Essendon in strife

[Red-4-Life]

For using a banned supplement. Sports scientist as well as "The Weapon" both no longer at Essendon, probably the 2 main culprits behind supplying these supplements. Players face half season - life bans and Essendon could possibly be removed from the competition for up to 2 years due to breaching AFL and ASADA/WADA rules. Interesting times ahead for them, round 1 vs Crows...clash of the cheats

I wonder if the players knew what they were taking and if coaches were aware?

[Adolt Hıtler]

Well done on psting in the correct forum. Unlike that bell end who didn't.

[Bomber]

Not much will happen.

[Petro83]

For using a banned supplement. Sports scientist as well as "The Weapon" both no longer at Essendon, probably the 2 main culprits behind supplying these supplements. Players face half season - life bans and Essendon could possibly be removed from the competition for up to 2 years due to breaching AFL and ASADA/WADA rules. Interesting times ahead for them, round 1 vs Crows...clash of the cheats

I wonder if the players knew what they were taking and if coaches were aware?

You cant brand a whole club for things like this. crows and bombers had individuals who messed up.

at the end of the day id rather be the crows or the bombers than the pathetic club called port power

[bapa]

For using a banned supplement. Sports scientist as well as "The Weapon" both no longer at Essendon, probably the 2 main culprits behind supplying these supplements. Players face half season - life bans and Essendon could possibly be removed from the competition for up to 2 years due to breaching AFL and ASADA/WADA rules. Interesting times ahead for them, round 1 vs Crows...clash of the cheats

I wonder if the players knew what they were taking and if coaches were aware?

You cant brand a whole club for things like this. crows and bombers had individuals who messed up.

at the end of the day id rather be the crows or the bombers than the pathetic club called port power

so u promote cheating at ur club?????
what an honourable man......

[bapa]

Organised crime gangs are now being linked to the Essendon doping scandal, amid revelations players were injected with unknown supplements.

There are claims players were taken off-site and signed waivers so they could be injected by sports science staff.

High performance coach Dean Robinson who worked closely with sports scientist Steven Dank, has been stood down.

Essendon champ Matthew Lloyd says the players can't be held responsible because they would have been following coaches and medical advice.

"You're told by a fitness coach or a sport scientist that you'll get a greater advantage or recover well, be fitter, stronger and everything's done legally then you jump on board and do it."

Australia's anti-doping watchdog and the AFL are investigating.

Sports commentator Gerard Healy says the scandal has been brewing for at least 12 months, and he notified the AFL's then general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson.

"I passed it on as a matter in course in a discussion about where the game was going with this stuff to Adrian Anderson who passed it on too, so it's been around for about 12 months.

[Petro83]

another storm in a tea cup?

[Jay Walking]

Rumors out of Melbourne are that all bar two Essendon players will be suspeneded. On a positive though, they will still have a strong squad than Port Power.

[Jay Walking]

I think there might be a few issues going on here. Essendon might have taken a leap out fo the Crows book and handed themselves in to get a lower penalty.

[Red-4-Life]

If Essendon players are found guilty, they will be stripped of all individual and team honors, that also includes Jobe Watson's 2012 Brownlow. They will also be banned for 2 years.

Source: Herald Sun/Sports news First

[God is an Englishman]

at the end of the day id rather be the crows or the bombers than the pathetic club called port power

port have won a title this millenium, when was the last time crows won one?

port have some history and I believe they are the most succesful club in australian sport v a plastic club that was made up only a few years ago.

[Jay Walking]

at the end of the day id rather be the crows or the bombers than the pathetic club called port power

port have won a title this millenium, when was the last time crows won one?

port have some history and I believe they are the most succesful club in australian sport v a plastic club that was made up only a few years ago.

No, the Port Magpies are the most successful Aussie Rules Club.

Crows have over 20 years of history.

[God is an Englishman]

at the end of the day id rather be the crows or the bombers than the pathetic club called port power

port have won a title this millenium, when was the last time crows won one?

port have some history and I believe they are the most succesful club in australian sport v a plastic club that was made up only a few years ago.

No, the Port Magpies are the most successful Aussie Rules Club.

Crows have over 20 years of history.

so, we agree then. Good to hear!

[Jay Walking]

Spin it anyway you like, Port have 1 premiership in the AFL and the Crows have 2.

[God is an Englishman]

Spin it anyway you like, Port have 1 premiership in the AFL and the Crows have 2.

and it was more recently as well.

How many premierships did port win before the afl even existed?

[Delete Your Account]

Spin it anyway you like, Port have 1 premiership in the AFL and the Crows have 2.

and it was more recently as well.

