sue

I'm not too worried about this - we'll see how he goes. But to add to your concern, the significance of Essendon also being interested has to be diluted by the fact that they need established players to cover the possibility of you know what. So effectively it was only us.

All the more remarkable because being a good Jewish boy he couldn't play on Saturday or Friday nights.

He may have changed with the years of course.

I believe there are many realistic EFC supporters. They have gone quiet - not surprising. Those living in cloud-cuckoo land are noisy, egged on by sections of the media.

Whenever I read about the emphasis on meat in the human diet I just look at my incisors and compare them to my dog's.

Unfortunately you can do excellent due diligence and still be deceived. It only means that you did everything reasonably possible to determine the candidate was OK. Given the clearly dangerous circumstances and as you say the professionalism we now seem to have, I expect we did what was appropriate. I just hope that all is OK. If it isn't, I wouldn't automatically assume we stuffed up.

Amazing conclusion. All I could conclude is that the surface they were playing on would make the Ethiad ice-rink look stable.

It's all a lot simpler if you consider players to be employed by the AFL, not individual clubs which can only divvy-up the salary cap.

Since we don't know what went on between him and the club, that is pretty weak evidence. Maybe both sides agreed to make no public comment. How do you explain that Jones is apparently still his mate? That seems stronger evidence in the other direction.

Gosh, as well as thinking all depressions are the same, you know an awful lot that isn't in the public domain. We don't know exactly what happened and the known facts are capable of being interpreted several ways as many posters have pointed out. The fact that he is still mates with our loyal Captain is the strongest evidence that your interpretation is the wrong one however. I don't go on anything vague MC tweeted, but if I had to interpret that particular remark, I'd suspect that by saying 'how do you know', rather than just denying it, he's covering up for being booted out. But don't expect me to put money on that. At this stage, I just hope he doesn't star for Geelong - that would be galling. If it emerges that he did the club in, I will join you in cursing him. Not till then.

Good to learn from an expert that all cases of depression are the same. Better a bleeding heart capable of being stung than have a heart of stone. I look forward to your post if it emerges that he left because we didn't want him.

I agree. A union like the AFLPA should not favour a few of its members over the interests of the majority. Not sure what line player managers would take, but leaving them aside, I think that if the AFL got into the ears of the non-elite players, the AFL could enforce a different regime without fear of how the AFLPA might react. But I guess a lot of average players have foolish dreams of becoming elite and are prepared to toe the current line. A bit like Walmart employees in the USA thinking one day they will be millionaires and voting Republican.

Just re-watched the narrow loss to port. There were a few good plays there too, including some by players regularly bad-mouthed on here. I'm hoping the players just need a bit more self and team confidence and they will deliver that standard regularly.

Lane writes: That the voice of cycling through much of the world was speaking in this way says much for the burden carried by anti-doping agencies in "big fish" cases. Successful sports stars attract loyalty to an extent that is often irrational. Many supporters will not countenance serious questioning of their behaviour. He is spot on - just replace "big fish" by EFC or Hird.

Thanks a lot for that old chap. I may now have to review my membership.

So it was the dingo that ordered all those injections: http://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/2014/10/20/james-hird-new-lindy-chamberlain/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The+New+Daily+Friday+2115+Aus+Super&utm_content=The+New+Daily+Friday+2115+Aus+Super+CID_df38acb1ab6b2af2342cbb9e1fe4d438&utm_source=&utm_term=Why%20James%20Hird%20is%20the%20new%20Lindy%20Chamberlain

That seems to be the EFC strategy, or more correctly when the players have retired..

Flinched? Looked to me that he was about to hit him and either realised that doing it when he was low down was stupid, or he remembered that Roos wouldn't congratulate him if he did whack him. Anyway, who cares, the real issue is can he improve his skills.

good question, been wondering myself if there are separate proceedings for them after Hird's court case is concluded. Anyone know?

One would think so, but I wouldn't underestimate the creativity of the AFL highlighting differences between individuals, with an eye on ASADA or perhaps in cahoots with it with a plan to keep WADA at bay. Though I admit it is hard to think of convincing possible differences between the players since the evidence seems to be based on what was ordered etc.

Wouldn't be surprised if the AFL finds those players no longer active in the AFL or EFC more guilty than the rest, so they can end up with harsh penalties for them, lesser ones for marginal players and next to nothing for those players who are important to Essendon in 2015. Maybe one scapegoat amongst the latter to make things look respectable. I expect they could do that even if the evidence is very similar in each case - we know It's not beyond the talent of the tribunal to hand out different or no penalties for the same offence, though I know the basic evidence appears to be at the club level, not th individual player level. They'd try to fine tune it to keep ASADA/WADA from appealing - ASADA at least would be happy to get some scalps after the PR campaign that has been run against them. That way the AFL appears to be doing something noble about drugs, but doesn't affect the competition/TV too much or upset those legions of EFC supporters.

They don't make jumpers like that anymore. They'd shred after the first orbit.

Agree. Great work. My problem is that with all these new blokes and occasional beards etc I can't recognise who is who is a lot of the pictures. When people are commenting on a photo,it would be great if they could say which one it is somehow.

Shocked to learn that the same bozos who usually sit on the tribunal would be let anywhere near such a serious case as this. Shocked, but alas, not surprised.

Essendon's (and it's cheerleaders) arrogant behaviour reminds me of the definition of 'chutzpah' in the old Jewish joke. The one about the man charged with murdering his parents who throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan.