Essendon coach James Hird has hit out at what he calls innuendo, half-truths and lies spread about him and his AFL club over the supplements saga.
Hird has maintained a straight bat throughout the ongoing five-month ASADA investigation into his club’s suspect supplements program in 2012.
But after a week of having sand kicked in his face – among the claims being described as the architect of the program – an emotional Hird went on a measured defensive on Friday.
“There’s been some truth put out there, but the constant innuendo, rhetoric, half-truths and probably lies that have been spun about the club, the players, the great people that work here, and the half-truths, rhetoric and lies that have been spun about myself have been very hurtful and very damaging,” Hird said.
“It’s very hard when you keep looking at the hurtful and damaging nature of those comments.”
The club issued a strongly worded statement this week refuting Fairfax Media allegations that the AFL warned Hird against looking into the use of peptides.
The Bombers have also denied that Hird was the main architect of the club’s controversial 2012 supplements program.
As he has throughout the process, Hird urged people not to rush to judgment and wait for ASADA to deliver its findings, which are expected next month.
But he also admitted frustration at not being able to fully respond to claims publicly – the Bombers maintaining they cannot make full and frank comment on the issue until after the investigation is completed.
“It’s hard when you can’t respond either. It’s hard when you want to talk about the facts, when you want to explain to people what has happened here,” Hird said.
“But the club has committed to a process and we’ll follow the process through.
“But I would say to people … if you are sitting in judgment, if you’ve made your judgment, please wait until the facts are on the table.
“The facts will come out on the table very soon.
“To my peers, to the players at other clubs, to the people at other clubs, if you can reserve your judgment until all the facts are on the table and we get a chance to see the report, put our version of events across, that would be much appreciated.
“There’s no person out there more than myself that wants the truth, that is trying to find the truth, that wants it out on the table.”
Hird also praised Essendon fans for their support throughout the saga, and urged them to maintain their faith.
“You’ve given us a lot of strength through a time that’s been very, very difficult,” Hird said.
“I understand this is a very serious issue, and we want to make sure the issue is dealt with properly.”
The Bombers play Greater Western Sydney in Sydney on Saturday, pitting Hird against his long-time coach and mentor Kevin Sheedy.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
Yes it will Jake, this time there are no admirers. The damage done to his iconic stature is immeasurable, the whole club is implicated in this. They'll be forever known as drug cheats and this year's miraculous form turnaround is not due to hard work and talent, it's due to drug conditioning.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
You bombers are delusional. Information aired on AFL360 is just more spin to limit damage by an AFL controlled media outlet. The whole industry is in spin mode as the real truth will destroy the afl competiton. The ONLY investigative Journalist is Caroline Wilson and she is obviously close to the truth, hence all the poor Jobe crap, the we didn't know crap, it's unbelievable. The best and fairest award the Brownlow Medal was won by a drug user, he even admitted it publically. But the spin on that was that he is so open and honest, give me a break. The Brownlow is now compromised as well. The Essendon FC is a disgrace to the competition. The level of performance this year compared to last year is due to hard work and talent!!!! Give me a break, it's due to drug conditioning.
Jacques of Lilydale
Guest
The level of spin is unbelievable, Hird has even employed a media spin doctor to drip feed media releases to get a sympathy vote. You know what James, it's not working. I was a great admirer of yours, didn't support Essendon or anything but you were an icon of the game. Once you start trolling around in a systematic drug culture it's a slippery road to disgrace and you'll take everyone with you, you've lost my respect. It's a disgusting look for a club and it has compromised the competition. All the spin doctors are out there, even commentators who have a vested interest in the industry. Witness the poor Jobe telecast, no mention of the peptide use, the crowd was just reacting to what everyone else in the football world is thinking. Drugs are an anethma to supporters who want to see fair play and performance based on hard work and talent. Hird and the AFL are protected species within the media as well, time to get to the truth and I think Wilson is closer to it than what anyone is letting on. Hence the systematic media releases. A CEO doesn't walk for no reason!!!!!! He knows what went on and jumped ship.
