GWS slapped with punishment after Whitfield saga

Late to the conversation but I think the penalty is a lot greater then is being made out. it depends on how the 1000 points are allocated. if for example GWS have pick 17 next year (1025 points) less 1000 gives you pick 71. I am sure it will be more complicated than this, but to me it looks like there first pick won't be in the first round next year. Yeah the $100K is barely a slap on the wrist.

Cat, Just on the SMS, these are normally a series of communications, the context, what was said before and after helps to interpret the mood and flow of the conversation, thereby helping with the interpretation of the discussion. Connect is always extremely important! Do you have any of these details, I remember reading the text now but not sure of the supporting information around it!

cat, We know that Reid was bypassed, we also know that the coaching staff, Hird and Thompson etc, had given clear instructions on what had to happen, ASAD approved, agreed to by the players and by Reid. My point is that the responsibility , and there is significant fault lies not with Hird who was on a different line of responsibility but with the two people who had responsibility to implement and monitor the program - that is Robson as CEO and Hamiltion as manager of football operations! Neither seem to get mentioned in the media, and both hold significant jobs within the Victorian sports Industry! How does that happen, while Hird is scapegoated? This was my original point why has Cameron ( he should not be) not been treated the same wary?

It is a text message, not an email. I reproduced the entire text. At one point Reid stopped everything, Hird wanted Corcoron to use his 'United Nation's skills' to convince Reid to let the program resume. Either Corcoran convinced Reid everything was okay or Reid got bypassed because we know the program did not stay stopped at that point.

Cat, The email that you quote supports entirely my point. Firstly no stress... other words that it is not a major problem, secondly he then insists on a meeting to work through the problem - using the criteria he applied. At this point Reid can explain the issue of why he is not approving. There is no mention of bypassing his instructions. The media have interpreted this email to mean that they were to pressure Reid to approve something that was illegal. There is no evidence in the text to support this! Interesting though that only part of the email is quoted! What is the context of the quote?

Try again Paul. Hird in text messages to Corcoran expressed his frustration at Reid's intervention. On January 30, Hird text: “No stress but need to organise a meeting with you me Reidy, Danksy and Weapon the day you get back. Reidy has stopped everything which is getting a little frustrating. Need to get your United Nations skills back into action.”

Actually you will find that Hird did not say that! Hird Is on the record (84 emails, texts etc )as saying needed to be approved by the players, asada and wada compliant and approved by Reid.

Probably because - unlike James Hird - the coach of GWS isnt on the record reporting that "Reidy has stopped everything which is getting a little frustrating".

So basically the AFL take back a paltry 100k of the millions that they had already given GWS and the draft sanction is equivelent to them shedding a few players who cant get a game for 1st round or high second round picks...so where is the punishment??

This sad little project will do anything to try and get noticed in Western Sydney, except for when they're trying to sweep things under their carpet. Move them to Canberra permanently, they're not wanted.

The big difference was that he was hounded by the media, camped outside his home for over a year! Have not seen anywhere where Cameron has been questioned in regards to his accountability for the missed test! Why not? Especially from certain writers in the Age and The Australian, demanding that he resign as the coach 'is responsible for all actions within a club. Hird was sanctioned by the AFL ( year ban plus fines). The double standards are extraordinary. I should point out that I am not a Essendon supporter( or AFL) but come from a Rugby coaching background.

What many don't understand is that in the end, this was just another disrepute charge. When a club sits before the AFL Commission to answer a disrepute charge, it's a case of the AFL wanting to clobber the club over the head as a public relations exercise, and the club accepting how severe that clobbering should be. No clobbering occurs until the severity is negotiated.

So the AFL guys got a greater punishment for dodging illicit drugs than Cronulla who out of the finals got a wet lettuce for proven use of performance enhancing drugs.

Like the NRL fining Fifita for overtly supporting a one punch killer on the same day

Clubs are entitled to mount a defence otherwise they would be in the courts in a flash

Well, I'd agree with you but let's face it, the coach was never sanctioned by the AFL or anyone else for his part in the Essendon saga. He trashed his career, yes, but he did that all on his own.

A very interesting decision! Why is there no reference to governance? You have two club officials attempting to protect a player from a possible ( why worry if they believe there is no problem?) positive drug test! Where are the procedures within the club to ensure this avoidance policy is picked up and rectified. Secondly why has the club coach escaped scrutiny, as he has total responsibility (architect of the scheme?) for all happenings within the club as pointed out by the media in the Essendon saga! If one player was protected this way, how many others were protected?- surely a joint investigation is required!

Dodging drug tests is reminiscent of the worst of what happens in pro cycling. It's a terrible look for the AFL. In their defence, it seems as though he may have been dodging a test for illicit rather than performance-enhancing drug abuse, but if you can and have shown a willingness to dodge one, you can dodge the other.

Does issuing a fine to a club mean anything when the club is basically guaranteed financial stability?

AFL slipping it under the carpet, 3 days before xmas when no one is paying much attention. Aren't the AFL paying their bills anyway?