Some might say this thread is surperfulous. If the mods agree no doubt it will go or be merged. I think it is important enough to stand alone.
I would like to express my personal admiration for James Hird, in taking on as an individual the most significant personal and public penalty from this whole affair, abandoning his rights to justice before the law and presumption of innocence, and taking the heat almost daily from the media - which included intrusion into his privacy and that of his family.
There is no doubt there are things he could have done better and that he shares some responsibility for what has taken place. But to be the only party that is significantly penalized - that includes the CEO, the heads of football, and the fitness staff of the club - by the AFL commission is absurd.
That he has done so in order for the issues to be put to rest and to allow the game itself to move on is, as Burnside said, nothing less than heroic.
Would you, knowing that you have made some mistakes of omission, but without malice or deliberate intent, accept such a punishment instead of defending yourself by the law? I doubt few could say they would.
To put the interests of the football public, the clubs of the league, the players, and some culpable members of the Essendon football club ahead of his own personal right to justice is significant and should be properly recognised.
We can have a proper finals series now and the club and players can move on to next year. Because Hird caved in to the AFLs need for a scalp. I will not forget this, I'm sure the players at Essendon will not forget this. But I doubt he will ever get the proper wider recognition for doing this, so I am asserting it here.
I would like to express my personal admiration for James Hird, in taking on as an individual the most significant personal and public penalty from this whole affair, abandoning his rights to justice before the law and presumption of innocence, and taking the heat almost daily from the media - which included intrusion into his privacy and that of his family.
There is no doubt there are things he could have done better and that he shares some responsibility for what has taken place. But to be the only party that is significantly penalized - that includes the CEO, the heads of football, and the fitness staff of the club - by the AFL commission is absurd.
That he has done so in order for the issues to be put to rest and to allow the game itself to move on is, as Burnside said, nothing less than heroic.
Would you, knowing that you have made some mistakes of omission, but without malice or deliberate intent, accept such a punishment instead of defending yourself by the law? I doubt few could say they would.
To put the interests of the football public, the clubs of the league, the players, and some culpable members of the Essendon football club ahead of his own personal right to justice is significant and should be properly recognised.
We can have a proper finals series now and the club and players can move on to next year. Because Hird caved in to the AFLs need for a scalp. I will not forget this, I'm sure the players at Essendon will not forget this. But I doubt he will ever get the proper wider recognition for doing this, so I am asserting it here.
