the opportunity to upgrade a rookie to cover the" loss" You may be right - but the odds weigh heavily against "Oscar" and other potential Pick 40's getting even one AFL game - much less improving our list. In any event all remains quiet on the Newton front - so we might have to rely on pick 40 after all. All true. In our situation the difference between a relatively small profit and a relatively small loss, is quite important - and cannot be ignored.

If we take Newton as a DFA, then you can switch off the draft after pick 3. Two rookie spots - perhaps one for Tapscott - and our list is set. Mahoney might have said this in Adelaide - but its looking like gospel. Roos' comments late in the season suggested a larger turnover of players than this - but Terlich is about the only "marginal" player coming out of contract we chose to re-sign. Terlich shaped like a good hard-running player in his first year - but too many mistakes seemed to emerge last year - and I expected us to let him go.Word was that he carried a few injuries in 2014 - so I'll bow to the club's better judgment.. Nothing is certain in list management. At one point we didn't think that Trenners was going to be on the list in 2015 The trade for pick 40 gave us the option of a speculative mid- draft pick. As events have transpired it appears as though we are going to be able to sneak a youngster with potential (Newton) directly on to the list as a DFA instead.If we have decided that Newton is a better prospect than the speculative pick we planned to take, then it would be insane to sit back and wait for whoever is available at 40.

Very very very substantial outcomes, 2014. Thankyou for stating them so clearly. I have long been puzzled by Workcover's silence to date - and agree that they have the power to make the ASADA investigation seem a walk in the park by comparison. If your legal and other sources are Workcover-related, then your predictions certainly do have cred ! Hird and Little might just be wasting ammunition protecting the wrong border against a relatively small enemy!!

All this makes sense - the final sentence is obvious Likewise 2014- continue please .............. Fair's fair 2014. You owe us more information................. If you wont tell us what it is - then at least tell how and why it will come out when it hasn't come out already !! And what effect will it have on the AFL when it does ? If it is not difficult to draw certain conclusions, then surely you give can us a helpful hint! !!

Fair point on the 7 days . Just reckon one final warning is consistent with their silence on the matter as Friday's deadline came and went. He is most definitely eccentric - and rebellious,Given the bizarre behavior that has gone on around him over the past couple of years. I'm not sure we can say much more. To me, the issue is not Thompson's behavior - but the AFL's reaction to a refusal to accept sanction.Can anyone - for any reason - snub the AFL without a strong unhesitating response? At a stretch, I guess I could give the AFL until the day after Cup Day to react - but not a day longer.

For some time now, the AFL has - quite appropriately - let ASADA take the lead in all aspects of this hideous debacle. Now Bomber Thompson has reputedly refused to pay the $30k fine. Others may know better than I - but I assume that Thompson has never signed anything making this a legally enforeceable debt. Even if he has - a long drawn out set of debt collection procedures which Thompson could string out for months/years wouldn't really send out the sort of message the AFL needs to broadcast Putting this aside ,the AFL has 5 options 1. Call for payment within ,say 7 days, advising that failure to do so will be deemed contempt of competition rules leading to immediate disbarment from all /any AFL related positions for an indefinite period 2. Call for payment within, say 7 days, advising that the Commission will consider appropriate sanctions for non-payment at its next meeting 3. Call for payment within say 7 days advising that the Commission will await the outcome of ASADA' s action against the players before determining appropriate sanctions for non payment 4. Call for payment within say 7 days advising that the Commission will await the outcome of Hird' s appeal before determining appropriate sanctions for non-payment 5. Make no public statement indicating that it is a private matter between Thompson and itself. As it has already been leaked to the media - and Thompson can comment at any time - Option 5 isn't really an option at all. As the fine was for bringing the game into disrepute the ongoing ASADA enquiry - and Hirds's appeal - is beside the point If the AFL wishes to assert itself as a strong body operating under a set of rules agreed by all its member bodies, then surely Option 2 is unnecessarily weak and indecisive. This leaves only Option 1- strong, clear, reasonable Thompson may already have decided to step away from the game - and any sanctions will be inconsequential. But the AFL needs to jump in - and withdraw the right before Thompson thumbs his nose at the whole competition - and at the whole investigation.

