Reading Bruce's diatribe says nothing other than:You're making a bit of an assumption here. They have engaged some very capable lawyers, and it strikes me that the legal strategy appears not to have changed since at least the completion of ASADA's investigation.
Francis is clearly a bit unhinged and obsessive, but if (and it's a huge "if", I realise) he's quoting directly and accurately from the real interim report in that latest diatribe (which I read most of - I'm becoming obsessed) then I have some very serious concerns about ASADA's whole case against the bombers. Reading it reminded me that Julian Burnside hinted at a lot of the same things in a radio interview he did late last year - long after he'd stopped acting for Hird.
I have always assumed that ASADA's case was at least strong enough to sustain the 'comfortable satisfaction' requirement, particularly as Essendon's defence is to argue they took something legitimate (rather than just say "you can't prove what we took"), but a lot of this stuff is pretty concerning.
For one thing, ASADA have made much of the player testimonies, but christ if Francis is telling the truth, those testimonies may not add anything probative at all, and actually make it look like ASADA fitted a lot of this up. The omission of Watson's testimony, assuming he said what he did, is a very bad look.
It won't be a popular opinion on here, but I'm starting to get very nervous about the whole case against the bombers, which might be why their legal strategy has been so consistent.
This should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
This should be disregarded because that should be disregarded.
Clearly there is no evidence.
Remember, the bar to pass is comfortable satisfaction. All of these things that Bruce say are not evidence all stack up to add further value to the last. IMO, comfortable satisfaction will easily be reached.