Lucifers Hero

Essendon players determined not to accept guilty verdict - The Australian Summary: Hird wants to appeal Players don't want an appeal if it delays resolution EFC Board will only appeal if the case is 'water tight'! In a way I would like to see them appeal just to enjoy watching them being thrown out of court again!! As an aside, Justice Middleton appeared to hardly be able to conceal his contempt. Could it be because he didn't appreciate Hird using his courtroom as the forum to attack AD/AFL and to absolve himself of responsibility, stuff not particularly relevant to the case. Maybe Hird has lived in his cocoon for so long that he has lost the ability to be 'streetwise'!!

This is Gold: "The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority will agree to present the players with parts of its case against them after repeated requests from the AFL Players’ Association. But no action from the anti-doping body will be taken until Essendon and James Hird make a call this week on whether to appeal..." Whether the evidence would help EFC and Hird decide on an appeal I don't know but it looks like a great move by ASADA!!!

Nicely selected half a sentence and then presented out of context!

Totally agree. During the FS on Thursday night he was asked about his physical condition and admitted that he was having a few on-going problems (didn't elaborate). Can't help but feel that we are mortgaging our future by giving up the chance to get at least 1 elite young player this year. Happy to have him but we still need to build for the future.

Yes, their silence speaks volume. Perhaps waiting for the egg-on-face to drip off before surfacing!

Kochie and co have clearly come up with a marketing strategy for Port. Note the home game features: signage, giveaways, the 'Never tear us apart song'. They are selling: come to the footy it is fun! To help sell it further their coach is selling the message brilliantly. Hinkley talks about: -to beat us you have to outrun us! -we play Port Adelaide 'brave' -If you want to watch footy that’s ­exciting and fun, come and watch Port Adelaide. Never once do they talk about their 'brand' or what 'they stand for' but the above is cleverly designed to establish exactly their brand and exactly what they stand for. Simple message. No slogans, per se. No Jargon, No consultant speak! Kochie has the business nouse to know what what was need and set about making it happen. The whole club is singing from the same song book...that is what is making it all work. Forget the 'walk-the-talk' stuff; they are an 'actions-speak-louder-than-words' club. Hats off to them!

I'm sure the club has thought of this. They would either: - say ok, sit out the time of the ban and then start up again (like clubs will do with Ess players they take) - have clause in contract that says if banned for greater than x years, all bets are off with no compensation Or else, based on what the club has said about his very honest answers the grilling he got from MFC management and board they are comfortable that he won't be banned. (If he has lied to them, which I can't possibly imagine, I'm sure there would be an out clause for MFC as well.) I'm ok with any of the above - they are all relatively low risk situations for the MFC. Am sure PJ has done very thorough due diligence and put triggers in place to cover every eventuality.

Apparently all club presidents meet this afternoon - very convenient. Hope they don't gang upon us again.

Do we know who is on the panel that makes the recommendation to the Commission and what the steps in the process are. Mark Evans and Sheahan are two names mentioned so far?

Its a team effort. I reckon most of us would be hard pushed to name the president of at least a dozen or more clubs. Its just that Eddie and Kochie (and Brayshaw) have media profiles aside from the Club President role which they use to their Club's advantage. You are right, our President isn't high profile. But he is new to the job, the media and the AFL. I feel what we need most from him right now (which he is doing) is a steady handy on the rudder and support for PJ and PR.

Probably, but I bet Hird will still leave town and head over the water somewhere. Gives a valid 'reason' to part ways and gets him out of the way...ala sending him off to France...out of sight out of mind. So probably some combination of my hypothetical and your reasonable expectation will be the outcome after the GF.

How's this for a hypothesis: - While at the fancy management course in France Hird made some good contacts, hedged his bets - maybe lined up potential job offers. He does have international standing/contacts in his pre-coaching, sports consulting life. - Middleton's decision makes it almost impossible for him to survive the 'Hird Must Go' groundswell that is on the way. - Has the opportunity to stay here for GF week and host/calm sponsors and other key stakeholders. Not here. - Should be here for trade week, list management etc Unlikely to be here for its start. - Knows it would be difficult to work in Australia for a while (not to mention possible ridicule/tough times for his kids at school) Could it be that he has gone to the US to follow up his France based contacts. Then - Take a job overseas and maybe move his family there. Realistically, few outside OZ or sport would have heard of our EFC/ASADA drama - After GF, resign as coach on the premise that he wants to re-establish his consulting/business practice... (for which EFC have so handsomely trained him) ...you know the too good to refuse offer type. - Avoids the firestorm of the ASADA fallout. Leaves it for others to clean up the mess (probably without compunction!) - Can maintain his self-delusion that he did nothing wrong and it has all been a conspiracy. Warning: Hypothesis is entirely of my own creation! No truth to it whatsoever! Maybe I have been reading too many mystery novels! Nonetheless, any takers for this hypothesis?

