German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said: “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” For Essendon, it looks as though the club has survived one of the most disastrous and tumultuous sporting sagas we may ever witness in this country.
Bomber fans have not had many reasons to smile over the last few seasons and understandably so, with every newspaper across the country constantly speculating about the club’s future.
Essendon’s fall from grace has had a significant impact on the players who, as the unfortunate scapegoats, appeared to be merely going through the motions.
Stirring victories against Hawthorn and Collingwood were just small bright sparks in what was another forgettable season. However it is now the Bombers’ turn to prove that what didn’t kill them has strengthened them, and a new head coach and assistants may just be the tonic for an exciting new era.
The Bombers will embark on season 2016 with a new sense of direction and playing style, one that quickly aims to elevate the club back to its former glory.
This of course will be no easy task, however with the backing of the members and the board Essendon can once again be the proud and dominant club it once was.
Generally, the dawn of a new era sees great a transition within.
Over the last decade or so, it has felt as though Essendon have not been willing to experience a complete rebuild and have instead averted to the ‘quick fix’ option. The Bombers have also been criticised for stockpiling players and being the most difficult club to trade with come draft time.
The on-field impact has been evident with Essendon’s last grand final appearance being in 2001, unheard of for a club that boldly predicted that it would be playing off for the flag every five years.
This may be stating the obvious, but it is now time for the Bombers to steady the ship and get back to the land of plenty, through proper recruitment and management of the squad.
To their credit the Bombers have wasted no time in doing so, being quite active in the trade period. Essendon have delisted seven players, while trading three to different clubs as well as seeing three players retire.
Losing Jake Carlisle will hurt, however pick five gives them a great opportunity to draft some top talent.
The Bombers have filled their need for a ruckman through recruiting the services of Matthew Leuenberger, who was the best ruckman available. A new environment may be just what the former Brisbane ruckman needs to return to his career-best form after being struck with injury and poor form.
Essendon have also brought in handy midfielder Craig Bird from the Swans, who will be crucial in contributing to the development of younger players.
This new era for the Bombers has also seen the club do something that they rarely do. Essendon have appointed an experienced coach for the first time since handing the reins to Bill Stephen in 1976. The Bombers have historically appointed first-time coaches, as 16 out of the club’s 22 coaches – not including fill-in coach Mark Thompson – have been first-time coaches.
John Worsfold’s appointment ultimately acts as the kick-start so desperately needed for a new era at Essendon.
This time of the year is also where elections for the Essendon board take place. I caught up with candidate Nick Raptopoulos to discuss his thoughts on the Bombers moving forward.
Looking ahead, Raptopoulos “definitely believe[s] the worst is behind [Essendon], the new appointments the club have made moving forward, things are certainly starting to look positive”.
When questioned on the appointment of an experienced coach over a first-time successor, Raptopoulos said he believed Worsfold was chosen, chiefly “because he was the best man going around”.
“I would like to think that the panel selected him based on his merits. He is a great coach, despite being out of the game for some time, he is now quite charged up and ready to take over,” Raptopoulos said.
In terms of on-field performance, Raptopoulos warned supporters to be patient with Worsfold.
“Historically, we are quite an impatient lot. I’d be expecting to see some promising improvement by year two and by his third year, I would like to see us entrenched in finals,” he said.
One of Raptopoulos’s key incentives for applying for the board was to create an inclusive environment between the club and its members and supporters. Creating this environment will certainly go a long way in establishing a positive and optimistic atmosphere among supporters. As we all know, in order to achieve on-field success, progress must also be shown off the field.
Raptopoulos proposed holding “regular forums to allow people to front up and have open discussions with key personnel at the club, which ultimately creates an inclusive environment and attitude”. He highlighted the importance of members to the club, stating, “The club must also strengthen its communication with its members.”
The Bombers’ last season achieved a little over 60,000 members, however Raptopoulos believes this figure can be increased.
“Back in the 1990s Ray Morgan conducted research to find the most supported clubs. He found that back then Essendon had 100,000 more supporters than any other team. With that being said, we were quite a successful club, however a club like Richmond with little success for quite some time have exceeded us,” he said.
“In saying that, however, I feel as though our grassroots supporters have been greatly alienated, as a lot of club functions have been held for the ‘top end of town’ that have been expensive and have not appealed to the masses.”
Thus a new era dawns upon the Bombers. Will a club, who have so impatiently thrived for success, reclaim glory at the top of the pack? In order to achieve this, small and cautious steps must be taken.
Starting with the board elections, commencing Monday November 23, 2015.
