Jobe Watson has made the decision to return to the AFL his Brownlow Medal, won in the 2012 season, a year in which he and 33 other Essendon players were later found guilty of having taken prohibited substances.
And I say – good decision Jobe. Smart decision. It was the only way to go, really.
From the moment that Essendon’s attempt to repeal their guilty verdict failed, there were only two ways this could have ended: Watson peacefully returning the Brownlow Medal, or the AFL forcefully ripping it out of his hands, kicking and screaming.
It’s not an easy thing to win the league’s highest honour and then give it up. I’d suspect though that a part of Watson has known for at least a little while now that he would have to do it someday.
It’s simply the right thing to do. Whether or not Watson believes that he was complicit in what went on at Essendon in 2012, there’s no getting around the fact that, intentionally or not, he had an unfair advantage and should not have been eligible to win the Brownlow in that year.
This way, he can know in his conscience that he did the right thing in giving the medal up. Everybody loves to be praised, but nobody to should love to be praised undeservingly.
And maybe, just maybe, he can hope that those anti-Essendon opposition fans who have derided him constantly for the better part of four years will see this act and finally let it go. Some will, some won’t, and the ones who won’t are not worth wasting your time on, Jobe.
“Last month the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland dismissed the appeal mounted by lawyers representing my teammates and I,” Watson said in a statement released by TLA Worldwide.
“This may represent finality of this matter from a legal perspective, however the reality is that for the players and our families it is something that we will continue to carry with us.
“The negative impact it has had should not define who we are, however I believe it has undoubtedly changed us in various ways.
“It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to hand back my 2012 Brownlow Medal.
“It is now up to the AFL Commission at their meeting on Tuesday to make a decision as to what they want to do with it.”
In a larger way, this does bring the Essendon saga more or less full circle – the question of what to do with Jobe’s Brownlow was really the last piece of the puzzle, and now that it is sorted, perhaps we can finally put this whole sordid affair behind us.
Of course, there is the small matter of what to do with the Brownlow now. Should it go unawarded for season 2012, or should it be handed to the runners-up – in this case Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin?
No current player in the league without a Brownlow Medal is more deserving of one than Sam Mitchell. He has the most career Brownlow votes of any player to have not actually won the thing, and has had 26 or more votes on three occasions.
If we’re asking ourselves the question ‘does Sam Mitchell deserve to be a Brownlow Medallist’, the answer is a resounding, undeniable yes.
Trent Cotchin, with all due respect, is not on that level. But, his form in 2012 was exceptional, and deserving enough of a Brownlow – even if none of his years since have been particularly close.
Don Freo
Guest
There's no sound argument...only manic accusation. Such argument was unsubstantiated in a handful of courts. They had nothing. He won the Brownlow because he is a good player.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Don, there's an argument to say it enhanced Watson's performance. He was awarded 17 Brownlow votes in the first 9 rounds, before he allegedly ceased participating in the program.
Penster
Roar Guru
Yeah nah, I get what you're saying Liam but he was the captain, Essendon royalty, he knew the deal with what the ASADA testers were on about. 7 days on the form is moot, a technicality, and they intentionally lied and omitted. I notice you're applying court burdens of proof to an arbitration system that the clubs and AFL are signatories to. Unfortunately the players deliberately withheld the facts from the doctors of the club which is very damning, and also ASADA. I read Chip's article and it cherry picks some statements, and he took a definitive position on this matter early on in the piece so it's not unbiased.
Don Freo
Guest
That belief has something to do with the fact that Armstrong types use...well...DOPE. A vitamin shake applied with on Essendon players with an epipen would have had the effect of a placebo. After all, it didn't enhance their performance. They came 7th! Aussies are that clean, our cultural cringe is crying out for a scandal...so that's what they turned this into. Guess what? It worked. We now perform on the WADA stage. Australia has arrived.
northerner
Guest
Within 7 days, within 7 days. Most of the players were on some form of supplement on a weekly basis or more often than that. Not necessarily injections, but supplements. So why, no mention at all of all those other supplements? I don't think anyone has claimed Watson lied 30 times, so back off on the hysteria. What people are saying is that there are 30 drug forms with no mention of any supplements at all, when all the players have admittted to getting some form of supplement. They might deny it was TB4, but they never did declare whatever it was they took. Why not? The farce here is Australians thinking that international doping rules to which the codes have signed up aren't going to apply because, geez, we're Australians and doping codes are for East Germans and Russians and Lance Armstrong. Well, guess what?
