TOPIC:

of course they wont ban the club for the simple reason it will hit AFL revenue big time and that is sacrosanct to the fat controller et al. the club will cop a huge fine and possibly loss of draft choices over the next couple of years, off field organisers will be banned for a period, excuses will be made for Hird and life will go on. can you imagine Essendon not being part of the comp and all the money spinners that goes with it including tv revenues, 90,000 at the ANZAC day game, AFL endorsed club merchandise etc?

ASADA have 1st call on the issue and individual penalties so the AFL cant do anything until they conduct their investigation anyway..
if they ban 20 blokes then good luck playing the year with 22 players

anchorman wrote: That's all well and good Dave,but what if each and every player was involved!!!
Doesn't that leave nobody to play?Isn't that like suspending the club?
There is no way that the AFL will allow the club and team to be suspended.There is far too much at stake.The share holders wouldn't allow it to happen.
They may have to play but not receive points,as per the Storm.But they will play regardless.

Even if every player is tainted they have to do it - it would be a completely unfair to everyone else whose done the time / done the crime in the past and sets a precedent that would have huge ramifications down the track.

Essendon would just have to go out and recruit from the state leagues etc - that's part of the punishment!

Looks like the karma train is coming for James Turd who spent a year white anting his predecessor Matthew Knights from the safety of the media before jumping into his job.

There could be no better justice than to see that unscrupulous a**wipe get his just desserts.

But like others I seriously doubt the AFL will have the balls to go in hard IF what appears to be the case is proven TRUE. It'll be the "too big to fail" bullsh*t. When you owe the bank 100K then its your problem. When you owe the bank 100m, its the banks problem and that'll be the situation the AFL will find itself in - Essendon is "too big to fail". Wrist slaps and hand wringing "heart felt" apologies should suffice.

Where are you Grassy? You haven't jumped off the Narrows Bridge yet have you??

anchorman wrote: So realistically you are saying the club itself gets no punishment!!!!
The powers to be from the media would never allow it to happen.The Tv rights is for an 18 team competition.
It won't happen.There will be scape goats to take the hit.
As an aside:ouch,take from the state leagues!!!!Wow I can't wait to see the responses from some here.Look out Dave they will behead you.

The club should be punished - but not banned. The punishment would obviously depend on how far reaching this is and how many players are affected.

The state league comment is generic - there are plenty of players who missed out on the draft or who recently got delisted who I'm sure would love a kick at Essendon.

IMHO, I cannot see the Essendon players being dealt with harshly en masse considering they were coerced in this matter and given the ridiculous situation that the AFL drug policy allows players with 2 strikes to self dob the use of recreational drugs and so avoid a 3rd strike.
The harsh penalties should be aimed at the club as a whole and the individuals in the football department who are responsible for the debacle.
Banning their players and recruiting from state leagues would be a nonsense.

Make no mistake, the AFL will not suspend the club because it will cost them big $$. Esserden will get a smack around the ears, but fat Andy and Batman will be sitting in a corner working out what they will do if the club is proven to be bringing the league into disrepute - "what can we do to get them off Batman"?. As much as I hate esserden, this is a tragic event. Football itself could take a big hit here. With sponsorship money hard to get, this type of media is the last thing needed. Anyone who thinks every AFL dollar lost will go to the WAFL is deluding themselves.

58shark wrote: Make no mistake, the AFL will not suspend the club because it will cost them big $$. Esserden will get a smack around the ears, but fat Andy and Batman will be sitting in a corner working out what they will do if the club is proven to be bringing the league into disrepute - "what can we do to get them off Batman"?. As much as I hate esserden, this is a tragic event. Football itself could take a big hit here. With sponsorship money hard to get, this type of media is the last thing needed. Anyone who thinks every AFL dollar lost will go to the WAFL is deluding themselves.

Its more what the ASADA decides 58, once it involves illegal drugs that the "athletes" took ( if it did) there is NOTHING essendon can do about it. Think about how Lance got stripped of his titles, the usada over rode all and sundry there too...thats why i think bith the AFL and Essendon are shyting emselves, its outta thier "controlled bubble"

The Shiz wrote: Dingo, if you know anything about Peptides you will know that they dont increase the chances of soft tissue injury. This was just a by product of their training load.

Heads need to roll, 4 amateur rugby league players were banned from 2-4 years in Queensland last year that took the stuff.

Bigger issue now is that the AFL have admitted to suspending players last year when they took illegal drugs and passed them off as 'general soreness'. Anyone remember any high profile names missing weeks with general soreness last year?

When did the AFL admit this shiz I must have missed that?

Did a certain no.23 from the Hawks not miss about 6 games with "general soreness" last year??

George wrote: Secessionism

Yep and McGowan for PM of Western Australia!

I reckon this whole scandal is mint and i only hope it gets bigger and bigger for the AFL!! no wonder Adrian Anderson shot through haha