Got to agree with that......n the field they have worked as a team Doesn't the old saying "as thick as thieves" pick on the bond that develops between criminals as they plot and scheme to avoid being caught ?

Not my usual habit - I think its called trolling!!!

Well they happily toddled along to all the interviews at the appointed times - and apparently told the truth : "Yes we took the injections - but they were fine - Hirdy told us to sign a confidentiality document because he didn't want the other teams to know that we were getting our vitamins intravenously" .Didn't run away and pretend that they'd never seen a syringe - they cooperated . They are sorry the club dragged it all out by appealing - and they are sorry that Hirdy was misled by that Dank bloke. Surely Its pretty clear that they shouldn't get the maximum penalty. They've even had to suffer through all Caro's criticisms of Hirdy. Just having to watch their club pay lawyers to wade through all that mail ought to be punishment enough, At least you'd expect them to suspend Fletcher''s penalty until after his 400th game. It would be nice to think that even if the others cant play that day they'll be allowed on the field to carry the banner!.

Agree - good work Mr Smoker !! Griffen's move must put us in the game. The Bulldogs want early picks to use on this year's crop of talls - and we are the only sellers around. If they can drag a young gun out of GWS for Griffen and give him to us - the Bulldogs can get what they want. Patton's knee has gone and they wont get Boyd. What other currency can GWS offer them?

Surely at some point Worksafe must look at all this. If one thing is clear - whatever drugs were administered to who - Essendon did not pay due attention to the health and welfare of its employees. Worksafe exists to ensure that employers exercise due skill and care.in providing a safe work environment. In 2012 /13 the EFC did not. Where are you, Worksafe?

Regrettably - and unjustly in many ways - Trenners is associated with a period in our history we need to forget, Through that action, Trenners demonstrated the sort of loyalty we would like to retain - but his premature elevation to the captaincy is part of the losing culture Roosy is trying to destroy - as he must. I dont want Trenners to leave - but if he can buy us a winner I'll accept it. I agree that he should be worth more than a speculative pick - and if we do the deal I'd expect it to be part of a trade for a proven player - directly or otherwise. I would accept it for instance if we trade picks 2 and/or 3 - and want 12 to keep us in the hunt for this year's talent pool, Whatever he might think now- Trenners himself might be better off in a new environment.

Very plausible. I have had a few dealings with Kristian - and know him as someone who speaks his mind. Seriously why would a young player who wants to settle into a footy club want to go anywhere near Essendon. Who's going to be coach? Who's going to be captain? What story are they going to spin you? What about a young kid and his parents sweating on the draft? What would you fear most - an invitation to leave home for the joys of Western Sydney or a daily trip down the Tullamarine Freeway behind a convoy of lawyers? Ready or not - I guess you might be a 'shoo in' to make your debut in Round 1 2015!!

Seriously their refusal to accept the findings of a government law enforcement agency ( as now supported by a Federal Court judgment) is bringing the game into disrepute !! The AFL pinged them for bringing the game into disrepute with a drug supplement program they ran in 2012 and early 2013. What they've done in late 2013 and 2014 has done a lot more damage to the game. These actions under a different Chairman ought to prompt another disrepute charge - more damning than the other one!

That might be the theory - but every ream has to pay 90-95% of the cap every year. If you don't have any standouts its not easy for weak clubs to create the space to throw $$$$ at free agents

Hang on ..... hasn't it also been written that the players desperately want Bomber ? Who's calling the shots for that mob during trade week ?

Very passionate Deejamin - and unfortunately very true. Demetriou came to the top job via the AFLPA - and he came to the free trade table well and truly indoctrinated with their philosophies. Can/will McLachlan make his mark by simply saying NO to their push for even free-er trade.