Shaw
Roar Rookie
Good on you Gecko, of course the frequency of posts on the roar from an individual you've developed a fetish for monitoring constitutes a comfortable satisfaction of guilt. You must be gutted to have missed the Spanish inquisition, maybe you Andy, and Wig could get together and burn a few witches... Just make sure they weigh the same as a duck.
andyl12
Guest
"yet the media would have you beleive James Hird injected the players himself." No they wouldn't. What they're saying is that as senior coach James Hird was responsible for what happened to his players. Whether Hird injected them himself or whether he made sure some quacks did it for him shouldn't be important. What is important is that he championed every injection that took place.
Macca
Guest
Ahh the truth - that would be the thing that ever since the saga started poor old Jimmy the Martyr Saint has promised that once the bombers were finally able to reveal it they would be shown to be vindicated and yet here we are all this time later and where is this truth? So far all we have is; The bombers pleading guilty to poor governance and bringing the game into disrepute. The bombers pleading guilty to occupational health and safety breaches. The bombers refusing to provide an ex-player with a list of what he was injected with. A finding that Dank brought illegal substances, they were taken into the EFC but due to a complete lack of records (records Martyr Saint James swore existed) the tribunal could not say with enough certainty that the players were actually injected with the illegal substance - this point is currently under appeal. I am not sure the bombers club, St James or bombers supporters are even aware what the word truth means let alone be in a position they can claim the moral high ground on the subject.
Redb
Roar Guru
"They are much closer to the truth than the Hird disciples are." lol Well you proved one thing - the 'truth' media shut your mind down. Certain were obsessed with James Hird, becuase they knew it was divisive and would sell papers. The most culpable person in this whole saga is Stephen Dank by a long stretch, yet the media would have you beleive James Hird injected the players himself.
andyl12
Guest
"I bet you love Caroline Wilson, Patrick Smith & Damian Barrett – they are truth right?" They are much closer to the truth than the Hird disciples are. "It is not the coaches job to record what supplements are given to the players." It is the coach's job to make sure that anyone to which he chooses to delegate authority behaves ethically. Unless you're saying that the club forced him to delegate authority- in this case he should've resigned immediately as nobody should accept a senior coaching role in which they lack basic authority over the players. Either way, James Hird is as guilty as anyone. To all but his warped disciples that is.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Redb, you're missing the point. Hird ignored the professional expertise of a highly experienced club doctor who felt so upset about his misgivings and his judgement being ignored, that he put his concerns in writing to a friend. Hird continued to ignore him. You say he was "sucked in" and dismiss this pretty lightly. It was extreme negligence. Hird was warned. Any decent human being with sound judgement would have at a minimum sought to gain a second opinion, from an independent expert. By the way, no other AFL club has been accused of a drug program using injections. You must be good at building sand castles out there at Essendon.
Redb
Roar Guru
In fairness Gecko, I dont remember you, but you obviously remember me. #touching
Redb
Roar Guru
Thanks Andy12, you've answered mine lol It is not the coaches job to record what supplements are given to the players. The club has acknowledged its governance failures - this is well documented. I bet you love Caroline Wilson, Patrick Smith & Damian Barrett - they are truth right? lol
andyl12
Guest
Redb, really I shouldn't be answering your questions since you can't answer mine. But I will anyway because I have nothing to hide unlike the Hird disciples. I don't believe what Mark Robinson or Tracey Holmes and people of their type have written. They have a clear pro-Hird agenda and will say anything to try and shift the blame to someone else. The former basically said that the whole thing was Andrew Demetriou's fault- do you believe that is the 100% truth? The vast majority of Essendon players might say publicly that they support Hird, but every player says that about their coaches, present and past. Privately I don't see how they could support Hird if they actually care about their health. Now time for you to answer my question. If you want to retain any credibility that is.
Redb
Roar Guru
andy12, Answer this question first, do you have an open mind or has the media shut it for you? Have you beleived everything the media has reported as the 100% truth? Do you know Mick Malthouse admitted in early 2013 he does not know what supplements the players are given. The vast majority of Essendon players supported James Hird, that is all that needs to be said. Their opinion is vastly more important than yours.
andyl12
Guest
Redb, answer one question for me. Does Hird know what every player did and didn't take?
Redb
Roar Guru
Good to see Tippa given a rookie shot at Essendon. These Tiwi Island footballers have incredible skills.
Redb
Roar Guru
You can spin it anyway you like.
