Essendon

[Hondo]

It sounds like it is all finally coming to a head thankfully

Hird wants to continue his fight about the principle but it seems good sense has finally entered the Bombers' boardroom. 12 months too late maybe but at least it appears like they have accepted that Hird cannot go on as Coach ... if the media reports are true.

[Jim05]

It sounds like it is all finally coming to a head thankfully

Hird wants to continue his fight about the principle but it seems good sense has finally entered the Bombers' boardroom. 12 months too late maybe but at least it appears like they have accepted that Hird cannot go on as Coach ... if the media reports are true.

Hird will fight this all the way, thats his right but he can do it on his own time and away from the club. Bomber will coach next year with Harvey coming in as an assistant

[mighty_tiger_79]

Sando as well? ?

[Hondo]

Jim it sounds like Hird has finally lost the Bomber faithful fan base? They supported him for so long but is enough enough?

You sound comfortable with Hird going for one and I can tell you are a passionate and loyal Bombers man.

[Jim05]

Sando as well? ?

Depends if Bassett gets the Crows job. If not there is probably only room for 1 of Sanderson/Harvey.
Personally id take them both and get rid of that ******* useless Egan.

[Jim05]

Jim it sounds like Hird has finally lost the Bomber faithful fan base? They supported him for so long but is enough enough?

You sound comfortable with Hird going for one and I can tell you are a passionate and loyal Bombers man.

Still plenty of support for Hird and many of us hope he keeps fighting to clear his name but he needs to do it away from the club.
The appeal could take up to 2 years and at the end we still may be where we are at now.
The club and players need to move on and use the energy to fight the SC notices. Need this resolved ASAP and then spend the next 10-15 years building the club back to where it should be

[Jim05]

Crichton Medal Top 10

Heppell 520
Hooker 354
Goddard 279
Hibberd 277
Zaka 250
Hurley 242
Ryder 241
Baguley 240
Chapman 231
Stanton 227

Congratualtions to Dyson Heppel in winning his first Crichton Medal

[daysofourlives]

Crichton Medal Top 10

Heppell 520
Hooker 354
Goddard 279
Hibberd 277
Zaka 250
Hurley 242
Ryder 241
Baguley 240
Chapman 231
Stanton 227

Congratualtions to Dyson Heppel in winning his first Crichton Medal

Pick 16 for Ryder seems overs given he finished just in front of superstars Baguley, Stanton and a 33yr old

[kickinit]

Still plenty of support for Hird and many of us hope he keeps fighting to clear his name but he needs to do it away from the club.
The appeal could take up to 2 years and at the end we still may be where we are at now.
The club and players need to move on and use the energy to fight the SC notices. Need this resolved ASAP and then spend the next 10-15 years building the club back to where it should be

I can't understand how anyone that supports Essendon can support Hird. He has destroyed Essendon and the entire time has said he is innocent. If Hird does ended up getting off the charges, I hope he lives with the guilt of knowing all those players will wake up each wonder if something is wrong.

[mighty_tiger_79]

If Bomber gets the main job he needs a good 5yr contract to rebuild the club

[Jim05]

If Bomber gets the main job he needs a good 5yr contract to rebuild the club

Dont reckon he would do more than 3-4 years.
Will take a lot longer than 5 years to rebuild the club

[Jim05]

Board meeting on now.
May have already been sacked as he has officially lodged his appeal to the courts

[Q.]

I hope he lives with the guilt of knowing all those players will wake up each wonder if something is wrong.

That's very dramatic. While they're still classified as research chemicals, a lot is still known about them, namely that they have very short half lives. If they haven't caused negative side effects by now, they never will.

[Jim05]

Presser at Hird's house shortly.
He is quitting as head coach of the EFC

[Fricky]

Presser at Hird's house shortly.
He is quitting as head coach of the EFC

Sarcasm surely?

[Booney]

Essendon have dramatically distanced themselves from beleaguered coach James Hird, who could be sacked as early as Thursday.

