Ted Lasso

Just out of curiosity Saty, you seem to feel the players were duped by senior people at the club doing the wrong thing, and then made to be scapegoats by a corrupt process that was essentially a witch hunt?

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/former-manager-peter-jess-says-jobe-watson-will-lose-2012-brownlow-medal-after-losing-doping-ban-appeal/news-story/13297f20a4be9bf7d79279f6ff600ffa

His ban would have been reduced to zero if he could produce records of what he took as is his requirement as an AFL player under the ASADA/WADA code, it's as simple as if one of the 34 produced records this wouldn't be an issue.

Does Jobe keep the Brownlow? Absolutely not! the brownlow is awarded to the fairest and best player of each season, why should Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin who both played fairly in the 2012 miss out on the opportunity to be awarded one of the most prestigious individual honours in the game when the current holder of the 2012 medal is now a convicted drug cheat in the very same year he won it? I've heard Essendon supporters argue that the AFL tribunal found them not guilty so why should he lose an AFL award, i say to the same people, had they been found guilty they would have appealed the decision and if it were then overturned they wouldn't be complaining about the system, this attitude is that of a sooky child who has thrown his toys out of the cot because he didn't get his own way. the other argument i've heard is that if Jobe has to give his medal back so do Ben Cousins and Dane Swan, this is even more laughable, clearly not understanding the difference between recreational drugs and performance enhancing drugs, and not understanding there is totally different set of rules for each. three strikes policy is in place for a reason. there is absolutely no good reason i have ever heard to allow Jobe to keep his brownlow, he cheated and is yet to take responsibility for it in any real way, and neither are any of the players, lets remember that in 30 odd approaches from ASADA not one of these players ever declared any of these injections. I have very little sympathy for the players in this situation as i believe they're the real cause for this situation, people can argue that dank bought the injections into the club, and the club culture is to trust your doctors ect, but ultimately it's the players decision if they accept the injections and it's the players decision to keep correct records incase ASADA come knocking. i've said it a few times on here, every single AFL player is 100% responsible for every substance that enters their body, they're responsible for keeping records to prove they haven't cheated, i know players who write down the serial numbers on bottles for their records, there is absolutely no excuse for 34 professional athletes to fail to do this really simple part of being a professional athlete. so there is no way Jobe can keep his brownlow, if he does it would be the darkest day in AFL history as it would signal the end of all integrity in the game, you can't be the best and FAIREST player in the league and a drug cheat in the very same year.

LOL!! EFC supporters arguing that because the AFL tribunal didn't find them guilty Jobe has to keep his brownlow!!

Maybe they should take it up with Dank?

It's not, but the AFL seem to be behaving like petulant children unwilling to accept the decision so anything is possible to spite WADA/ASADA giving them pick 1 in itself is a joke

No logically way he can keep the medal, The Brownlow is awarded to the FAIREST and best player in 2012, the same year Jobe now has been found guilty of cheating. it's disgusting that there is even a conversation about this. The AFL needs to realise they can't play both sides, by looking after EFC the way they have they're making themselves looks corrupt as all hell very publicly and losing favour with the other 17 clubs who didn't cheat.

I wonder if Dunn and our third roudner (46) for the Lions pick 30 might be a go?

similar role to Matty Boyd or Corey Enright, backline general who uses the ball well, reads it well and sets up our attacks from the back half. he's a bloody good defender but capable of doing real damage the other way as well

Hibberd will be a great get for two reasons, 1. he's exactly what we need off half back, elite skills, elite decision making, great one on one and experienced. 2. he'll enable Salem and Hunt to spend more time on the wing where they can really do some damage.

I take comfort from the fact Grimes knew it was coming and wasn't blindsided like i think some of the North guys were to an extent, but even though i think it's the right call, i doubt many Dees supporters weren't hoping he could find something and hang around, just because of the loyalty he's shown through such a hard time

That's true, but given we have no first round pick, and we're likely trading our second round pick and have to use 3 picks in the draft a second 4th round pick would be an upgrade on a fifth round pick, depending on what our intentions are with that pick

Given Grimes status as a free agent, i assume we don't delist him just incase we somehow get a compo pick for him?

CHF in the vic team of the year, in a VFL side that made the GF and has shown some very clear AFL level attributes, if it were my call i'd absolutely be taking him, would love to see the rationale of a person who didn't want him on their list, even as a rookie

I'd be shocked if he isn't drafted, i'd absolutely be looking at him, especially with at least one of Dawes and Pedo leaving. we've had a very close look so we're in a very good position to make a call.

I suspect in a lot of cases the decisions have been made and the players possibly already know, or have a strong indication of which way it'll go.

He does seem like the sort of bloke who as "Mach5" would say, has a pretty good relationship with himself, so maybe he is keen on the Melbourne footy bubble and being in the papers every 5 seconds

I don't buy the they didn't really try and retain him stuff, they definitely wanted to keep him but they had to pay massive overs for Hurley and Hooker to keep them (both are on Hogan level money ) and someone was always likely to be squeezed out, our offer to Hibberd made that an easy choice for them

Surely pick 26 is more than enough to get this over the line? given his age, he's had a year out of the AFL system and all the other factors around this that's more than fair

Would Tim Smith be on our radar as well?

And those are two massive errors that have cost the players a year and smashed their reputations as players and people within the footy world.

I've said it before the players are 100% responsible for what they put in their bodies, and responsible for keeping records which they have failed to do, if 1 player could produce records suggesting they didn't cheat, the balance of probabilities would shift drastically and i suspect they wouldn't have missed a year, your opinions of the agencies involved is irrelevant, the players are 100% culpable because they failed to do something very simple, and or didn't ask questions around what they were taking to be able to keep these sorts of records.

at the end of the day Jake has been labeled a drug cheat because he is a professional athlete who took some substances and he cannot prove what they were, he is 100% responsible for what goes into his body, he didn't ask questions of the right people or make enough noise and he's bought this on himself. there are people who give talks about this stuff before players even get drafted, there is no excuse, regardless of political agendas or how badly run people think ASADA might be, you're responsible for what you take, if you can't prove it you wear whatever comes your way. having said that Jakes ban is over and i look forward to seeing him in the red and blue in 2017

I had a chat with Jack Trengove in about Febuary this year and he definitely described it as a very tough time, you just want to be part of it especially with how exciting it is at our club right now, but i still think that is much much better than being out of the club and AFL system totally for 12 months, it might take Melksham a little bit longer to get back into it, again not saying it 100% will but i would understand if it did.