How many premierships did port win before the afl even existed?

That's like asking how many Division 2 titles did Chelsea win, when discussing the merits of the UEFA Champions League.

[Wraith]

#essendope

Current regime have a culture of telling fibs...as evidenced in the Bomber Thompson saga.

[bapa]

NRL officials believe players from at least one club were given the same growth stimulants - known as peptides - that are now at the centre of the anti-doping investigation into AFL powerhouse Essendon.
Stephen Dank, the sports science guru embroiled in the scandal, consulted for half a dozen NRL clubs before crossing codes.

He spent five seasons under former Manly coach Des Hasler, but his brief stint at Cronulla in 2011 is causing most concern for League bosses.

A Cronulla insider said peptides, a combination of amino-acids that promote the body's natural growth mechanisms, were offered to certain players during Dank's short tenure at the club.

Sharks players were also given the widely used blood-thinning agent warfarin to promote anaerobic capacity.

The scientist: Steve Dank is the link between AFL drug scandal and NRL clubs

The move, however, backfired when several Warfarin users suffered mysterious bruising that sounded alarm bells through the club's medical staff.

Sharks doctor David Givney last night confirmed Dank's sudden departure related to a falling-out between the pair over the proper administration of supplements.

"Stephen was only at the club for a short time in 2011," Givney said. "He and I didn't see eye-to-eye over several things and we parted ways."

Givney would not publicly respond to the claims of peptide and warfarin use. But it's understood his concerns related to a lack of knowledge about what substances Dank was giving the players.

"That's all I've been instructed to say," Givney added.

My blood injections: Former Manly star Matt Orford

Certain varieties of peptide appear on both the 2011 and 2013 WADA prohibited list.

Cronulla's coaching staff are confident no players ingested any banned substances and that the club abided by proper protocol at all times.

Last May, a Queensland-based rugby player and coach, Francis Burke, received a four-year suspension for possession and trafficking of the banned stimulant, peptide-6.

There's no suggestion that Sharks coaching staff - or that of other NRL clubs that used Dank - had full knowledge of his supplement program. The physiologist also consulted for Souths, Wests Tigers, Penrith and St George Illawarra.

But the bulk of his trail-blazing work was refined at Manly, now famous for trialling injections derived from calf's blood in 2008. Dank introduced the Sea Eagles to Actovegin, a form of cortisone.

Former skipper Matt Orford yesterday revealed he was injected on two occasions to help overcome a groin complaint ahead of the 2008 grand final.

[bapa]

As the probe into Essendon's controversial supplements practices deepened yesterday, it emerged a group of players was told it was club policy to continue the "experimental" practice despite complaints.

Sources said players known to be deeply troubled by the injections were told they would continue as it was a team strategy.

The Essendon players, led by skipper Jobe Watson, yesterday met the AFL Players' Association and were briefed on their rights and the risks of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority-AFL probe.

They were told ignorance was no excuse if they had taken illegal substances.

The players' union is expected to engage a QC to oversee the matter.

Bombers coach James Hird talked to the players before training at Tullamarine.

News Ltd can reveal at least four Essendon players sought independent advice last year from a senior sports administration figure about the consent forms they were asked to sign while taking the supplements.

Recently retired Essendon onballer Mark McVeigh was adamant the club had done nothing wrong, saying he had taken only vitamins.

"I can honestly tell you that everything I took I knew 100 per cent that it was within the WADA and AFL doping regulations," he said.

Players were told that while it was pushing boundaries, the supplement program was legal and would help aid performance, boost recovery and help players sleep better.

As Geelong and the Gold Coast distanced themselves from the controversy despite links to Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank, rival clubs scrutinised their own medical departments.

The AFL continues to search for evidence of the practice across other clubs, including whether Dank had personal clients from across the competition.

Hird reiterated his confidence in the club's compliance with WADA.

Asked yesterday if he had confidence in stood-down high-performance manager Dean Robinson, Hird said: "I have confidence in our processes at our footy club that we'd get it right.

"Our players are moving on, we're training hard and we're looking forward to the start of the season. I'm sure it (the allegations) does have an effect (on them), but we're moving on."

Club veteran Dustin Fletcher said: "I'm not too fussed about it, the boys upstairs will deal with it."

Former Port Adelaide captain Warren Tredrea yesterday revealed he was offered banned substances during his playing career by an individual outside the club.

"But I went and got it tested and came back with three illegal drugs in it," Tredrea said.

[God is an Englishman]

Spin it anyway you like, Port have 1 premiership in the AFL and the Crows have 2.

and it was more recently as well.

How many premierships did port win before the afl even existed?

That's like asking how many Division 2 titles did Chelsea win, when discussing the merits of the UEFA Champions League.

No because chelsea would have been promoted into a higher division, port were already in the highest division they could be in.

It's like asking how many division 1 titles did liverpool win before the premier league.

[Jay Walking]

Spin it anyway you like, Port have 1 premiership in the AFL and the Crows have 2.

and it was more recently as well.

How many premierships did port win before the afl even existed?

In the SANFL? 30 odd

[Jay Walking]

If Essendon players are found guilty, they will be stripped of all individual and team honors, that also includes Jobe Watson's 2012 Brownlow. They will also be banned for 2 years.

Source: Herald Sun/Sports news First

Watson didn't sign the waiver. I assume he wasn't on anything. Can't take away an award he won if his teammates are found guilty.

[bapa]

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.
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.

An Essendon spokesman told the Herald Sun today: “Shane Charter was introduced to James Hird by friends to give dietary advice to him and a number of his friends during 2003 and in early 2004.

"James has had no contact or communication with Mr Charter since, except when he ran into him in 2011.

“The relationship was never more than that.”

Charter said in 2000, after Woewodin's win: “My life might be changing next year."

Of his program, Charter, then a full-time pharmaceutical company sales rep, said: "It's a multi-faceted program that involves nutrition, modifying training and also testing in terms of urine and blood analysis.

"It's very tailored. The system is individualised to cater for the individual's needs.

"Every player has different requirements in terms of his age, weight, energy, daily activity, repair to muscle tissue and vitamin, minerals and enzyme deficiencies.

"With Shane there were areas we could get large improvements.''

The football operations general manager at Melbourne in 2000 was Danny Corcoran, who is now head of football at Essendon.

There is no suggestion that Woewodin or Hird ever took banned substances.

A Fairfax report today alleged Charter had worked closely with Dank while he was at Essendon last year to provide players with supplements.

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

The Bombers on Monday requested ASADA and the AFL investigate the club’s sports science program after concerns were raised about players being injected with supplements off site by a registered nurse.

More to come

[Bomber]

I assume AFL test all players during the season. I assume Essendon players were found to be clean as other players at other clubs during 2012. What does that say about the testing procedures if they were on something banned? More egg on AFL faces, hence they have to shift the blame.

[Jay Walking]

I assume AFL test all players during the season. I assume Essendon players were found to be clean as other players at other clubs during 2012. What does that say about the testing procedures if they were on something banned? More egg on AFL faces, hence they have to shift the blame.

If and I stress the word if, Essendon players were taking something illegal but weren't caught, why is it the AFL's fault or egg of their face. Surely the people taking the stuff are the problem. The AFL doesn't test for performance enhancing drugs, ASDA do

[Red-4-Life]

This drug may not even be approved for human use

A drug trafficker worked with James Hird in the early 2000s? Essendon are in serious trouble now, no escaping is at ignorance from players will not be a valid excuse against ASADA/WADA even though players raised concern about it last year and wanted to discontinue useage of it. Make them play for 0 points, more painful than kicking them out for 2 years

The story is getting bigger and bigger now, VFL players getting caught using performance enhancers, NRL may lose its major sponsor in telstra......wow, just wow.

[Wraith]

I assume AFL test all players during the season. I assume Essendon players were found to be clean as other players at other clubs during 2012. What does that say about the testing procedures if they were on something banned? More egg on AFL faces, hence they have to shift the blame.

Ever heard of a masking drug?

[God is an Englishman]

I assume AFL test all players during the season. I assume Essendon players were found to be clean as other players at other clubs during 2012. What does that say about the testing procedures if they were on something banned? More egg on AFL faces, hence they have to shift the blame.

Ever heard of a masking drug?

I don't understand how you can possibly ban a player who hasn't tested positive.

[bapa]

I assume AFL test all players during the season. I assume Essendon players were found to be clean as other players at other clubs during 2012. What does that say about the testing procedures if they were on something banned? More egg on AFL faces, hence they have to shift the blame.

Ever heard of a masking drug?

I don't understand how you can possibly ban a player who hasn't tested positive.

cue "Lance Armstrong, saga!"

he never had a positive test, yet was chased by USADA until he HAD TO COME CLEAN!!

[Delete Your Account]

I assume AFL test all players during the season. I assume Essendon players were found to be clean as other players at other clubs during 2012. What does that say about the testing procedures if they were on something banned? More egg on AFL faces, hence they have to shift the blame.

Ever heard of a masking drug?

I don't understand how you can possibly ban a player who hasn't tested positive.

A VFL player was banned for 18 months for buying some PE drugs. He didn't even USE them.

It's called "the rules"