OFF SEASON SCANDAL THREAD

[Hinequarters]

Roy Masters, a Rugby League Columnist from the Sydney Morning Herald has taken a swipe at the AFL's handling of the Essendon Drugs Saga, comparing it to Corunella's incident.

Masters said;

"Apart from concerns rich Essendon could take legal action against the AFL for harsh punishments, Andrew Demetriou's code feared the finals would be compromised by a team which, only a year earlier, had concluded a performance enhancement program involving over one thousand injections and... 6000 tablets.

When the NRL refused to panic over similar claims that drug-fuelled Sharks players were entering the 2013 play-offs, the AFL's former football operations boss, Adrian Anderson, got himself on national TV to protest over Cronulla participating in the NRL finals."

He also said that "What began as a program at Cronulla to aid recovery from soft tissue injuries developed into a scientific regime at Essendon which ASADA has deemed to be doping."

Finishing by saying "ASADA has enough evidence on Essendon now to decide to issue infraction notices and is merely waiting to see if there is any cross-fertilisation with evidence from the NRL enquiry."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-on-right-track-as-afls-efforts-bomb-20131211-2z659.html#ixzz2nA0pJOao

 

[ipswichpies]

Just waiting for this saga to blow up properly and then maybe we may get some truth and throw out some of these bent bastards who currently run the game(Fat Andy included).

 

[Hinequarters]

Essendon could miss out on $100,000 a month if it pays Hird

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/essendon-bombers/essendon-could-miss-out-on-100000-a-month-if-it-pays-hird-20131212-2zac9.html#ixzz2nH20YSS0

 

[ipswichpies]

Just read in the age about Mrs Hird,s impromptu doorstep interview where only news limited journalists were present along with camera crew and it gets murkier and murkier.

I just hate the thought that that bastard Hird is trying to position himself to take back Essendon,s coaching in 2015 he should be drummed out of all sport worldwide and at the same time maybe a royal commission into the AFL,s handling of this affair.

The AFL are there to run a fair and uncompromised competition for everyone not just their mates at Essendon this whole business just stinks from top to bottom as do most of the people involved the players excepted.

 

[PieNSauce]

Just read in the age about Mrs Hird,s impromptu doorstep interview where only news limited journalists were present along with camera crew and it gets murkier and murkier.

I just hate the thought that that bastard Hird is trying to position himself to take back Essendon,s coaching in 2015 he should be drummed out of all sport worldwide and at the same time maybe a royal commission into the AFL,s handling of this affair.

The AFL are there to run a fair and uncompromised competition for everyone not just their mates at Essendon this whole business just stinks from top to bottom as do most of the people involved the players excepted.

I don't think the AFL are specifically protecting Essendon and if Jimmy backs them into a corner then Essendon will still be the loser. The AFL will do whatever it takes to protect its brand as we have always known and the suggestion that they have not been particularly open and honest about their handling of this matter comes as no surprise to anyone. What is clear now is that Jimmy is more than happy to put the interests of his club well behind his own and as I have said on the main board, his little game of fighting spin with spin seems to be spectacularly failing.

 

[Swooop]

What I don't entirely get is that the AFL, in particular AD, have been bending over backwards to help Essendon - yet Hird is at pains to drag AD/the AFL Commission down.

It seems beyond the realms of any realistic possibility that AD did not ring their then President and warn him out re the breaking scandal, allowing Essendon to self report the next day, thereby gaining some moral credibility, just before the shit was about to hit the fan.

Assuming so, AD put his arse on the line to reduce their fallout ( obviously he had the AFL brand to protect, but still ...)

Now it seems AD privately may well have known Hird was being paid if Mrs Hird is to be believed - despite AD's definite public statements that Hird wasn't to be paid - so it seems he still cut Hird/Essendon yet another favour by turning a blind eye.

And the Hirds are still biting the hand that feeds them - literally.

I don't get it.

What I do get is that this is a stinking mess from top to bottom and Hird has let so many people down. God forbid if any of those young players get a serious health consequence from this.

He has badly damaged the sport that gave him so much in life, yet is still running around like some petulant, entitled pratt.

Glad some Essendon people and his team of lawyers are still behind him as I doubt too many other people are.