That makes more sense. I suppose the implication is that just hearing the word 'Thymosin' a player should be aware enough to go away and check which type it was and then say 'no'. Hird will probably still claim (as he did under oath) that I was just doing what I was told...I was but a mere coach!

I recall reading of the answer as to why only 34 players got SCN's. It was along the lines of, Essendon analysed all the interviews and the main difference between player responses was that the ones who recalled/saw/heard about Thymosin Beta 4 sounding 'familiar'or on the premises' got the SCN's. Ipso facto they should have known it was illegal and had the opportunity to say 'no'. Don't know if this is true but it would explain a lot about the legal manouvering and if true as soon as one player breaks ranks the EFC will be like the proverbial house of cards.

Toll is still a major sponsor but that may go if players are suspended and Little and Hird are dumped. I'm still gobsmacked that Hird has gone to the USA for more business training and left a sh.. storm in his wake, just before trade period. Maybe he knows he is gone and just setting himself up for life after AFL. Inexplicable otherwise.

I came accross this in the AFL Rules 18.1 Application for Relisting A Player and Club may apply to the AFL for a special ruling that the Player who has been or is to be delisted from the Club may be relisted by the Club. ……………. 18.2 Grounds for Relisting ……………. It is a pre-condition to the granting of approval that the Player spent no more than one Season removed from the Club’s List and that the Player did not receive a Football Payment by the Club during this time. It is a further pre -condition that if the Player was on the Primary List, he must be relisted on the Primary List. I would guess the 'retirement' was handled with this rule in mind. It means that an offer to Mitch would be on the primary list NOT as a rookie. I believe that there was some legitimacy to his depression as I recall there was real concern for 'his personal safety' and that would have been quite a claim if there wasn't some basis to it. Who knows how his mind works or his perception of his circumstances. As Voss hinted at, maybe he is just the type who can't face his issues and does a 'runner' when the going gets rough, which is not uncommon for people with depression/anxiety. My experience has been that in the end you can't run away from yourself so best to face the demons (no pun intended). However, his circumsatances/perception do not excuse his/his manger's lack of integrity/respect in their handling of this. By all accounts his manager shopped him around before meeting with Roos. If Mitch had faced up to Roos and said thanks for everything but he wanted to go elsewhere (for whatever reason) Roos would not have been happy but probably would have helped him out. MC would become a beaming role model for people with depression making a comeback to professional sport and be hailed somewhat of a hero. To blindside Roos and the Club was downright stupid and he gave up the opportunity to leave a great legacy to the sport and to people with depression. He could have been to depression what the Ox is to people with gambling problems. His behaviour will haunt him for a long time to come. He can hide in denial but in the end he can't run from himself. As we all know there is a karma bus so let him go and what will be will be.

From HS: 'Bombers coach James Hird leaves for San Francisco this morning to complete an international business course..." How much training does this guy need? Did he not learn anything in France? Perhaps a course in humility and taking responsibility might help. Just stunning that he would leave now. You would think he would stay to try and shore up his players (that he ostensibly cares so much about) that are being wooed by other clubs. Hird must be the reincarnation of Narcissus himself!!

Heard Voss say something like he would like Mitch to "see something through, but he won't". The implication being that Mitch will take the easy way out if the going gets tough. Signs of a lack of mental toughness! . Lots of on-field physical courage but a 'fair weather sailor'! I bet he won't make it at the next club either.

EFC and Hird may appeal but there is a good chance players are over it and will do a deal with ASADA. Especially those no longer at Essendon or about to leave. Receiving clubs will probably accept a player who has a short suspension...Sydney did with Tippett who got preseason and half the playing season. Players owe Hird/EFC Nothing. Time for them to look after themselves!

Love this: In contracting with AFL to play, players/Hird give up the right to claim self-incrimination!!! GONE!

Club may feel same way. He hasn't featured/mentioned in any dispatches on MFC website since before EOS: B&F, unveiling of Stynes statue, 2015 (co)captaincy discussion, new contract talks have all been with Jones. Admittedly Jones won B&F and our MVP and Grimes might be on holidays but makes me wonder if he seriously falls into the 'anyone is tradeable' category and had a poor EOS review -he ranked relatively low in B&F especially for a co-cap.

I thought they were already our 'bunny'

Sloane would be awesome!

Your not really on your own. There are thousands of other die hard Dee supports with you (whose friends have also dropped off the bandwagon)

Yeah, way too much! 3 top 5 picks with average age of 20; for 1, 25 year old