Dear Mr Gordon

[bulldogtragic]

Dear Mr Gordon,

If Jobe Watson polled the highest in the Brownlow, and he did.
If Jobe Watson was suspended as a result of actions in his Brownlow winning year, and he was.
If Jobe Watson keeps the Brownlow, and he may....

It sets a precedent, especially on historical re-reviews on Brownlow medal polling and top polling players suspensions not making them ineligible irrespective of when the suspension was.

I would like the club to use this precedent (if it is set) of a suspended top polling player being awarded the Brownlow to get Chris Grant his Brownlow medal. If the test is this now, Chris Grant equally deserves a Brownlow medal as a joint winner with Robert Harvey by merely following this precedent.

[bornadog]

Furthermore, Chris Grant wasn't a cheat.

[BulldogBelle]

Chris Grant should be awarded the Brownlow based on the lack of Natural Justice that he received.


In English law, natural justice is technical terminology for the rule against bias (nemo iudex in causa sua) and the right to a fair hearing (audi alteram partem). While the term natural justice is often retained as a general concept, it has largely been replaced and extended by the general "duty to act fairly".

The basis for the rule against bias is the need to maintain public confidence in the legal system. Bias can take the form of actual bias, imputed bias or apparent bias. Actual bias is very difficult to prove in practice while imputed bias, once shown, will result in a decision being void without the need for any investigation into the likelihood or suspicion of bias. Cases from different jurisdictions currently apply two tests for apparent bias: the "reasonable suspicion of bias" test and the "real likelihood of bias" test.

The bias came from Collins who was the President of the AFL at the time. Chris Grant had turned down his offer to go to Port Adelaide as their marquee player, upon formation of that club. This put egg all over the face of Collins who had Grant lined up for the transfer.

Chris Grant was not reported by the umpires but was reported by Collins who watched the match on TV. The umpires say that they did not report Grant because 'there was nothing in it', referring to the hit that Grant made.

The tribunal viewed video evidence and suspended Grant for 1 week. They made judgement on behalf of their boss. They could hardly find Grant not-guilty, that would be like slapping the boss in the face.

He should never have been reported in the first place. He was reported for vengeance. It is all just disgusting.

[Twodogs]

Agree with you completely Ringer.

[Rocco Jones]

Jobe Watson clearly has to have his Brownlow taken away. It's like a drug cheat being banned but being allowed to keep their medal. By like, I mean it literally is.

[Ghost Dog]

Furthermore, Chris Grant wasn't a cheat.

It is the complete opposite of fairest. FFS if the AFL wants to avoid a whole season of boo-ing at every single Essendon game in 2017, a-la Adam Goodes, they better yank his charlie.

I think clubs had a right to ask people to give the Goodes thing a rest, but not sure how they are going to deal with entire sections of the crowd hurling ridicule on Watson.

If they invent a 'best and cheatiest' award then he can have that.

Anyway, I can't see Chris Grant being awarded the medal he is owed, but it goes to show, people can miss out on one for a lot less than injecting yourself with serum X.

[ledge]

Watson can't be booed if he has retired, he was struggling to play out this year. I think he is burnt out.

[Twodogs]

It is the complete opposite of fairest. FFS if the AFL wants to avoid a whole season of boo-ing at every single Essendon game in 2017, a-la Adam Goodes, they better yank his charlie.

I think clubs had a right to ask people to give the Goodes thing a rest, but not sure how they are going to deal with entire sections of the crowd hurling ridicule on Watson.

If they invent a 'best and cheatiest' award then he can have that.

Anyway, I can't see Chris Grant being awarded the medal he is owed, but it goes to show, people can miss out on one for a lot less than injecting yourself with serum X.

The irony is it was the man who would go on to drive the whole drugs thing who got the vote because he played in the winning team that night who squeezed Chris out of the Brownlow in 1996. Hird got 3 votes and Chris got 2 in the last round match. Chris was runner up my a vote. If we had won that night Chris would have got the 3 votes and won the medal in '96. So Chris was stiff two years in a row.

[1eyedog]

Watson can't be booed if he has retired, he was struggling to play out this year. I think he is burnt out.

The thing is if he's not on the juice it seems he is fairly ordinary.

[ledge]

He was very ordinary early if my memory serves me right there was talk of him getting traded or dropped off the list early in his career.