Redb
Roar Guru
Mister Football, The bottom line is that the AFL had suspicions at many clubs as to the growing influence of sport scientists. When the Labour Fed Govt tried make this a political issue with the presser that became known as the “Blackest day in sport” - the AFL went into PR overdrive and needed a scapegoat. Common sense tells you Essendon did not self report. Of course Demetriou pressurised David Evans into self reporting due to the Aust Crime Commission report which interviewed Dank. Dank’s business interests included the supply of peptides. This is an abvious conflict of interest for a sports scientist to be actively working with athletes whilst supplying potentially WADA banned peptides . This does not excuse Essendon for employing Dank only on the advice of Dean Robinson and then not adequately monitoring him. However, the context is that most AFL clubs had poor governance in this area which when coupled with the desire of most AFL clubs to push boundaries to find an edge created a dangerous situation for a murky character like Dank to operate. The on and off again nature of the WADA banned list is problematic (AOD 9064 for example) and poor education of ASADA makes its difficult for athletes and officials to be on top of. It’s been a huge wake up call for all clubs. I don’t have all the facts, but I have a strong sense that some of these peptides never made it to Essendon. Remember Dank had a peptide supply business and blew the Essendon supplements budget in 2 months. Dank was terminated shortly after. It leaves lots of possibilities
andyl12
Guest
"Hird wrote an email to Dank & Robinson stating no supplements given are to be prohibited under WADA and they must be safe for the players." That email may as well have said "if you give them anything illegal or unsafe, I'll pretend I don't know about it." If Hird was fair dinkum he would've sought written evidence of what was injected. Clearly he didn't have any sons that were part of the playing group.
Redb
Roar Guru
The club has admitted to its governance failures and been penalised. The interaction between Reid and Hird has many sides. Yes in hindsight it was poor judgement by Hird to ignore Reid’s concerns dismissing him as “old hat”. Dank was clever in how he pitched his ‘modern’ techniques and managed to suck in at least 2 other AFL clubs and 2 NRL clubs. Hird is guilty of being sucked in by Dank I believe because Essendon’s soft tissue injury problem had become chronic. Go back to 2011 and check the injury list. However, the message did eventually sink in as Hird wrote an email to Dank & Robinson stating no supplements given are to be prohibited under WADA and they must be safe for the players. This evidence was given to ASADA. James Hird was never issued with an infraction notice by ASADA, in fact there was not even a hint that Hird as an officer of the club would be charged, ASADA said” Hird fully co-operated” The fact is the club have Dank too much latitude but make no mistake it wasn’t James Hird giving supplements to players at 3 AFL and 2 NRL clubs.
TomC
Roar Guru
I don't agree with that characterisation at all, frankly. 'A little too much latitude' is a euphemism covering a lot of ills, in this case. And, as I said, the system just isn't built for what you're suggesting. There's a broader argument between harm minimisation vs deterrence for drugs in sport, but the system we've got is heavily based around deterrence. If Reid had alerted the AFL as you say, and if we had a different system, then yes, a lot of the angst could have been avoided. On that much we agree.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Tom At this stage, all we know is that the bombers allowed Dank a little bit too much latitude, and that has resulted in three years of constant speculation (with absolutely nothing proven to date). If Dr Reid contacted Harcourt early in the piece about suspect substances (as it happens, the substance he was worried about was not prohibited), what would be an appropriate risk management response? Wait till something really serious happens? I am suggesting that a very simple question of the dons' hierarchy early in the piece may have saved three years of pain.
TomC
Roar Guru
I know Harcourt said the AFL were already quietly investigating two Essendon players, but I hadn't heard that was because of contact by Reid. I'm not convinced that's been established, but I'll stand to be corrected. That doesn't gel with your comment about it being 'totally ignored' of course, but then it has never been formally confirmed AFAIK that the AFL were doing anything. There's a lot of murkiness, and I think definite statements are a touch misleading. I'm also very much unconvinced that a quiet word to Essendon to behave themselves would have been appropriate. There wouldn't be much incentive for clubs not to cross the line if they knew they'd get advance warning of any investigation and subsequent penalties. The drugs code is built off a strong system of deterrence; you might not agree with it, but letting clubs know you suspect they're up to something dodgy obviously undermines that system.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Apologies, it was not a letter: On the first day of 2012 pre-season training, Dr Reid discovered Robinson had given a number of players a substance which he hadn’t approved. He immediately phoned the AFL’s medical director, Dr Peter Harcourt, and reported the incident. Dr Harcourt obviously didn’t think it was a problem because he apparently didn’t report it to anyone; (I could only find this quote on the EFC board on BF - but can't find anything more on it) Now the interesting aspect about this is that even though the AFL charged Dr Reid (early on when the club was charged for governance shortfalls), the AFL ended up not pursuing Dr Reid. Anyway, the AFL appears to have had early knowledge of what was happening at EFC and I just find it odd that they wouldn't have immediately acted to protect the game from what we have witnessed the last three years, to at least ask some pertinent question very early in the piece - also noting the AFL's overall interest in player welfare.