 

[Hinequarters]

He put every young player in his charge at risk, there may even be long term affects to spouses and offspring... but Jimsa's gotsta get paid

 

[Baltimore Jack]

John Fahey says Dons charges 'only a matter of when'

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-13/bombers-charges-imminent-fahey

Michael Whiting December 13, 2013 3:30 PM

Jobe Watson leads the Essendon squad through pre-season training
"IT IS only a matter of when" before Essendon players are served with infraction notices, warns World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey.
In a stunning statement to the Australian Financial Review, Fahey said he expected the Australian Sports Anti-Drug Authority to clamp down further on the Bombers.
"I expect there will be several charges by ASADA. It’s only a matter of when," Fahey told AFR.
He also took a swing at the Victorian government, calling on WorkSafe Victoria to investigate Essendon more stringently, and called the AFL a "sacred cow".
Essendon has already been investigated by the AFL and ASADA for its use of supplements in 2011-12, but the investigation remains open for possible further sanctions.
The club was fined, coach James Hird stood down for 12 months, football manager Danny Corcoran suspended and then assistant coach Mark Thompson also fined.
Fahey was dumbfounded that WorkSafe Victoria had not taken a stronger line in the scandal.
“Where is WorkSafe Victoria in all of this?," he asked.
"How can James Hird be at the helm of the club as the head coach when 4000-plus injections have been given to playing staff, none of which anybody can tell us what it was, most of which we know is not approved for human consumption, and put at risk these kids, and not have WorkSafe Victoria banging on their door that this is an unsafe workplace?
"Nothing’s been done there – that’s the sacred cow AFL is. It’s disgraceful that WorkSafe haven’t been in there tipping it on its head.”
Click here for full coverage of the Essendon supplements saga
Fahey has been in his current role for six years after stints in state and federal politics, and said he was disappointed, but not surprised, by the current treatment of the scandal.
"No sports minister or sports official I’ve met anywhere in the world wants to have their athletes in the headlines for the wrong reasons," he said.
"The first thing they say to you is ‘how can we fix this?’ They’ll give you all the support you want and tell you why it’s so important to fight drugs in sport as long as it’s not their sport.
"When their sport gets caught with it, they want to make it go away. If they can cover it up, they will."
An AFL spokesman said the league was unaware of any pending charges.
"We have not had any information that infraction notices may be issued," he said.
"But ASADA's investigation remains open."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-13/bombers-charges-imminent-fahey

 

[Hinequarters]

WTF.. he still gets paid for 2014 but a lump sum now, isn't that even better for him? might even earn a little extra interest on it.. seriously they are just ****ing with us now

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-coach-james-hird-will-be-paid-upfront-for-2014-as-the-bombers-and-afl-look-to-settle-their-differences/story-fndv8gad-1226781952742

UPDATE: ESSENDON will pay James Hird upfront for 2014, in keeping with the AFL's wishes the suspended coach not be paid next year.

"To settle this impasse, the Essendon Football Club has resolved that it will pay James Hird in advance to cover the 2014 year consistent with Hird's employment contract obligations," Little said in a statement.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-coach-james-hird-will-be-paid-upfront-for-2014-as-the-bombers-and-afl-look-to-settle-their-differences/story-fndv8gad-1226781952742

 

[blaze036]

Thank god they are not paying him in 2014 for doing nothing

Because they already gave him the money

 

[ipswichpies]

Throw the Bombers out And there should be a royal commission into the AFL,s handling of this saga which has been absolutely disgraceful.
This compromise is a farce fat Andy simply has to go over his handling of this business.

 

[noideaatall]

So the cheat gets a years fully paid sabbatical. What a joke.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

What is everyone getting upset about?

The end result of all this, whether Vlad had nailed it down properly or not is, Tird would've got his money upfront or doubled when coaching next year. The AFL couldn't have stopped this payment anyway, just the timing of it.

 

[ipswichpies]

The thing is what happens in 10yrs time when maybe some young players are impotent or god forbid get cancer,agent orange was thought of as a good idea at the time.
It would be better if the Bombers become honest and tell exactly what the players have been injected with and I think they know exactly what the players were injected.It may not matter if the Bombers tell the truth or not if Dank is forced into telling his version of events which according to reports he may be willing to do in the new year.

 

[johncitizen]

If they issue infraction notices then James Hird is likely to get a lifetime ban from all sport..A few years at the minimum.

So why are they so eager to pay him all this money..Don't they realise it's money down the drain?

Or do Essendon really believe they will escape with no major punishment..

I feel coaching staff and several players are going to cop it severely going by Fahey's comments.