[Cyberdoggie]

The irony is it was the man who would go on to drive the whole drugs thing who got the vote because he played in the winning team that night who squeezed Chris out of the Brownlow in 1996. Hird got 3 votes and Chris got 2 in the last round match. Chris was runner up my a vote. If we had won that night Chris would have got the 3 votes and won the medal in '96. So Chris was stiff two years in a row.

So the alternative is that we petition to have all records of Hird struck from the game, therefore Grant would of won that Brownlow as well!. Dual brownlow medallist Chris Grant. Only fair.

[bornadog]

The irony is it was the man who would go on to drive the whole drugs thing who got the vote because he played in the winning team that night who squeezed Chris out of the Brownlow in 1996. Hird got 3 votes and Chris got 2 in the last round match. Chris was runner up my a vote. If we had won that night Chris would have got the 3 votes and won the medal in '96. So Chris was stiff two years in a row.

and this is the stupidity of the game where an umpire has to give (or thinks he has to) the three votes for the player on the winning team. FFS just pick best on ground.

[Ghost Dog]

The irony is it was the man who would go on to drive the whole drugs thing who got the vote because he played in the winning team that night who squeezed Chris out of the Brownlow in 1996. Hird got 3 votes and Chris got 2 in the last round match. Chris was runner up my a vote. If we had won that night Chris would have got the 3 votes and won the medal in '96. So Chris was stiff two years in a row.

Maybe but I wonder if Chris enjoys all this harping on about his brownlow. At the end of the day, it's done, and Chris would not want to swap places with Hird now would he? When we are a successful dynasty, I really hope we look after Chris Grant in other ways. He is a true champ.

[Twodogs]

Maybe but I wonder if Chris enjoys all this harping on about his brownlow. At the end of the day, it's done, and Chris would not want to swap places with Hird now would he? When we are a successful dynasty, I really hope we look after Chris Grant in other ways. He is a true champ.

Before Alan Hopkins got a Brownlow retrospectively he used to say that lots of blokes have Brownlows but only one had an engraved award. He came runner up so many times that the VFL gave him an engraved award. God knows what they said. You don't have to dead to be stiff I suppose.

[bornadog]

Before Alan Hopkins got a Brownlow retrospectively he used to say that lots of blokes have Brownlows but only one had an engraved award. He came runner up so many times that the VFL gave him an engraved award. God knows what they said. You don't have to dead to be stiff I suppose.

Hopkins was awarded the Brownlow because he polled the same number of votes as the winner, however, prior to 1989 there was the count back system, so he wasn't given his Brownlow during 1930. The AFL decided to give all players that had polled the same number but lost on count back a retrospective Brownlow.

[GVGjr]

Should PG be pushing the AFL to insert the Bulldogs into the Anzac clash rather than having a sub strength Essendon side that now doesn't live up to the spirit of the game?

I'd also question if Essendon have any prime time games we might be able to swap with them.. Food for thought

[Axe Man]

Should PG be pushing the AFL to insert the Bulldogs into the Anzac clash rather than having a sub strength Essendon side that now doesn't live up to the spirit of the game?

I'd also question if Essendon have any prime time games we might be able to swap with them.. Food for thought

The AFL have already said that they won't be changing the fixture in relation to Essendon games.

Our round 22 Sunday twilight match at Etihad against them is sure to be an absolute blockbuster.:rolleyes: Thank goodness it's not our home game.

[G-Mo77]

The AFL have already said that they won't be changing the fixture in relation to Essendon games.

Our round 22 Sunday twilight match at Etihad against them is sure to be an absolute blockbuster.:rolleyes: Thank goodness it's not our home game.

Technically no but it'll seem like it. I might go sit in their members area. Shouldn't have any trouble finding a seat.

[ledge]

I wonder what clubs will do if the crowd drop Is significant loss. Because all clubs will suffer will they approach the AFL for some sort of compensation ?
Especially us playing them at etihad if we don't get enough to pay the venue.

[jeemak]

Ledge, it's likely to happen though unfortunately the only conclusion the AFL will draw to improve the following season's attendance will be to increase the exposure afforded to the EFC against the narrative they're embarking upon a journey where a fresh start will be their salvation and likewise to all opposing clubs.

They'll get the number one draft pick at least and in all likelihood a priority pick once one or two key players leave as free agents.

[Ghost Dog]

Technically no but it'll seem like it. I might go sit in their members area. Shouldn't have any trouble finding a seat.