The main reason they can't sack Hird for appealing the dismissal of their case - is that he will make sure they pay him out in full!! Nobody seems to remember that before an abnormal number of soft tissue injuries swept through the club, Essendon played surprisingly brilliant footy in 2013. Something did enhance their performance in early 2013 ............... it was supposed to be the Weapon's brutal pre-season training regime as I recall

I have no doubt that they deliberately muddied or destroyed the records for individual players as part of a strategy to avoid penalties. When theystarted out Hird should have checked with his lawyer wife who would have told him that under the ASADA Act the burden of proof shifts to the accused.

One of the things that worries me is that if the APLPA argue that the qualifying period of service should fall to help "lesser" players - which is what they have touted recently - we'll get to my greatest fear about free agency - eroding club loyalty completely!! Either they have to limit the ability of players to go to the top 4 teams - or perhaps tax the total contract amounts the Top 4 teams pay free agents in the year of transfer and include the tax in the TPP. This would be consistent with the equalisation policies of a competition keen to avoid litigation for restraint of trade

One of the arguments for free agency was that it would give players starved of opportunity a chance to develop their careers. It was supposed to help blokes who spent half their time in the VFL get to a club that would give them a regular game. All it has done has been to give players the opportunity to exploit the development programs of the weaker clubs en route to a crack at a premiership with an established club - which blocks the path of the VFL players the rule was supposed to help!! Something has to happen to make it harder for senior players at bottom clubs to get to top clubs. The list is getting longer... Tippett - mid range club to premiers Goddard- bottom club to potential finalist Thomas - Slipping top 8 club to supposed finalist Del Santo- bottom club to potential finalist Frawley - bottom club to premier Higgins- low/middle club to top 4 club Waite- middle club to top 4 club Waite and Higgins when carrying injuries have played a few VFL games. The rest have been walk up start AFL players The opportunity to be part of a premiership side is not only what players cherish from a playing perspective - but its also the key to more $$$. Matt Spangher - premiership player - can all of a sudden claim a bit of coin on the speakers circuit! Traditionally trade unions have stood for equal opportunity for all workers, The AFLPA has held out for rules which allow the fortunate few to build more successful careers than their slightly less gifted cronies

Hate to say it - but I have to agree. I have a great deal of respect for the guy - but I don't really expect him to be much more than a depth player going forward. It's not just that he's slow - but that he has no acceleration and no "stop and turn" tricks to compensate. If I'm wrong then he'll be a terrific bonus

I've retained some sympathy for the players in all this - because the younger players at least had been hammered to believe 'one in all in". They were in an elite environment overseen by a champion of the game - you do what you are told to do. I have been rounded on by others who have said that the minute a person over 18 has to to sign a disclaimer he ought to know he's on the knife edge of legality- and seek expert counsel.Still they did what the team was expected to do. This is where Hird's behaviour throughout has been reprehensible .As he said alongside David Evans - and has since denied and denied - I am responsible for what happens to the player group. Had it not been for him drawing the Little faction to the head of the Committee - all this would have played out so differently. Hird's stance now is semi- delusional - and must certainly be motivated by a determination to build up his bank balance any way he can. It is astounding that Worksafe haven't jumped on to pile - it may be that ASADA has asked them to keep their powder dry for now

The Social Litigator makes at least one point that must surely sink Hird's ploy at the starting gate For whatever reason , Hird is asking the Court to rule that ASADA's investigation was illegal and that the evidence that it obtained ought to be thrown out. Simultaneously he comes out and announces that he doesn't want to delay the show cause notices !! So he is happy for the players to go through the ordeal of defending themselves against evidence he wants the Federal Court to quash! So the players are found guilty - accept suspensions - and he bobs up with a Court ruling that the suspensions weren't based on valid evidence !! The man's flipped!! Sounds like the ideal man to coach Essendon!

He re-signed with Sydney. Apparently lifestyle - other half is a Sydney-sider - as much as football