 

[noideaatall]

If they issue infraction notices then James Hird is likely to get a lifetime ban from all sport..A few years at the minimum.

So why are they so eager to pay him all this money..Don't they realise it's money down the drain?

Or do Essendon really believe they will escape with no major punishment..

I feel coaching staff and several players are going to cop it severely going by Fahey's comments.

I assume he is contracted for that amount and if he doesn't receive the whole deal will end up in the courts, not necessarily a win for Essendon.That, and a need to deny that they would even consider cheating to start with, that this is all a big mistake.

I don't know about Fahey's comments, struck me as a chance for him to win brownie points and suggest what should happen, not necessarily what will. All parties appear to be compromised, too much money riding on the outcome. Lance Franklin managed to hold out for years, for various reasons: I could see this saga take the same track.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Now it seems AD privately may well have known Hird was being paid if Mrs Hird is to be believed - despite AD's definite public statements that Hird wasn't to be paid - so it seems he still cut Hird/Essendon yet another favour by turning a blind eye.

The legal documents apparently were revised many times. AD was not directly part of negotiations.

It's not hard to imagine a situation where AD requests "Hird don't get paid" in revision 2 of the legals and that clause gets taken out at revision 6 of the legals - and somebody forgets to point it out to somebody else, everybody just wants to have it sorted out already so they can go home ...

And the Hirds are still biting the hand that feeds them - literally.

I don't get it.

James Hird knows no other world than AFL. He is in survival mode.

'Fight or flight?' - in his world he's got nowhere to fly so he's fighting.

 

[76woodenspooners]

WTF.. he still gets paid for 2014 but a lump sum now, isn't that even better for him? might even earn a little extra interest on it.. seriously they are just ****ing with us now

It seems strange now, but maybe it's an indication about what the AFL know behind the scenes and what they think will happen. It may end up being a smart move.

If the AFL have reason to believe that Hird will be held to account by ASADA in a way that makes his position as senior coach untenable - then if he is not receiving any ongoing payments then the cut is likely to be cleaner

If he is receiving ongoing payments by Essendon when ASADA hold him to account, then that could potentially make things a bit more messy (legally and in the media).

Now that Hird has been paid his 2014 salary, there's every chance the AFL are now thinking ...

About Hird: You've just received your last pay packet buddy, we're moving on.

About Essendon: At some stage you're going to have to comes to terms with Hird not being part of your future, we're helping you out on that journey.

 

[Hinequarters]

I always secretly admired Gentleman Jim.. but he's just another self interested arseh*le conning the world he's a hero

 

[76woodenspooners]

Essendon AGM is tomorrow evening (Monday 16th Dec)

Could be interesting?

 

[Hinequarters]

Essendon AGM is tomorrow evening (Monday 16th Dec)

Could be interesting?

I'm guessing a Queen like admission of Annus horribilis will be top of the agenda

 

[76woodenspooners]

I'm guessing a Queen like admission of Annus horribilis will be top of the agenda

What, the elephant in the room?

Let's have a look ...

2013 members are invited to attend the 140th Annual General Meeting of Essendon Football Club to be held at the Clocktower Centre, Moonee Valley on the corner of Mt Alexander and Pascoe Vale Roads, Moonee Ponds on Monday 16 December, 2013 commencing at 7.00pm.

Business

To receive the Annual Report and consider the financial accounts for the year ended October 31, 2013.
Appointment of auditor.
Award Life Memberships.
Election of directors.
Any other business of which due notice has been given in writing by 5.00pm on Monday 9 December, 2013.

Nup, not on the agenda!

 

[Hinequarters]

Essendon supplement hopes ran to 2013

Internal Essendon communications suggest key staff hoped to continue the supplements program into 2013 and reveal a plan to inject players with an anti-dementia drug until grand final day 2012, despite previous demands for the jabs to stop.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/essendon-supplement-hopes-ran-to-2013-20131215-2zfd1.html#ixzz2nZJAgqaC

 

[76woodenspooners]

In what would seem like a bit of a snub at the AFL, James Hird turned up to the Essendon AGM tonight.

 

[Grapie]

It's not hard to imagine a situation where AD requests "Hird don't get paid" in revision 2 of the legals and that clause gets taken out at revision 6 of the legals - and somebody forgets to point it out to somebody else, everybody just wants to have it sorted out already so they can go home ...



Yes, but maybe he should have read the final one page agreement both before and after it was signed!