What do you mean? Their membership will skyrocket after this. You watch. They are the Southern Confederates of the AFL. United in their warped philosophy. All red-neck bally-ho about their premiership future after having their arses handed to them by some court in a country most of them couldn't find on a map. Except my Dad...of course!

[FrediKanoute]

What PG should be doing is pretty simple really. He should be making sure that a supplements program of the like that has brought down the Bombers cannot happen at the Bulldogs. He should make sure that there are proper controls on both Football department actions and spend with the Chief Medical officer of the club reporting/confirming regularly to the Board that there is no systematic doping going on. We like most clubs should make sure our house is in order (and I have no reason to believe that it is not) and that appropriate controls and governance exists so that it can't happen.

What has happened at Essendon is in my mind a case study in what happens when an organisation has poor governance. From the players to the Board no one questioned the program/actions/inaction/judgement of the people involved. the result is that you have an organisation in disarray. You will always have people who try to cheat. Its human nature. Individuals cheating is a problem, but a strong organisation will weed out and eliminate these people. Essendon's problem is that either everyone was in on the deception or they turned a blind eye to the deception.

Peter Gordon's main task (and the Board) should be to make sure it can't happen to us.

[BulldogBelle]

One avenue that could be pursued is trying to get Shane Charter to spill the beans.

The Herald Sun can reveal Hird and Charter worked together for 12 months on his diet and fitness during the champion’s premiership and Brownlow Medal-winning career.

Charter was also hailed as “the architect” behind Demon Shane Woewodin’s 2000 Brownlow Medal win.

Charter is mentioned in the Arbitration Decision Report 29 times mainly as the supplier of illegal drugs to Stephen Dank.

Playing football at Castlemaine he was getting knocked around every other week and needed bulk and muscles, and fast. "So I hit the gym and never came back," he says. "I put on 10kg and never went back to football. I loved it."

Embracing the performance-enhancing drugs then in vogue - nandrolone, boldenone, Stanozolol, Dianabol, ephedrine and more - he sculpted himself into a bodybuilding and powerlifting champion.

He walks the talk, the 45-year-old has been on "the gear" all his adult life.

If he's pushing steroids, he's using them. If he's promoting peptides, he's injecting them himself. If he's treating sportsmen with platelet-rich plasma, he's tried it on his own dodgy knees.

While researching a paper on steroid detection in rats for his university biochemistry degree, Charter used some of the steroids on the animals and kept the rest for himself.

Research and development, an enterprise that allows scientists to legitimately import a range of chemicals into Australia with a permit, remains part of the work Charter does at his Melbourne anti-ageing clinic, Dr Ageless.

Dr Ageless began his professional life as a pharmaceutical salesman for global medical research giant AstraZeneca, building his own business as a personal trainer on the side in the late 1990s.

He began attracting some star clients - football players such as Luke Darcy, Nathan Brown, Simon Garlick, Scott West and Shane Woewodin.

So impressed was Woewodin with Charter's dietary advice, the Demons star praised him during his acceptance speech for the 2000 Brownlow Medal (Woewodin has since issued a statement saying he received nutritional advice, and nothing more, from Charter).

Another of Charter's star clients from that period was James Hird.

Charter says it was he who introduced Hird to the world of supplements."Hirdy wouldn't touch them before he met me and he never took anything that was against the rules," he says.

He says Hird introduced him to club chairman David Evans, who took him on as a consultant at investment firm JB Were for about three months, guiding executives on health and wellbeing.

Everything is milligrams, hormones, fragments, molecules, volumes, kilograms, hydration, fat, composition, muscle and more.

He documents his correspondence with the diligence of a librarian and watches his bank balance like an accountant.

His multi-million-dollar vineyard home in Sunbury, on Melbourne's outskirts, features a fully equipped gym, the walls of which are plastered with anatomical drawings and charts.

Biology textbooks are piled high on his office desk and pictures of famous sports stars he has worked with line the walls.

Less visible, however, is evidence of his criminal clients.

In Charter's catch-all approach to business, everyone is welcome - underworld figures, athletes, lawyers, executives.

Over the years he has treated a range of colourful characters including an alleged major drug trafficker who is aligned with the Calabrian mafia.

Boxer Barry Michael was once a client. So were bikie enforcer Toby Mitchell and his family, as was Tony Mokbel's former girlfriend, Danielle McGuire.

Charter knows Tony Doherty, the well-known gym operator whose Brunswick facility operates next door to a Bandidos bikie clubhouse.

