James Hird is one mentally resellient individual. That was evident during his stellar career, coming back from terrible injuries to keep playing footy of the highest level.
This drugs saga, of which he is now close to being the main act, has also shown how mentally tough he is, as he refuses to back down, but it might also be proving how stubborn he is too as he continues to take on the AFL and refute many of the claims outlined in the 33-page charge sheet heavily implicating him in the Bombers’ drugs controversy.
Hird is now in the process of issuing supreme court proceedings against the AFL, furious the ASADA report has been made public by the AFL.
He has accused the competition’s governing body of ambushing him, very strong words indeed, and also wants AFL CEO, Andrew Demetriou, and the Commission not involved in the hearing of the charges laid against him.
He has described the AFL Commission as conflicted and basically the battlelines between Hird, Essendon and the AFL have been drawn further than usual, with the issue the ugliest it’s probably ever been.
Hird continues to deny many allegations including a damming letter, which was released as part of the charge sheet from his long time friend and veteran Essendon club doctor, Bruce Reid, outlining his concerns in January 2012 over the supplements program.
The Bombers’ coach said he never received that letter, but the then football manager, Paul Hamilton, who was also addressed in that document did.
How can one party get a letter and not the other, considering both were working in the same organisation?
He also seems, in the last 24 hours, to have started losing support and respect within the wider football community, especially from beloved Essendon supporters, who worshipped him as a player and saw him as the saviour when he came in to head what was described at the time as a dream coaching team for the 2011 season.
Hird is a powerful figure at that football club, but also may have become selfish – his hastily convened press conference was all about him.
What about the players? Some of them and their families appear to be reeling from this.
As mentioned in this column early in the week, the Bombers are in terrible form to be competitive in the finals, so missing the finals should be one of the penalties the AFL hands down.
Essendon claim that penalty, along with a 2.5 million dollar fine, being excluded from the first two rounds of this draft and the suspension of Hird for 12 months are all too severe, even if they do admit they allowed their players to take banned substances.
The AFL though is all about bringing the game into disrepute and they want to make sure the Bombers and all clubs get the message that injecting supplements, even if they are legal, must never happen again.
By seeking more time to get their case together before fronting the Commission – or in Hird’s situation by going a step further by initiating court action – Essendon and the four officials, Hird, Mark Thompson, football manager Danny Corcoran, and Bruce Reid, appear to be delaying the inevitable.
After granting the relevant parties extra time on Tuesday, which looked to have giving the Bombers confidence they would limp into the finals and be eligible to play, the AFL on Wednesday called their bluff by making the report public.
They want an outcome and they need it now, with the finals just over two weeks away. This disater has ruined this season and the league knows it.
They are determined to get it resolved and the AFL is a powerful body and generally gets what it wants.
James Hird continues to deny most allegations and, with his expensive PR and legal team, is always on the front foot pleading his innocence, but he seems to be heading into denial now, with his squeaky clean image beginning to need a wash.
The walls, which have protected him for so long, are not so sturdy either anymore.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Because that makes the Essendon Football Club drug cheats, and he already knows James Hird knew about the thymosin as well, and he has a deeply help position that Essendon arent drug cheats, and that James HIrd isnt a drug cheat either. But if they used thymosin, they both would be. Oh, and the stuff's linked to the growth and metastasis of cancers, so it'd mean Essendon dont care about the health of their playing group. Which he also wont admit.
Sue
Guest
Watched talking footy last night and Luke Darcy said he is being updated by text messages from Demetrou inside the meetings between AFL commission and Essendon,,,,,,,who the bloody hell does he work for football or the media, easy to see where all the leaks came from.
Jax
Guest
How about admitting Hird is responsible for this mess?
Jax
Guest
false charges? That's hilarious, not long now, he's gonna finally fess up (not fully of course).
tbar
Guest
It looks like the AFL bureaucrats are mean-spirited and bigger than the game itself. I want James Hird to cleared of these false charges and I want Demetriou and McLachlin to be exposed for what they are.
Jeff
Guest
That's semi true Sue, but the AFL are still trying to hand down a "drug cheat" penalty for "management" failures. It's quite sinister but in a climate of hatred driven by the media it seems very hard to get natural justice. Even a Supreme Court win would not guarantee a good end result. A negotiated settlement seems to be the best way forward.
