Mega Thread Hot Topic - Drugs and AFL

[Holden Hillbilly]

Thanks. :-(

Just give them 6 months from their last game and lets get on with 2015.

 

[snozulu]

Hopefully the penalties will not be too much of the 2015 season.

 

[Andre]

Hopefully the penalties will not be too much of the 2015 season.

It won't be. If it was ASADA deciding penalties I'm sure they'd give out a year, but the AFL would have swept the whole thing under the carpet if Caro and a couple of others hadn't kept shining the light on it. It'll be six months backdated, plus massive fines for players. The later will allow the AFL to say the players are copping it without it affecting season 2015. Of course the AFL will probably botch it by making it a blanket level fine, ignoring the affect on someone like Watson will be hugely different to a newly recruited for 2012 player.

 

[snozulu]

It won't be. If it was ASADA deciding penalties I'm sure they'd give out a year, but the AFL would have swept the whole thing under the carpet if Caro and a couple of others hadn't kept shining the light on it. It'll be six months backdated, plus massive fines for players. The later will allow the AFL to say the players are copping it without it affecting season 2015. Of course the AFL will probably botch it by making it a blanket level fine, ignoring the affect on someone like Watson will be hugely different to a newly recruited for 2012 player.

I hope your right mate. I really want to see Paddy and Monfries out on that field as early as possible.

 

[Grave Danger]

Hopefully the penalties will not be too much of the 2015 season.

On the players yes, with the quid-pro-quo being heavy sanctions on club officials.

 

[Forzaport]

On the players yes, with the quid-pro-quo being heavy sanctions on club officials.

At this point I'd be surprised if ASADA didn't go nuclear on Hird if the players are found guilty, even if they don't have any punishment.

 

[Doctor Feel]

At this point I'd be surprised if ASADA didn't go nuclear on Hird if the players are found guilty, even if they don't have any punishment.

I will enjoy seeing his face liquefying under the intense level of millisieverts.

 

[Grave Danger]

At this point I'd be surprised if ASADA didn't go nuclear on Hird if the players are found guilty, even if they don't have any punishment.

If ASADA can't touch Hird, can the AFL deregister him as a coach? (Yes, I realise that this would lead to yet another protracted legal battle)

 

[Andre]

Meh. If ASADA penalise the players (which is almost a given, hopefully not across the H&A) then if Hird doesn't quit (odds 80% he'll try and stay), then if Essendon don't sack him they are nuts. It'll be another season of distractions and going to sponsors with the whole Don't mention the war(coach) farce. The greater amusement is going to be watching the Essendon fans here double (or is it quadruple or higher by now?) down on it's all a plot and #standbyhird. Or will be get to grab the popcorn and really enjoy them at each others throats?

 

[Forzaport]

If ASADA can't touch Hird, can the AFL deregister him as a coach? (Yes, I realise that this would lead to yet another protracted legal battle)

The AFL probably can cancel Hird's coaching contract but they wont. They stated today that they're not going to pursue Hird if the players are found guilty. It'll be ASADA and they may push for a lifetime ban if there's 34 guilty verdicts. If ASADA don't go after Hird, there's a chance WADA will appeal so a fair way to go yet IMO.

I still remember Paul Little saying "The supplements saga has been resolved and I don't foresee any further actions in this matter" (or something to that effect) the moment the AFL sanctions were handed down.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Essendon coach James Hird has decided against trying to take his legal action against ASADA to the High Court.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-27/hird-ends-legal-action-against-asada-and-afl/6269602

 

[Portology]

The AFL probably can cancel Hird's coaching contract but they wont. They stated today that they're not going to pursue Hird if the players are found guilty. It'll be ASADA and they may push for a lifetime ban if there's 34 guilty verdicts. If ASADA don't go after Hird, there's a chance WADA will appeal so a fair way to go yet IMO.

I still remember Paul Little saying "The supplements saga has been resolved and I don't foresee any further actions in this matter" (or something to that effect) the moment the AFL sanctions were handed down.

I for one would like to see ASADA/WADA pursue Hird to the ends of the earth. It would be poetic justice if the various players served their (seemingly likely) penalties and got on with their lives while The Great Denier was utterly hounded out of the game. That said, "Hird, the Opera" would probably make a **** load of cash for him...

 

[proman_x]

Damien Barrett article about Essendon and the NAB cup fiasco

WE ARE all-in on this, they said.

If one misses, we’ll all miss, they vehemently blared on their own website on February 11.

But 22 days later, we are to discover it is merely conditional solidarity.

The Essendon Football Club told us that all 2012-listed footballers were not going to play in a NAB Challenge match against St Kilda at Morwell on Saturday March 7.

It was paramount, the Bombers argued, to maintaining anonymity for the 25 or 26 current players among the total of 34 who had received Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority infraction notices relating to practices in 2012.

It was the "best solution", they said.


http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-03-06/so-much-for-solidarity-essendon

 

[scottjr]

Does seem unusually damming from the AFL site or am I imagining it?

 

[Andre]

Does seem unusually damming from the AFL site or am I imagining it?

AFL wants the tribunal, ASADA, WADA and everyone else to blame Essendon, not the players. Bombers (unfortunately) have deep pockets so expect heavy fines and other punishments of the club to be used to justify the players not copping too much. At least that's my hope.

 

[Borscht Mat]

You would think that if even one player is found guilty of taking banned substances in an official program administered by the club then Hird will quit. It is why he has fought so hard against it now.... a 6 month ban backdated, or a plea bargain type of deal helps the players but is no different for Hird to having the entire squad rubbed out for 5 years. He oversaw a program found to be illegal and I am sure he will jump before he is pushed.

 

[Steve Dore]

You would think that if even one player is found guilty of taking banned substances in an official program administered by the club then Hird will quit. ......

Hird won't quit. He is the victim in all of this.

Hopefully Essendon finally do something right and give him the push.

#standbytird

 

[scottjr]

Hird will not quit or take responsibility anyone who thinks otherwise has never argued with a woman who " knows" she is right.

 

[xflamedancer]

Wow Barrett really laid on a smackdown

 

[proman_x]

If the expected verdict of guilty and sanctions are passed down, will Watson have his Brownlow stripped ? Considering his medal was won during the period Essendon are in the shit for, I can not really see how they could let him keep it.

 

[proman_x]

Hird won’t ever be sacked by Dons: Patrick Smith

http://www.sen.com.au/news/hird-won-t-ever-be-sacked-by-dons-patrick-smith

 

[Doctor Feel]

Hird won’t ever be sacked by Dons: Patrick Smith

http://www.sen.com.au/news/hird-won-t-ever-be-sacked-by-dons-patrick-smith

lol.

 

[snozulu]

Hird won’t ever be sacked by Dons: Patrick Smith

http://www.sen.com.au/news/hird-won-t-ever-be-sacked-by-dons-patrick-smith

If the bombers and asada appeal does that mean paddy and monfries wont play senior footy until this crap is sorted if drags through the appeals process.

 

[Doctor Feel]

If the bombers and asada appeal does that mean paddy and monfries wont play senior footy until this crap is sorted if drags through the appeals process.

Potentially. Essendon won't appeal though, if there was going to be an appeal, it would be from ASADA if they aren't happy with the weight of the punishment. That said, McDevitt has been talking smack about challenging the sentences if they are too light but I think he is just huffing and puffing to push his agenda. The sentence will be 6-12 months backdated to November when the infractions were issued and the players will miss a season or 3-4 rounds.

 

[proman_x]

lol.

That was pretty much my response also