He baulks at naming his famous football friends, but in talks with the Herald Sun has mentioned controversy-prone North Melbourne hero Wayne Carey and West Coast bad boy Ben Cousins, who Charter says he has twice chaperoned to a rehabilitation clinic in Thailand.

He met "Cuzzi" through their mutual mate, the late underworld figure and sports manager John Giannarelli.

Cousins' battle with illicit drug addiction has been well publicised, but Charter has no reason to believe he ever used anything in a performance-enhancing capacity.

Charter's first and only brush with the law came in 2004 during Operation Macer, a joint investigation by Victoria Police's major drug investigation division and Customs. Before that, he had never been on the law enforcement radar.

Charter was arrested and found in possession of 100,000 pseudoephedrine-based tablets in 2004. He pleaded guilty and received a reduced prison sentence.

So it was no surprise when he turned Crown witness in the drug prosecution that saw a number of figures jailed over a large-scale steroid and pseudoephedrine trafficking operation.

County Court judge John Smallwood noted Charter had been a genuine witness and seemed confused about why he would throw away a successful career by turning to crime.

"You clearly were very good at what you did and gave advice to high-powered people and organisations," sentencing judge Smallwood said.

"Why you commenced this offending is beyond me."

The judge remarked that if not for those crimes, Charter's conduct throughout his life would have been "exemplary".

Charter struggles to explain it himself.

"When you are mixing in a world of sporting stars, high-powered businessman and criminals, a lot goes on that the general public are never aware of," he says.

"Unfortunately when you get too close to a hurricane you can get sucked in."

Charter had been introduced to steroids by a powerlifter who the Herald Sun has established has links with a group called the Council of Australian Powerlifting Organisations.

Based in Albury, on the Hume Highway, CAPO operates a competition that is not subject to anti-doping rules. Some of its members have drug convictions and one of its competitions allegedly once took place in a Rebels bikie clubhouse.

Charter prefers not to revisit these links, saying he's not proud.

But it is his tangled past that makes him an asset in the biggest anti-doping probe in the history of Australian sport.

He knows all the right people in all the wrong places and, more importantly, understands the science behind manipulating performance-enhancing drug testing regimes because he has done it himself.

Privately, Australian regulators concede that they are losing the fight against performance-enhancing drugs in sport and believe this will change only with big reforms to the way performance-enhancing substances are regulated.

Charter says even the latest biological passports, which track changes in an athlete's blood for evidence of doping, are not foolproof.

"These biological passport tests are limited and can be manipulated," he says.

He was assisting the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in its efforts to unravel the "exotic" supplements program adopted by the Bombers last season.

Charter alleges that he sourced a range of substances for sacked sports scientist Stephen Dank while Dank worked for Essendon.

He has supplied ASADA with a list of peptides and hormones he claims Dank had requested.

Of the substances Dank allegedly requested, Charter has records that indicate he supplied him with growth hormone six, CJC-1295, Melatonan II, Thymosin beta 4 and mechano growth factor.

Separately, he recalls that Dank had also asked him for advice about using what is known as a Myers Cocktail.

Popular among bodybuilders, it is a 45-minute intravenous infusion of various vitamins and minerals. And at about $800 per drip, it's not cheap.

Charter says he ordered the required equipment, but Dank never collected it.

SHANE Charter - the convicted drug trafficker who may have supplied former Essendon sports scientist Steve Dank with supplements at the centre of footy's doping probe - has links to Bombers coach James Hird.


There have been quite a few AFL players over the years that have suffered the effects of a Navicular stress fracture dreaded injury. It is an injury that is becoming one of the most feared amongst AFL and sporting circles. Due to prominent AFL players being struck down with a Navicular stress fracture the profile of this injury has grown in the media in recent years. James Hird is probably the most notable name but recently Alex Fasolo, Jack Trengove, Jimmy Bartell and Shaun Higgins have all suffered Navicular stress fractures..

The Navicular bone is located in the inside/middle of the foot, is positioned between the forefoot (ball of foot) and the rear foot (heel) and forms some of the key joints within the arch and mid foot. It is surrounded by the cuneiforms and talus and with excessive force and impact is often jammed and crunched between these other bones. It is thought that limited ankle joint range of motion, in particular dorsiflexion, and over pronation of the foot are possible contributors to the development of this injury. In comparison to other areas and other joints the Navicular has a reduced blood supply and as it is under constant pressure and loading, does not have the same opportunity to heal and repair.