Jeff
Guest
It seems that Hird is not so mean-spirited as to want to run after every slander against him. We were taught, "Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but names will never hurt me!" In other words we learn to put up with the petty name calling as it serves no useful pupose. However, when the AFL comes after you with a big stick, there is the right to self-defence. In a civil society, we have prosecutors to lay charges - in this case thevAFL. But then you have independent tribunals or juries to hear and assess what is just malicious and/or unproven allegations and what is correct and proven allegations. This is natural justice and we all must abide by the final decision. Sorry JAX you are not the jury, nor a witness and you should not condemn the charged before there is a fair and independent verdict. Unfortunately the EFC and Hird are being denied natural justice within the AFL system, and that's why they have explored the Supreme Court option. Most people hopes that doesn't happen and that common sense prevails and a fair outcome can be achieved despite what the mean spirited among us think.
tbar
Guest
Let's go through this logically. The AFL releases a sheet detailing a number of allegations intended to support a charge of conduct unbecoming. It then proposes a number of penalties based on the club being found guilty of that single charge. Now, I would like to know how many of those charge sheet allegations need to be proven to make a guilty finding? If only the less serious allegations are proven, but they are still found guilty of Conduct Unbecoming should the proposed penalties be as bad as if all the allegations were proven? This is the clumsiest most amateurish presentation of charges I have even seen. There hasn't even been a hearing but the penalties are flagged in advance. Loss of points for a full season. Elimination from the finals having won sufficient games and subsequent loss of revenue from finals games. Loss of draft picks for two years. Massive fine of $2.5 million. Suspension of coach for 12 months. Suspension of club doctor for three months. Sundry penalties for two other charged employees. Absolutely incredible. With a collection of penalties like that of course people want the charges heard by an independent body. If I was Paul Little, James Hird and the Essendon Board I would fight it to the bitter end.
tbar
Guest
Jax, you'd have been in a strait jacket long ago if you'd been under the pressure Hirdy had dealt with this year. You've expressed your opinion of his guilt numerous times and we all know what you think. How about giving it a rest?
Phil Maguire
Guest
Sue, I don't recall accusing you of making such a comment. I've been in agreement with you.
Jax
Guest
Hird won't take this to court, he's guilty and he will extremely reluctantly take his medicine any day now! I want to see him sue Danis & Robinson but he won't do that as Robinson has already told his side of events of national TV while Hird has said nothing!
Jax
Guest
Let's start the truth hunt with Hird taking Danks & Robinson to court. He won't because he was complicit in the whole program just like Robinson said on TV. If Robinson was lying then why hasnt Hird pulled Robinson apart or sued him for defamation?
Jax
Guest
I want to know why Hird hasn't pulled Robinson apart or sued him for defamation of character if Robinson was lying in the TV interview? He certainly has the legal team and money to do it so why hasn’t he taken on Robinson for what he said? If someone had said that against me and I knew it wasn’t true I would go after them and so would Hird but he hasn’t said a thing, the silence is deafening and profound and not rebutting Robinson says it all really, guilty as charged it seems!
Jax
Guest
Hird & EFC look like they are finally backing down a little bit, they've got no legal case it seems ie guilty as charged and when Hird accepts his penalty that will be proof he's been lying to us for years. I want to know why Hird hasn't pulled Robinson apart or sued him for defamation of character if Robinson was lying in the TV interview?
Jax
Guest
I want to know why Hird hasn't pulled Robinson apart or sued him for defamation of character if Robinson was lying in the TV interview? He certainly has the legal team and money to do it so why hasn’t he taken on Robinson for what he said? If someone had said that against me and I knew it wasn’t true I would go after them and so would Hird but he hasn’t said a thing, the silence is deafening and profound and not rebutting Robinson says it all really, guilty as charged it seems!
Jax
Guest
Hird will stand down and so he should. Why hasn’t Hird pulled Robinson apart or sued him for defamation of character if Robinson was lying in the TV interview? He certainly has the legal team and money to do it so why hasn’t he taken on Robinson for what he said? If someone had said that against me and I knew it wasn’t true I would go after them and so would Hird but he hasn’t said a thing, the silence is deafening and profound and not rebutting Robinson says it all really, guilty as charged officer!
Sue
Guest
Phil, where is my comment that I said we are guilty? Of paper trails?
Sue
Guest
I am over the AFL and it's self righteous attitude, how about a hearing where all the information is provided, I did think there was a place to go for the truth to be told, yes I remember its called the Supreme Court!!!! Bring it on
Phil Maguire
Guest
You did make allegations. You said what happened there was intentional and orchestrated. In other words the club cheated. Don't try and play games.
Tbar
Guest
Gillon McLachlan is a goner. He said in front of numerous witnesses that the ACC had investigated Essendon. Where did he get that information if not from Demetriou? That is strong evidence that Demetriou knew it when he spoke to Evans. In any case the ACC knows if they told him and if it is proven that he leaked they will have to act. Personally I think McLachlan is worse than Demetriou and I hope he gets the big A quicktime. I still hate the AFL though and have done for years.