Ironmonger
Guest
Jobe was rubbed out for 12 months...if he had any integrity he would have handed the Brownlow back years ago...
Don Freo
Guest
Emotive parroting, Shane. That comnent is a cut and paste from the last 4 years. Not close to the ideas of the article. Have a read.
Shane
Guest
Panadol is a drug. TB4 is a peptide used to cheat.
Shane
Guest
Sure he lied. Ommission of truth is a lie.
Shane
Guest
Rubbish, Don. Anyone who jabs themselves full of stuff they don't inform themselves about, hides the jabs, and then blames everyone else for their own failure, has zero integrity. You have drunk the AFL and Tim Watson media kool aid. I would be surprised if a majority respect that sort of behaviour, but if true, it would reflect a poor Australian culture. Cheating should not be the Aussie way.
Liam D
Guest
Well how about we ask ASADA who fell within the time frame, - i bet they cant and wont answer, they don't know- the whole thing is guess work. Is this how a court should work ?. This thread is about Watson, quite clearly he did not cheat and did not lie. CAS lied here, it is as plain as the nose on your face. 13 players who were never tested over the course of the year were suspended, they definitely did not lie, they couldn't they were not even given the chance. CAS is of course assuming the injections if they actually received them were TB4, but yet they cant find enough to inject the whole team - doesn't matter. Cant put TB4 onsite - doesn't matter No positive tests- doesn't matter No whistleblowers- doesn't matter No players dobbing- doesn't matter No friends or family dobbing - doesn't matter etc etc
northerner
Guest
I've read the form, and it says seven days. The players themselves admittted to getting supplements of one sort or another on a weekly basis, if not more often. So how come not one of those players reported what he was taking?
Liam D
Guest
https://wada-main-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/wada_doping_control_form_v6.pdf 9. Final paperwork The athlete will be asked to provide information on prescription and non-prescription medications, vitamins, herbal products, food supplements, and any other substances they have used within the last seven (7) days. These are recorded on the Doping Control Test Form. Athletes must declare any substance used in the last seven days including any substances for which they have a current and valid Therapeutic Use Exemption. Not declaring use may affect results management and have adverse consequences for the athlete. https://www.asada.gov.au/anti-doping-programmes/testing/testing-guide
TomC
Roar Guru
Yes. That's exactly what I want. Or maybe something in the massive expanse between that and this. At the very least, he didn't need to use this statement to have a go at the AFL commission. It was classless.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Seriously mate I copied and pasted it above somewhere. The form asks for what drugs they have used in the last 7 days, blood transfusions in the last 3 months, - nothing else
Cat
Roar Guru
I've heard EFC supporters parroting this 7 day thing, yet not a single one of you lot has ever been able to produce anything that backs that up. Got a blank doping control form to show us where it shows 7 days?
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
No they were not - read chips article - the form states you must list all drugs ect within 7 days, within 7 days, within 7 days, within 7 days. 13 players were never drug tested that year, so what form were they meant to fill out, how did they lie ? ASADA claims that there is no records so how did they match up the time frames within 7 days - they didn't and couldn't. Not withstanding the point that they couldn't even prove TB4 on site let alone injected. The time frames in chips article prove that Watson did not lie, yet we have posters hysterically claiming he lied 30 times. CAS was a farce and increasingly a scripted unjust scalping. Let's have it in a real court where real evidence is needed
northerner
Guest
There are several forms of thymosin, but only one aids with fast tissue recovery, which was the whole point of Dank's scheme, and that version is banned. And, as I have repeatedly stated, the players were getting one form or another of drugs and supplements on a weekly basis at the minimum. Some said they got them more often. So if they left their forms blank, they were in fact lying.
northerner
Guest
Well, I'd frankly rather have WADA making the rules than the Russian sporting federations or the the NFL player's association or Stephen Dank or James Hird or Lance Armstrong.
northerner
Guest
How is it possible for players who were getting supplements on a weekly basis or more often, not to be within the 7 day window when filling out their forms?