Non-weight bearing in the form of an offloading cast is used to immobilise the joint to allowing healing to take place.

This injury is and that it can easily be career ending... Geelong's Matty Egan.

James Hird managed to defy the odds, resurrect his career and become one of the game’s greatest players.

[Twodogs]

Geez ringer. Once was enough. :)

[bornadog]

Geez ringer. Once was enough. :)

You should know :D

[BulldogBelle]

Don't know how that got posted twice. I deleted one of them. It is a bit long eh!

[Twodogs]

You should know :D

That's enough from the peanut section.


Don't know how that got posted twice. I deleted one of them. It is a bit long eh!

That's OK Ringer. I may have done it once or twice myself.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Don't know how that got posted twice. I deleted one of them. It is a bit long eh!

To delete a post, you've got to select delete twice. There's a second delete option at the bottom.

[Twodogs]

Don't know how that got posted twice. I deleted one of them. It is a bit long eh!


To delete a post, you've got to select delete twice. There's a second delete option at the bottom.

done.

[Remi Moses]

The Murdoch rag's front page today!
Just bizarre

[Bulldog Joe]

Dear Mr Gordon

I note with interest your comments on 774 today, that the players have been subject to a grave injustice.

Unfortunately, and with due regard to your legal background, I believe that you are incorrect in your comments.

Realistically, the travesty has been caused by the entire Essendon Football Club and their desire to do "wharever it takes".

Under the code, ny understanding is that the players were required to report all medications, but they failed to do so and simply ignored their obligations to the AFL and sport in general.

While we as a club are penalised through the unavailability of Stewart Crameri, we cannot EVERcondone the systematic cheating through drugs that is pervading sport at all levels.

[jeemak]

If PG can demonstrate a plausible reason for the players omitting that information then I'd be prepared to listen.

Otherwise we and our players will have to suck it up.

[AndrewP6]

Their apparently random knowledge of proper reporting protocols is enough for me. They clearly didn't listen to any of the education/training they would have received. Chip it on the chin.

[LostDoggy]

Gordon is not saying they are innocent, he is saying there were procedural and logical flaws in the CAS findings and the players were therefore denied natural justice and possibly entitled to appeal. It is a technical legal argument.

Whether they are guilty is not relevant to the case he is making, it's what lawyers do for the people they represent (in an official capacity or otherwise).

[Ghost Dog]

Gordon is not saying they are innocent, he is saying there were procedural and logical flaws in the CAS findings and the players were therefore denied natural justice and possibly entitled to appeal. It is a technical legal argument.

Whether they are guilty is not relevant to the case he is making, it's what lawyers do for the people they represent (in an official capacity or otherwise).

When a lawyer says ' The greatest miscarriage of justice in the history of Australian sport", you could be forgiven if you thought along the lines of the opening post.

The case has been heard twice now. Most people want them to be guilty just so we don't have to put up with them in the news all the time.

[LostDoggy]

When a lawyer says ' The greatest miscarriage of justice in the history of Australian sport", you could be forgiven if you thought along the lines of the opening post.

Gordon is clever. Miscarriage of justice is emotional terminology but still only relates to procedural fairness rather than guilt or otherwise. It's probably not that grand a claim, given the scale of the action to date.

In the interview he says it is up to the players to decide whether they want to go down this path or not, noting many may decide enough is enough. He is merely advising that he believes they have a case to appeal should they choose to do so.

[Ghost Dog]

Thanks.
Isn't it near on impossible to appeal now?

[bulldogtragic]

About 1100 days ago it was Darkest Day in Australian Sport. Big claims and waffle. Just all move on is my wish.

I'd rather effort be put into:

1) Suing Essendon as a club and for Crameri & Prismall.
2) Getting the AFL to give us a free pick for a player to rookie to replace Adcock who is/will be upgraded.
3) Getting those boys all the support and fitness help they can get.
4) Getting onto every player manager of as many players we rate and trying to convince them to join us.
5) Not involving our brand in this clusterf**k.
6) Having every effort put into winning games and signing members.

I'm not really sure what we have to benefit by going this way, other than partial de-prioritising of the above.

[Twodogs]

About 1100 days ago it was Darkest Day in Australian Sport. Big claims and waffle. Just all move on is my wish.