Steve
Guest
'Half truths' on which side though? The full truth could yet be that certain people are a lot guiltier than has currently been ascertained.....................
vicbomber
Guest
Well considering that both newspapers have pretty much been printing anything even remotely connected with the SUBURB of Essendon, why did the Age choose to not include that information, even if it was only to discredit it? I'll answer it for you, they didn't want to give it any oxygen that's why. They have their opinions firmly fixed and they are not going to let a little thing like the truth get in the way of a good story.
joe
Guest
Is that you caro?
RPollock
Guest
The people who know the truth aren't talking. Running around injecting players with drugs that may or may not have been banned is enough for most people. Essendon & Hird think they have done nothing wrong and refuse to see the vast majority of people hate what they have done. Who cares whether they get fined or not, it was and always has been a terrible mistake.
Jake
Guest
You think everything in his life has gone his way? He probably missed near on 100 games of an amazing career through constant injuries including a face that needed rebuilding. I wouldn't call that things always going his way! He's battled through plenty of hards times and monumental pressure and this won't be any different.
Steve J
Roar Guru
If you're referring to the Essendon sources who have stated that allegedly ASADA investigators have told them that they won't be prosecuted for administering AOD-9604 and that ASADA told them that it wasn't prohibited..... That is what is known as "spin", and not fit to print. No wonder the Herald Sun has run with it.
vicbomber
Guest
The part about her reporting " as she see's fit " is a bit ambiguous. That would explain her obvious omission of any information which was aired on AFL360. Funny thing is, the Herald Sun thought it was definitely newsworthy. The only "news" she sees fit to print is news which is in line with her opinion.
Steve J
Roar Guru
What Caroline actually said was (and you can check this onhttp://www.3aw.com.au/blogs/3aw-football-blog/caroline-wilson-hits-back-at-essendon/20130717-2q4b0.html" "I don't see my role as a journalist to sit back and wait for the facts to come out. I see my role as to investigate and find out the facts and report them as I see fit." Well duh! Isn't that what is at the heart of good journalism? Go and and find out for yourself rather than waiting like a trained puppy to be drip fed the morsels that the "masters" think you should have. Good on her for actually being a journo on this matter - wish there were a few more (looking at you Gerard Whately). Lets face facts, if the AFL had their way we'd all be looking in the other direction and half the Essendon team would be given "first strikes" and hushed up.
TW
Guest
Well well Mr Hird coming under real pressure probably for the first time in his life, where everything has mostly gone his way. We will see how Jimmy goes and see what he is made of. I still think he is somewhat nieve in the clubs efforts to get "That edge" over the other teams because that is what this issue is all about. The warning bells should have been ringing after the NRL shambles on the same issue. Absolutely no awareness at all at the club it appears.
pope paul v11
Guest
He's standing up for his right to unnatural substances as well.
Doug Deep
Roar Pro
Will James Hird stand down if Caro's comments are proven to be correct? Doubt it. Responsibility eh?
Franko
Guest
She was spot on with Melbourne and their tanking, spot on with Adelaide's Steven Trigg, but this one????
Redb
Roar Guru
I don't think Essendon are letting things go any more. Good on Hird for standing up for his right to natural justice. The BS speculation from Caroline Wilson needs to be called out. She said herself yesterday on 3AW she doesn't need to wait for the facts to come out. No kidding Caroline. Will Caroline Wilson stand down if her comments are proven to be wrong? Doubt it. Sources eh?
joe blackswan
Guest
Given how Hird first claimed he takes full responsibility of what happens to the players, then says they have taken no banned substances, and finally states that Dank was injecting players without anyone's knowledge....Hird certainly knows a thing or two about lies, half-truths and bulls**t spin, as does Essendon FC.
Chairman Kaga
Guest
Sir, you hit the nail smack bang on the head. It is interesting to see the "chosen alphas" protecting themselves. Hird is a protected and above the law it seems. What is hard to fathom is Hird knew and administered this narcotic/stimulant to all his player's to increase their strength and endurance, the CEO Ian Robson trusted him and left him to his own devices to run the business side of Essendon but had to fall on his sword, while the guy that carried out the act is remaining. Rather odd. Maybe we should just accept that doping goes on and by the looks of the ladder position Essendon is in, why didn't the other clubs join in?
TomC
Roar Guru
He has the club doing his PR for him! 'Playing a straight bat'? You've got to be kidding! The club put out a media release protecting Hird and dumping on a former employee! The charmed run this guy gets from the media defies all logic.