sue

If that is the extent of the likely penalty, why in blazes have they been dragging the team through the mire for so long? They just need to respond claiming innocence and then when penalized piously say "don't accept we were guilty, but the best course for our players, supporters and the AFL is to take it on the chin and move on".

Mods, please change the name of the thread. I keep foolishly looking at it hoping there has been some update on JT's condition and all I see is people pointlessly arguing about whether he will play again.

That sounds like enough years for the current players to be drawing on their super before they are penalised. I can understand why some within EFC might like that but surely the AFL doesn't want this to drag on and has the necessary power to pull EFC into line (like swapping EFC's draws with ours).

I reckon the AFLPA needs some better union officials. Not just because they are spouting gibberish but also because they seem to ignore the interests of the majority of their members.

I wonder if he'd now care to comment on the Kreuzer cup?

OldDee - MRI scan revealed broken heart. (Where is he BTW?)

Well it will be interesting if the club agrees with you. If they put enormous efforts into getting him fit it would indicate they think he is very likely to stay (or are complete mugs if they think he'll leave regardless of what we do). If they don't do much then it will look like they agree with you.

You'll all enjoy this - Hird = Lindy Chamberlain: http://thenewdaily.cmail1.com/t/i-l-euldrt-kyujaku-f/ Why is Hird being picked on it asks? Perhaps it was because he was head coach during the 'pharmaceutical experiment".

Simple really.

I agree. Surely it is a great conflict of interest for the AFL to be involved - on the one hand they have an interest in preserving the drug-free integrity of the game, on the other they have an interest in preserving their financial empire and keeping Essendon supporters and their sympathisers happy. How can they make decisions that won't be tainted one way or the other or even both. And then ASADA/WADA can appeal - why not go straight to them or, since they are in a prosecuting role, to an independent body. Does anyone know the rationale for this?

I read somewhere that only 60 pages are particular to each individual player. Only 60....

If Prenderghastly really believes what he told the Senate today then why the hell hasn't the AFLPA started taking on the EFC?: "Compare the situation at Essendon to what would happen with workers in another industry, say the construction industry, where construction workers were exposed to asbestos through the lies of their employer," the former Carlton player told the inquiry.

maybe it is only all of a sudden to us, not to the club.

Or if you look at it from an optimistic rather than a pessimistic point of view, his confidence could be bolstered by Roos saying no to the trades. I know we have had a bad time over the last 8 years, but I'm continually amazed at how many posters always instantly find the negative in everything. Sometimes I think the M in MFCSS stands for Masochistic.

Thanks GNF. Assuming your info is correct (sorry, but what else can I say?) the most striking thing to me is that other clubs were prepared to offer picks 10-20 for Watts. There would be many Watts haters/critics on here who dislike him more than these clubs do it seems. I'll continue to rely on the professional AFL recruiting teams and Roos and expect improvement.

So many experts here who seem to know exactly went on and would have done better. Dunno why we employ anyone, just ask other teams to read Demonland, obey and cough up their best players for a pick or two. If you build up your expectations unrealistically (with or without riddles) you are bound to be disappointed.

Ash, many of us hate your club for all sorts of reasons. In my case for the thuggery in the 2000 GF (which wasn't even necessary for Essendon to win as they were by far the best team all year). I have zero sympathy for the admin, a little for the players, especially the younger ones. Surprisingly the people I have the most sympathy for are you supporters (no matter how much any rabid behaviour by them has ever annoyed me). It must be gut wrenching to see your club (over who you have little control) drag itself through the mire like this. I shudder to think what some of the depressives on this board would be like if it was us. Edit to add: forgot Hird, is there such a thing as a negative sympathy?

But you can bet if it was the MFC getting who we wanted, half the people on this forum would be condemning the club for putting too many expensive eggs in one basket.

Yes, and if you take the view of some on here, it seems Griffen wanting to leave the Dogs was all our fault.

Some of us take comfort that we were ahead in the fourth quarter 9 times in 2014 and look like we will be coming out of this trade/draft season better than did our cellar-dwelling competitors. Others see that as proof we will never win more than 2 games or recruit any superstar. To each his own.

What is the point of evaluating it 'so far'. Only about 20% of the average number of trades in previous years over all teams had been done when this was posted. Let's wait till Thursday pm.

and if he did, what then for him?

Its not just our past. It is a bit of a lottery for all teams. So the past is relevant. Doesn't mean it overrides everything else, but it is a factor.

I refer you to Stuie's post: Trades by year 2010: 20 2011: 31 2012: 28 2013: 27 2014: 4 so far To conclude it is all over is assuming a radical change from previous years. Let's wait before we slit our wrists, however much some of us seem to enjoy it.

To those enthusiastically wielding their razor blades, I note that about a dozen other teams haven't done any trades either. Yet.