Hird lodged papers with the Federal Court on Thursday against the decision by Justice Middleton last month that the joint investigation by AFL and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority was legal.

Essendon have decided not to appeal the decision, with Hird further distancing himself from the club by taking the opposite approach.

"I have been advised and believe that there are strong reasons why that decision is incorrect and that this is the proper and appropriate course to vindicate the legal rights of the EFC and its players," Hird said on Thursday in a statement.

"The challenge to the lawfulness of the joint investigation was and is an important step in showing that the Essendon Football Club, its players and staff were submitted to a compromised investigation and were treated unfairly.

"If we don't appeal our players may be stained forever by the innuendo, misconceptions and falsities that resulted from an investigation that we believe was conducted unlawfully.

"It is important that an investigation based on unlawfully gathered information never occurs again to any person, sporting club or organisation."

Hird did not attend Wednesday night's club best-and-fairest function, where chairman Paul Little and caretaker coach Mark Thompson made lengthy and emotional speeches.

Significantly, neither Little or Thompson mentioned Hird by name in their speeches - or even referred to him.

The Essendon board was to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday and decide Hird's fate.

If Essendon sack Hird, it could pave the way for Thompson to reject a potential offer from Gold Coast and stay with the Bombers.

While Thompson is favourite to take over from sacked Suns coach Guy McKenna, he made it clear in his speech that he loves Essendon and wants to stay.

But Thompson also said he did not want to take a step back in his next role - a comment that strongly suggests he wants to continue as a senior coach.

Thompson left Melbourne on Thursday for a holiday in the United States.

Hird said it would have been simpler for him to accept Justice Middleton's ruling, but he was compelled to appeal because he did not believe that any Essendon players had been exposed to any banned supplements or drugs.

"I am extremely sorry for the pain this saga has caused the players of the Essendon Football Club, their families, the Essendon Football Club staff, the Essendon Football Club supporters and the football industry as a whole," said Hird.

"I am requesting expedition of this appeal and will not ask for a stay of the notices.

"The players and ASADA will be able to continue with the show-cause process whilst a full court deals with the legality of the investigation.

"I have not taken this decision lightly.

"I believe this is the right course or action and is in the best interests of the Essendon Football Club, its players, the supporters and the game.

"The short term simple approach would be to acquiesce and plead guilty to ASADA even though the players, the club and myself do not believe we have breached the rules.

"It would be a lie as would pleading out of the proceedings when I, my lawyers and the Essendon Football Club lawyers firmly believe that the investigation was conducted unlawfully and an appeal will be successful."

Last week, ASADA announced they were ready to proceed with revised show cause notices against 34 current and former Essendon players.

ASADA said they would only go ahead if Essendon and Hird decided not to appeal.

AFL Players Association chief executive Paul Marsh has urged ASADA to issue the show-cause notices, regardless of what Hird decides.

"The players welcome the club's decision (not to appeal) and urge ASADA if it indeed intends to issue amended show-cause notices to do so as a matter of urgency," Marsh said.

"This matter has dragged on for far too long.

"It is essential for all parties involved to take steps to expedite the process and bring it to a conclusion.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


WAFW. Ol' Golden Boy defiant until the bitter end....

[Booney]

Presser at Hird's house shortly.
He is quitting as head coach of the EFC

Sarcasm surely?

"Quitting" LOL

[Jim05]

Presser at Hird's house shortly.
He is quitting as head coach of the EFC

Sarcasm surely?

He was given an ultimatum to coach or head off to courts and fight. He chose to appeal and informed the club he would be resigning. Another words jumped before he was pushed lol

[dedja]

Well I'll believe it when I see it.

Bomber seems to have made it very clear he wants the job and is putting max pressure on Essendon to make a call on him or Hird.

Hird's ego is so big he can't see the play.

All 12 months too late though.

[Fricky]

Hird gone.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/j ... 0p3bn.html