binman

God forbid they uphold the appeal whilst the doping tribunal is sitting.

Thanks RB. Top job. The best back handed compliment ever?: * Get the feeling Garlett does his best work in games.

Incredible how quiet the media is about this story atm, given this is the denouement (well not really a denouement - there is bound to be an appeal) of what has been the most over analysed and certainly longest running football story ever. Also the media seems to have forgotten about the turd appeal. WJ any idea when that is going to land? Surely they must be close to having a decision?

Fuel, fuel - i need fuel

I reckon we should have Saty thread where people can argue about him to their hearts content for surely he must be the most discussed issue on DL. It would also enable Saty to continue to enjoy the baiting he has admitted n many occasions that he enjoys so much. It might also help the training threads not being derailed. But life is short. I reckon a good option is to use Ignore or as suggested above by Tim filter out the flotsam and read the bits you like. But Saty can i make a suggestion. If you film your player interviews and post them on DL you will exponentially grow the number of posters you annoy and fuel untold Saty related debate. Imagine DL posters dissecting your interviews, analyzing body language (are the players genuine or do they really want to run away?) and playing backwards to check for hidden messages. Hours of fun.

My thoughts exactly. Couldn't care less to be honest

Very quiet isn't it. Are the players in the court?

Call me stupid but i think WJ was being ironic. Perhaps he could have been more explicit, eg: 'In this session we are talking about why it is crucial that players are fully aware of - and take full responsibility for - the status of any drug they ingest, inject, inhale, smear or allow to permeate their skin through osmosis (eg in the club spa). We will give an example of one Victorian football club, that shall remain nameless, but for today's purposes we shall call the jets, whose players were pretty naive and to be truthful very, very stupid. For they did not heed our warning. They put their blind faith in their club and their messianic coach. Now thus far the players haven't been found guilty of anything - but will be - but none the less they have endured unprecedented scrutiny and stress. So learn from these trusting man children and check with your own doctor (not you club doctor), google the drugs your club have suggested you use, discuss with your manager - hell even call ASADA if you have any queries. Clear?'

Went by myself to that game. One of my favorite matches. Zaharakis almost won it for them single handed. Couldn't believe he was allowed to get that last clearance. Would have been a heartbreaker if a bomber had marked that kick and then kicked truly.

It's funny how people can watcgth, closely, the same players and reach different conclusions. I can't see how anyone could characterize TMac as a poor decision maker. Perhaps he overreaches (which i like nd think he should continue doing) but i think he is excellent decision maker. I think at times he chooses not to take the high risk, yet best option (eg to a player by himself on the fat side of the ground but requiring a kick across the face of goals) because he is worried about turning it over and instead takes a less risky option (eg down the line to a pack) that at times appears to be a poor decision (well guess it is, but not because he lacks footy smarts, but becase he has a poor kicking technique). However i suspect Roos has encouraged him to take risks and in doing so, particularly when crossing the ball, the impact of his poor kicking technique is magnified.

I agree. His sort of repeat, gut running capacity is absolutely crucial to the Roos game plan and as has been the case already he remain part of Roosy's team. I agree he has limitations but i reckon he is underrated.

I wouldn't worry. Saty was rolling alongside him on his scooter asking him about his interest in the EPL and where he gets his hair done. Hard to chat and run a good trial at the same time

Did that upset you?

Yep, 100% agree especially with bolded part. I see it in junior basketball. Young players with a flawed shooting technique. Unless you are an athletic center who can block and rebound you need to have a reliable shooting technique. If it is not sorted by say age 13 (assuming they have not just started playing bball and have been playing for some years previously - with thousands of shots with incorrect technique forging their muscle memory) they're stuffed and will have a ceiling imposed on how far they can go. Quality coaching is crucial

Is this a haiku?

see below

Yep - and if Jess was so concerned why, in the best interests of the players he supposedly represents, didn't he advise his charges not to agree to be involved in the supplement program? He could have also let the AFLPA know of his concerns or workcover for that matter (who would have been appropriate as as i have banged on about the real issue is player welfare not use of PEDs - certainly this is the issue a manager who is concerned about his player should be most concerned with)

More warner comedy gold. I hope though he's right about the decision in the third appeal coming down next week. If unsuccessful I wonder what the hun spin will be. BTW slobbo and warner won an award from the Australian sports commission for their coverage of the efc saga. One word comes to mind - how?

I'm with you on this one P-Man. He'll be a loss, if for no other reason than he was a hardened 100 plus gamer and his direct replacement is no guarantee of getting to that stage. But whilst he'll be a loss it won't be a huge one. I reckon he is overrated and as STHM says didn't really show on field leadership. Also all good defenses operate as a unit and if the new unit gels then we will be in front if as expected Brayshaw becomes a player. IMO the reason he was kept forward after Dawes came back was Roos wanted the defence to gell/form a unit without him in full knowledge he was gone

I'll channel my inner Sweet and Sour Dee here: if Dunn is not put on the DL banner that's it for me with this jumped up joke of a forum/ A joke BTW. Not the Dunn part - he def should go on the banner.

It is interesting isn't it. One thing seemingly all journos commenting on this palaver agree on (perhaps the only thing) is that ASADA have been poor/shoddy. I recall the lambasting the old CEO (whose name escapes me - Androuska?) copped after being cross examined in the Middleton trial. Well Middleton didn't share the view of the peanut gallery and in fact went to some lengths to praise how considered she was in her responses and point out that she and ASADA had in fact been quite effective and the process she followed in terms of delegation were standard business practice. He even praised the joint investigation as a model, a model which had been roundly panned. Not surprisingly this praise for ASADA was not highlighted and i don't recall a single journno even reconsidering their negative assessments, let alone change them.

Exactly - particularly given whilst he might have an axe to grind with EFC on more than one occasion he has sympathized with the players. But leaving that aside what about the moral duty? it was his program (and the players blind faith) after all that has exposed the players to these charges. Beggars belief. As does his pathetic threats to sue all and sundry (where are all those defamation cases at?) and fatuous claims he would only appear in the safety of a court - hold that the AFL tribunal is ok, but only if it open to the public. Because of course no one can be trusted and this all an ASADA/AFL conspiracy. Pathetic. As is Hardie. A legal academic my arse. And you can throw Chip Le Grand in for good measure. I heard him on SEN the other day ('breaking'the story ASADA had considered offering Charter a job - which the article actually noted after checking with Vic pol they dd not proceed with - some scoop) and that numskull Mark Allen said something along the lines of thank god for Chip who cuts through all the rubbish and makes sense. Are people for real? Chop again reiterated that the case will get thrown out next week because the players lawyers will successfully argue ASADA do not have sufficient evidence. If it doesn't will he admit his error? Of course not. Just as Mick Warner made no comment about spectacularly wrong he got the outcome EFC appeal. How he could return to journalism after his ridiculous and 100% wrong cricket score analogies is anyone's guess.

Is this a riddle?

Yep, that should be enough time. I'm not sure its an easy position in so far as it takes real skill and courage to zone off and great timing not to get caught out. Plus the decision to spoil or mark is fraught. Gibson and Rivers are the two best at i reckon (with apologizes to the poster who says that sort of comment is superfluous ie i reckon, in my opinion etc, though in my opinion it is a useful qualifier and helps distinguish fact from opinion)

I disagree, in so far as whilst he is good one on one Gibsons key skill is zoning off his man and coming over the top of packs and spoiling forwards, often with a big punch to the boundary. Howe can do the same but yes he he needs to develop his defensive smarts buts as TMac notes that is what the plan is as he has only had the year down back.