I'd rather effort be put into:

1) Suing Essendon as a club and for Crameri & Prismall.
2) Getting the AFL to give us a free pick for a player to rookie to replace Adcock who is/will be upgraded.
3) Getting those boys all the support and fitness help they can get.
4) Getting onto every player manager of as many players we rate and trying to convince them to join us.
5) Not involving our brand in this clusterf**k.
6) Having every effort put into winning games and signing members.

I'm not really sure what we have to benefit by going this way, other than partial de-prioritising of the above.


You might want that but you aren't being punished. These guys have every right to stand up for their good name.


Crammers will play this year and that's the only proper decision that can be reached on the evidence that has been presented.

[Twodogs]

Thanks.
Isn't it near on impossible to appeal now?

It would have been if WADA hadn't ballsed it up so badly. They took all the rope they wanted, tied it around their neck and hung themselves. There are so many reasons for appeal. The first reason is the players have been denied any chance to appeal. You just cant do that, say "we are appealing the decision that we didn't like but bad luck you cant. Judicial systems don't exist without Due Process, we call things like that Kangaroo Courts and we rightly revile those in this country.

If WADA want to claim that this is a judicial process then they actually have all the elements of a judicial process. You don't get to say "these guys have had a fair trial because we've called it a fair trial" If you want people to take comfort from the fact that the process was fair and properly conducted then here's an idea-how about you make it a fair process and conduct it properly?

[F'scary]

We get Crameri back. Collateral damage is Esserdon get their players back.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Dear Mr. Gordon,

I have read all the stories about today's revelations that certain legal loopholes might have appeared, aggressively pursued by yourself and others, that might clear the EFC 34. I can't help but feel that this is being pursued for the selfish reasons that we want our cake back and, whilst I too want our cake back as it would make our dinner party even better than it will already be, I don't think we should be getting involved with the bakers illegal activities.

I have no doubt that you are an excellent lawyer and if there are some loopholes to be had, you will have them. My issue is that this is not about whether they were injected or not, this is about whether Wada/Cas/Asada crossed the "t" from the right or the left in the legal process. Nevermind "History will show these young men have been subject to one of the gravest injustices in Australian sporting history," if they are cleared and serve no suspensions based on what I can tell are legal technicalities; this will be a miscarriage of justice based on the overwhelming evidence that points to the players having been injected with banned substances (even Dank admitted to TB4 live on tv till he was told it was banned).

Please, please, please reconsider getting involved in this. We have bigger and better things to be worrying about and winning the GF means we will get the last draft pick, so Crameri as a "recruit" next year will soften that blow.

[SonofScray]

If we make any moves that assist Essendon in any way, even vicariously, I'll SPEW UP.

[Ghost Dog]

I sort of don't trust anyone in Victoria to be objective about this case now. Glad Europe is involved.

[jeemak]

It would have been if WADA hadn't ballsed it up so badly. They took all the rope they wanted, tied it around their neck and hung themselves. There are so many reasons for appeal. The first reason is the players have been denied any chance to appeal. You just cant do that, say "we are appealing the decision that we didn't like but bad luck you cant. Judicial systems don't exist without Due Process, we call things like that Kangaroo Courts and we rightly revile those in this country.

If WADA want to claim that this is a judicial process then they actually have all the elements of a judicial process. You don't get to say "these guys have had a fair trial because we've called it a fair trial" If you want people to take comfort from the fact that the process was fair and properly conducted then here's an idea-how about you make it a fair process and conduct it properly?

Is your problem with WADA or the CAS?

There are grounds for appeal, though they're quite specific. The reason why WADA was able to appeal the ASADA/AFL Tribunal decision is because it's written within their process they have the right to prosecute the evidence on the grounds of appeal should they not be satisfied with how the first hearing has been prosecuted or how it's been governed at a local level - where by and large they'd prefer things to be handled in the appropriate way.

Remember, the AFL (and its clubs) took the decision - under significant pressure, mind you - to become a signatory to the WADA code. To be filthy about the process at this point is missing the mark in my view. Your right to "natural" justice as its perceived in the context of criminal or civil trials in Australia are voided once you sign up to the WADA code.

This is why the decision not to take a deal (a position Peter Gordon seemingly advocated for - not against......I wonder why) is coming back to bite the two players associated with our football club.

[Remi Moses]

Agree . I couldn't understand it personally, and the perception of the public was/is never going to differ .
Did the players really believe that all suspicion and abuse from the public was going to cease with a not guilty verdict ?
We should be ( not asking) demanding to have a top up player recruited, and also Essendon paying for our welfare officer/player .:mad: