James Hird in Perth with his back against the wall… should we really be surprised that something amazing happened?
Following revelations that the Essendon coach allegedly received injections and was knowledgeable of the broader supplement plan for players, the Bombers defied the odds to record one of the greatest wins in the club’s history.
Coming back from a six-goal half-time deficit, the Bombers hit the front early in the last quarter before withstanding a spirited fight back by Fremantle in the final few minutes. The scenes after the game would have softened the hearts of even the harshest critic, with the players love and appreciation of their coach and club there for all to see.
It was one of the toughest weeks that the Essendon FC and Hird, in particular, have ever faced. For Essendon fans it was difficult as well, not simply because their club sits on the verge of crisis but because Hird is widely viewed as the Bombers’ greatest living player, a Bombers hero and favourite son who could seemingly do no wrong.
While the allegations against Hird remind us all that everyone is fallible, they remain just allegations and the presumption of being innocent until proven guilty must be adhered to at all times.
When the investigation is completed we can determine who, if anyone, was at fault but until then we should analyse everything that is said in the media with a critical eye.
At present the facts of the issue remain similar to when the investigation was announced in February.
Essendon had a supplements program which they claim was designed to maximise player performance within the rules of the game.
The investigation seeks to discover whether Essendon and Steve Dank went too far by prescribed supplements that were banned under the Australian Sporting Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) code. Furthermore, if banned substances were prescribed it seeks to discover who knew that it was occurring.
If the supplement program was designed to be in line with the ASADA code then it is not relevant that Hird knew about the program, nor is it relevant that he personally took ‘performance-enhancing’ drugs, which no doubt aided his ability to sit in the coaches’ box and watch the game.
The only thing that matters is whether Steve Dank or anyone else at Essendon prescribed banned substances to players and whether others at the club knew that it was happening or consented. To date we do not have clear answers regarding this and we will have to wait for the ASADA investigation to be completed.
This past week highlighted the football media’s lack of accountability. With assumptions of guilt and speculation ruling the print and broadcast media, we saw just how ugly and counter-productive ‘trial by media’ can become.
On Friday, the media suggested that Hird should stand down as Essendon coach until the investigation was complete. Hird stood his ground claiming that ‘when the truth comes out, I think I’ll be in a very, very good position and so will this football club.’ It was the correct decision.
If the post-match celebration was any indication it will take a lot more than unproven allegations to remove Hird as coach of the Bombers. Neither the players nor the fans have lost faith in him as coach and that puts him in a favourable position.
The media spent the week trying to sensationalise the issue in an attempt to sell newspapers and provide online ‘hits’. They referred to supplements with sensational names such as, ‘pig’s brain extract’ and ‘calves blood’ (apparently the football media only have their steaks well-done), which are designed to sound foreign and frightening.
The media were successful in their endeavours; however, if the Bombers and Hird are cleared of any wrongdoing you can be sure that there will be no apologies and certainly no accountability. At present, Hird’s greatest crime may be that he was not initially honest with the media, which in their eyes may be the biggest crime of all. It would go some way to explaining the current witch-hunt.
Drugs in sport is arguably the biggest issue that Australian sport has ever faced. It strikes at the very credibility of the sport and, to date, has tarnished the reputations of so many across several sporting codes.
These allegations require deeper investigation, which should be realm of the ASADA investigation or investigative reporters and not at the mercy of football ‘journalists’. For the public it remains important that we be more critical of speculation and remember that the Bombers and other sports teams are innocent until proven guilty.
For now though we can sit back and admire the resilience of this Essendon team and their coach, who had every right to fall in a heap on Friday night but instead defied the odds and achieved an historic win.
It reminded me of a remarkable match between Essendon and West Coast in 2004, when James Hird informed the football world that it would take a lot more than some controversy to bring him down.
This investigation may end in tears for the Bombers but it is clear that they are not going to stand by and let the media play the role of judge, jury and executioner.
And that is exactly the way it should be.
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