Too angry to think But, fantasy is a good escape, so what are the implications? Gunna be a game changing level of value in the dons.
Feel for you mate, and the players, would be nice if they found a way to penalise the real culprit. Lobbe now the most under-priced SC ruck of all time?
Is that the gullible fans that swallow the lie that sport's 'clean' because they prefer to believe that than the less palatable truth? Nah, I reckon they've harmed themselves enough.
Can help but picture Wada, along with their dog pulling the mask off the players, revealing the real culprit. " And I would have got away with it too"
Shattered for the players, this year was going to be tough but at least we can have a crack at a top draft pick now.... James Hird, 2013: "And when the truth comes out, I think I'll be in a very, very good position, and so will this football club."
for completeness this is a list of suspended players including the 2 Collingwood guys suspended separately Player AFL Team Price Position Heppell, Dyson ESS $565,600 MID Stanton, Brent ESS $546,700 MID Hurley, Michael ESS $511,500 DEF Watson, Jobe ESS $499,600 MID Hooker, Cale ESS $490,300 DEF FWD Ryder, Patrick PTA $460,800 RUC FWD Hibberd, Michael ESS $443,300 DEF Howlett, Ben ESS $414,100 FWD MID Crameri, Stewart WBD $395,800 FWD Carlisle, Jake STK $371,400 DEF FWD Colyer, Travis ESS $366,000 FWD Monfries, Angus PTA $358,700 FWD Bellchambers, Tom ESS $336,200 RUC Hocking, Heath ESS $330,700 MID Melksham, Jake MEL $328,600 MID Myers, David ESS $249,600 MID Pears, Tayte ESS $232,300 DEF Thomas, Josh COL $193,700 FWD MID Keeffe, Lachlan COL $166,200 DEF and here is a list of the remaining Essendon Players and their 2015 stats (and dob and age where known) - note the AFL has ruled that they can elevate all 5 of their rookies and also contract 10 uncontracted players for 2016 keep an eye out for any SC or Champion Data announcements about the replacement players Player DOB Age Games Average Price Position Goddard, Brendon 20-May-85 30.6 22 97.2 $524,600 MID Merrett, Zach 03-Oct-95 20.3 17 88.5 $477,400 FWD MID McKernan, Shaun 01-Sep-90 25.4 9 83.7 $451,500 RUC Baguley, Mark 21-May-87 28.6 22 79.8 $430,700 DEF Gwilt, James 11-Aug-86 29.4 11 77.6 $418,900 DEF Zaharakis, David 21-Feb-90 25.9 16 76.9 $414,800 MID Cooney, Adam 30-Sep-85 30.3 11 66.2 $357,100 FWD Bird, Craig 21-Jan-89 27.0 6 71.7 $348,000 FWD MID Daniher, Joe 04-Mar-94 21.9 22 60.7 $327,700 FWD Ambrose, Patrick 01-Sep-91 24.4 16 59.9 $323,100 FWD Leuenberger, Matthew 07-Jun-88 27.6 14 57.6 $310,700 RUC FWD Laverde, Jayden 12-Apr-96 19.8 9 57.3 $309,400 FWD Gleeson, Martin 25-Aug-94 21.4 22 56 $302,400 DEF Merrett, Jackson 27-Feb-93 22.9 15 55.1 $297,100 FWD Dempsey, Courtenay 28-Aug-87 28.4 13 54.1 $291,800 DEF Fantasia, Orazio 14-Sep-95 20.3 5 65.2 $281,500 DEF Edwards, Shaun 13-Dec-93 22.1 9 49 $264,400 FWD Parish, Darcy 0 0 $202,800 MID Francis, Aaron 0 0 $198,300 DEF MID McKenna, Conor 2 44 $189,900 FWD Langford, Kyle 01-Dec-96 19.1 8 34.9 $188,200 FWD Ashby, Jason 16-May-94 21.7 5 30.6 $165,100 DEF Hams, Will 14-Jul-94 21.5 3 29.3 $158,300 FWD Nyuon, Gach 0 0 $124,900 RUC Kommer, Nick 28-Sep-90 25.3 0 0 $123,900 FWD Morgan, Alex 0 0 $117,300 DEF Long, Jake 0 0 $117,300 FWD MID Redman, Mason 0 0 $117,300 FWD MID Hartley, Michael 0 0 $117,300 DEF Brown, Mitch 28-Sep-90 25.3 0 0 $117,300 DEF FWD Eades, Yestin 0 0 $117,300 FWD McDonald-Tipungwuti, Anthony 0 0 $102,400 DEF FWD Wallis, Tom 0 0 $102,400 MID Essendons Nab cup games are Sun February 28 (vs Carlton at Ikon Park=Princes Park), Saturday March 5 (vs Geelong at Shepparton) and Sunday March 13 (vs WCE at Domain Stadium=Subiaco)
My take from todays AFL presser is that the AFL won't punish either Essendon or the players further apart from the review of Jobe's 2012 Brownlow victory, no mention of the 2012 All Australian spot, although that could easily have been missed. Gil seemed to be saying the 2013 expulsion from finals was vindicated. EFC have already had draft picks taken away as well. At least 2 mentions of "supporting" Essendon and the players, apart from the Brownlow Medal issue as mentioned I don't recall any mention of punishments other than that the bans would apply. This obviously needed to be said because no doubt the players and AFLPA would be looking at loopholes or putting pressure on the AFL to go it alone. Many will think there should be a further club punishment and to be clear I am in that camp but am also OK with the outcome as is. I just wish it had occurred at least 1 season sooner.
Kinda feels like the club has been punished enough! Not just in financial and draft repercussions, but they are going to be in a world of trouble in 20 years. I don't see too many kids getting enthusiastically behind "The dopers", or "The cheaters". or "The injectors" or whatever the heck they'll be known as in the playground.
I am definitely feeling for you and other bomber supporters mate I presume most young Carlton fans are fans because of family members or they like the colours etc, despite the "Cap cheats" thing I reckon they would have rebounded if they had nailed the off-field stuff like recruiting, trading and player development to take advantage of their high picks. Everyone loves a winner, manage that and your club will be fine.
I think there is a serious risk of legal action by the players against the club now, this would mean the whole thing drags on for years yet, feel for the supporters for sure
We haven't been a winner in 16 years. If they can rebound, it will go a long way to helping- but it won't be great for the comp to have Essendon drop down to suckling off the AFL's teat. We fund that teat!
Definitely. Though the WADA ruling through some serious shade at the players- deeming them responsible for what goes into their bodies. I imagine that the players still have grounds to sue over the work cover stuff, so I'm hoping they can sort something out without it getting ugly. That said, 34 players- can't see the Bombers getting out without settling for at least $10 mil.
Hard to see too many sponsors lining up with their open cheque books in the short term either. The kid thing is odds on to happen.
Don't feel sorry for the players one bit. A cursary glance at the report handed down showed they did absolutely nothing to report or tell ASADA what they were injecting (any of it!) and it is clear they were complicit. This is the players getting their justice. There is no excuses considering they have had numerous anti-doping lessons, knew how to report and answer questions. With every other athlete it is drilled into their heads at a young age they are ultimately responsible for what goes in their bodies why are aussie rules players somehow different? Pity the AFL and others like Hird/Little wont get theirs for the mess they helped perpetuate for years. AFL suggesting to break away from the WADA code is the biggest joke they've come up with post-decision. Feel for the Essendon fans that haven't doubled-down in flat-earth conspiracy theories though. Ultimately they are the ones most let down by it all. But as Hornsy alludes too, it's a fantasy that any sport is clean. That's what anti-doping is, a fantasy people can hide behind...until they do their job too well.