Essendon chairman Paul Little has hit back at former coach Mark Thompson, who blasted the struggling AFL club at the weekend.
Thompson says that the Bombers are “drowning” as a result of the ongoing supplements saga.
Little denied Thompson’s claim that some members of the club board knew about the 2012 supplements regime.
That supplements program prompted a joint AFL-ASADA investigation.
The AFL anti-doping tribunal cleared 34 current and former Essendon players, but WADA are appealing that verdict.
“Mark alleged that some members of the Essendon Board were aware of the program of injections being conducted by Steven Dank,” Little wrote in a letter to members.
“Members of the Essendon board can categorically state that the board had no knowledge of the extensive program of injections conducted by Stephen Dank.
“At no stage did anybody involved, including Mark, raise concerns with the board about the program.”
Little also criticised Thompson for his comments about how the club had dealt with the fallout from the supplements controversy.
“He further seemed to suggest that the club has not done anything to rectify the governance failings which were evident three years ago and for which the club has been heavily and appropriately punished,” Little said.
“Essendon have made significant improvements to its governance procedures across all areas of the club.
“These initiatives have been made public and continue to form part of our governance framework internally.”
Thompson was interim coach last year while James Hird served his 12-month suspension.
Once Hird returned, Thompson left Essendon when he could not agree with the club on a new role.
“The way the club was managed at the time this took place was really poor and that’s why we’ve been fined and we’re accepting guilt,” Thompson told 3AW on Saturday.
“Have they done enough to rectify that … and where we are right now?
“You could probably, honestly say `no’, because it’s not working.”
Little is also the latest Essendon official to blast the succession of media leaks about the anti-doping tribunal hearing and WADA’s appeal.
On Monday, the Herald Sun published details of the tribunal hearing.
“Our players and staff were guaranteed confidentiality at the beginning of this process, but time and time again this has been undermined by the wilful leaking of confidential information,” Little said.
“The intent of these leaks is unclear. What is clear however is the individuals behind these leaks have no compassion for our players.
“Although these leaks don’t influence the outcome of the case, they do serve to harm the psyche and mental wellbeing of our players.
“The club failed our players in 2012 and the system and process continues to fail them now.”
Little called on the AFL Commission to investigate the leaks.
Anthony Maguire
Guest
Bellchambers hasn't been anywhere near his best for a fair while. Give him a break. He looked like a world beater in 2013 with 30 goals. As for Colyer, have you got blinkers on? He'd finally got a consistent run and turned into a gun. Or do you know more than Leigh Matthews and several other league champions? Gecko, take out the contested ball winners in any side and see how well they go. We've been smashed in the middle all year due to the absences of the big bodies in Watson, Myers and Hocking. No surprise that when Hocking came in last week we won the midfield stats.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
... and Carlisle only missed 4 games. Gecko, I think you're being very generous rating the others as B- graders. Bellchambers was in the seconds. Kommer and Colyer haven't established themselves as AFL players yet and the others are only C Graders at best. And "an absence of draft picks" is partly of their own doing (ignoring the sanctions) - they traded pick 37 (which became pick 39) for Adam Cooney. The Bulldogs drafted Bailey Dale and Caleb Daniel with picks in the 40's and both look like they will have good senior careers.
Gecko
Guest
So you've had injuries to Watson, Carlysle and a bunch of B -graders and you lost one good footballer in last year's trade period. Other clubs have had similar experiences and worked through it. Are you sure the performances may not have something to do with problematic coaching and management?
Pumping Dougie
Guest
Any successful organisation requires good leadership. In football, the President, CEO and Coach set the culture. Essendon is going nowhere until it stares itself down and rectifies these roles.
Pumping Dougie
Guest
Dr Reid originally claimed he tabled his letter to the Board. My experience with Boards is that occasionally they ask for a paper to be 'untabled'. Reid was very close to David Evans, so you think he would have had a conversation with him.
Pumping Dougie
Guest
Matty Lloyd made it clear on Footy Classified this week that he believed Bomber and that Bomber is a bloke who speaks his mind and tells the truth. Pretty strong words in the context. Caroline Wilson then opined that there are plenty of examples of Paul Little being untruthful in the past, to which Lloyd nodded slightly and kept his mouth shut.
Casper
Guest
I'll argue otherwise. The club has got the best training facilities in the country and has got more members now than they ever had. All this talk about the club being in turmoil is a load of rubbish. Like Leigh Matthews says, the team has got a good spine, so there is potential there. With a better injury run and hopefully a couple of good draft picks and trades this year, they could improve dramatically next year. Btw, it doesn't matter what the media write, as a lot of it is speculation anyway.
Callen
Guest
The poor performance of the team on field could almost give Hird an out. Your reputation could be less tarnished if you resign as coach because you were not able to effectively coach the team to wins, rather than due to an all engulfing drug scandal that you have been heavily linked to.....................
Penster
Guest
As a tax free lump sum it's not bad, assuming he was earning $200k at Essendon (if that?). Losing the footy club environment and status that they all love is irreplaceable.
Bobbo7
Guest
Spot on. Until there is a complete clear out the club is going no where. Looking at the media and results on the pitch it is amazing that anyone bothers to argue otherwise.
WhereIsGene
Guest
Essendon's PR war against the truth has failed, spectacularly. Obviously they're long past the point where they can come clean and cut their losses, they pushed all their chips into the middle of the table long ago and now the club's only recourse is to keep on bluffing. Unfortunately most of us called them on that bluff long ago and now the club's media statements appear lifeless and hollow in their obvious fiction. Little will go. Hird will go. Most of the board who backed Hird will go. Its really just a question of how long they can hang on. As someone who despises Essendon I hope they hang on for as long as possible, safe in the knowledge the club can't pull itself out of the hole it has dug until they do.
mattyb
Guest
I'm not placing much faith in Bomber but I hope he gets better.He's coming across a tad bitter and childish and mean.
BigAl
Guest
Bomber has been 'troubled' since the day he 'left' Geelong. The fact that he ended up back at Essendon just made it worse (if possible) for everyone.
Anthony Maguire
Guest
I'll give you a hint. No Watson, Colyer, Carlisle, Myers, Hocking, Kommer, Winderlich, Bellchambers and Merrett for most of the year. Add on the loss of Ryder and an absence of draft picks. Perfect storm.
Anthony Maguire
Guest
Do we? One week "Hird not in the top 20 most responsible". Next week "oh yeah, he was one of three masterminds". You're dreaming if you place any value on what Thompson says.
Bruce
Guest
How dare Bomber come out and tell the truth, he's a disgrace to a once great club. EFC don't want the truth, don't need the truth and shouldn't have to seek the truth. Everyone should just leave Saint Jimmy and Saint Paul alone and let them run this club the way they see fit.
Nick Nack
Guest
Essendon as a club should have been barred from participation in the AFL until they came forth with their so called innocent program they have managed to cover up and bury the evidence. To me that is enough evidence to have them thrown out. Hird is a scoundrel and should be booed everytime he is in public for what he has done to our game.
Edgar Slosh
Roar Guru
If only they looked under Littles bed, Im sure they would find some kind of illegal ledger under there
Ben
Guest
What has become increasingly apparent is how ruthlessly Essendon behaved in portraying Dean Robinson as a primary offender in its doping program. In retrospect he seemed to have been, at best, a support player. $1M seems a paltry settlement figure for how he was treated by Essendon officials looking to save their own hides. Absolutely unconscionable.
jezz
Guest
Come back home bomber. Essendon needs you.