The invitation extended by the AFL to James Hird, and Hird’s acceptance, to present the Norm Smith Medal at this year’s 2017 AFL grand final could be one of the worst public relation exercises in living memory.
The AFL, by inviting Hird to present the medal, has dug a large hole for itself and must be desperately hoping that it won’t fall into it.
As head coach of the Essendon football club during the time of the banned ‘2012 supplements program’, Hird was suspended for the entire 2014 season. Furthermore, 34 current and former Essendon players were suspended for the 2016 season, and the club was club fined $2 million, disallowed draft picks and barred from the 2013 finals series “for bringing the game into disrepute”.
The saga culminated in Jobe Watson handing back his 2012 Brownlow Medal.
Justifying the invitation by citing some recently discovered method of selection, the AFL will be flat out attempting to explain away to the worldwide viewing audience if the reception from the MCG crowd is something less than friendly.
James Hird was a great footballer, playing 253 games for Essendon including the 1993 and 2000 grand final victories, and won the Norm Smith medal in 2000. However, it is hard to believe that there won’t be vocal discontent from a significant portion of the crowd, many of whom may well be disillusioned Essendon supporters.
It may well be a far stretched scenario but with both Port Adelaide and Essendon in the final eight, it is possible that one or both teams could play in the grand final. Indeed, they could possibly play against each other.
With that being a possibility, and if (say) Port Adelaide’s Paddie Ryder or Essendon’s Jobe Watson or any other of the Essendon players that were suspended for the 2016 season were to win the Norm Smith Medal, what an embarrassing moment it would be for the AFL if any of those players chose not to accept the medal from Hird.
CBA
Guest
Seriously, you think the guy has killed someone with the complete over the top reaction to him. It's amazing how the general public can be brainwashed by the media. Christ, even Carey and Matthews have been given more respect than Hird, and their misdemeanors have been proven without any doubt.
tricky
Guest
Fair call, but could easily have been avoided if the invitation had been delayed......by about 10 years! I wonder when Gary Ablett Snr. may be forgiven and elevated to a "Legend of the game". He's obviously not James Hird!!
tricky
Guest
Perfectly stated... if only a number of earlier respondents had any such semblance of reality and sense.
tricky
Guest
What about the players involved? They have all suffered far more than Hird!! And the club? If Hird didn't know what was going on.... well what's that say about the head coach?
Leonard
Guest
It is Hird the 2000 Norm Smith awardee who doing this handover (and the Hird who is the No 3 in the "Champions of Essendon" list for his sterling on-field career), not the Hird who, in effect temporarily trashed his club's reputation, his own permanently, and brought our 'game of our own' into national and international disrepute. I'm 50/50 on this appointment, but I'm tending to be in the 'No' camp because it looks as if the AFL's top suits have tin ears and blinkered eyes. (Which, for them, is not unusual - just look at how they bar the fans of competing clubs from their Grand Final.) About the actual award: shouldn't it go to the MVP in the winning team (FFS!)? Wasn't the great Norm Smith a winner-take-all kind of player and coach, and one of the 'winningest' of all time in the League? Can't imagine he'd be happy with his eponymous medal being handed out to losers. Even more so in 2005, when the Swans GF MVP should have been able to treasure it as he who'd done the extra bit to end that 72 season Finals drought. (Instead media darling Judd got it, who later jumped ship from the Eagles: when the off-field going got really tough - he got going really quick, hawking himself round to the big clubs, too.)
Horrie
Guest
Hmmn. So Lance Armstrong is to present the winner of the next Tour de France. Bewdy! At least Armstrong doped up himself and was not coach of his team. I feel particularly sorry for 'Hamlet' Watson who tragically was embroiled by his dad's role in bringing in the Hird as coach. I feel no forgiveness for the completely remorseless entitled The Hird.
Wayne
Roar Guru
He's done his time, he has been punished. Move on!
Brayden Rise
Roar Pro
Surely by the time the Norm Smith medal is presented the losing supporters have largely left the G and the winners are way too happy to bother with booing. I kind of agree it is pointlessly early to do this but really hope it is a non event and just happens without any booing or carry on.
Tricky
Guest
This decision will be the dent in one greatest seasons in decades for HQ (apart from the Collingwood basket case), I know it is tradition and it is Hird's turn but in this case it should be allocated to the next winner (2001). Sounds like HQ are hoping in desperation that the majority of the crowd will be "behaved", given the circumstances I'd say that's going out on a limb
Paul D
Roar Guru
Hird is presenting because of something he did back in 2000, and it is in keeping with recent tradition that he present this year. I know full well the background to this - read previous posts on this topic, I have consistently defended Hird's right to attend. It is now 2017, he is not currently serving any further punishment for his crimes. In my view forgiveness started the moment he finished his sentence, and this is in keeping with that. Setting arbitrary social justice timeframes till it feels right to be "offering the peace pipe" would have been a ludicrous stance for the AFL to take in not inviting him, and they have rightly asked him to the podium on grand final day. It's as simple as that, he's presenting, get on with your life. Why you are so annoyed about a man you've never met handing over another medal to a man you've never met is beyond me.
Richard H
Guest
Surely you would agree that only 12 months after all the suffering to all the players involved, is a little bit early to be offering the peace pipe. You may well ask "well how long?". I would reply, "I'm not really sure, but as sure as hell it's more than 12 months". It's all about the symbolic interpretation of the event. As perfectly stated earlier, it is like inviting the head coach of the Russian Aths team to present a gold medal at the Olympics. And just like the Russian example, yes, it was a systematic program put in place at Essendon. If it was good enough for the Essendon doctor to ring alarm bells, was James Hird, absent that day? The invitation could easily have been delayed. I doubt that you and most others even knew that there was an order of invitation to present. It's easy to claim knowledge with hind sight.
TC123
Guest
anyone would think he's a convicted pedophile. Let it go
Conor
Roar Guru
Yes, he deserves to award the Norm Smith Medal. Why? Because it's his turn. No other previous Norm Smith Medallist has been denied the right to award the Norm Smith Medal, therefore Hird should, regardless of his previous history in the Essendon drugs saga.
Don Freo
Guest
Forgiveness and calling someone back into the fold is one of humanity's greatest qualities. It is a wonderful public relations exercise. The Hanging Judges, like Rick Drewer, would benefit from the essential Australian values it represents. A central Aussie value is to give someone a hand up, not to kick them while they are down.
GJ
Guest
+1
anon
Roar Pro
In poor taste. Just my opinion. Like Lance Armstrong on the rostrum handing out a medal or trophy for a cycling event.
Richard H
Guest
Spot on. Many things in life are of a symbolic nature and no one deserves to be punished forever, including Hird BUT 12 months later.....too soon. The saga has had far reaching consequences, players not being able to play or coach, Watson handing back a Brownlow, it goes on. Gentlemen think about Watson's comments: (words to the effect of) It is/was a bit like a partnership break-up and then getting back together, its never quite the same".
Robbie148
Guest
He was charged, he was found guilty (by the High Court of Switzerland, what's it got to do with them?) he was suspended, he served his suspension and its over. Move on
Mattyb
Guest
AD,there's multiple statements within this article that are straight up lies. It's almost tempting to email the site for an explanation as to how it got published. On the other hand there's some slippery and slimy people out there and this article is a good advertisement of that. This is one of the worst articles I've ever read,but then I read his tennis article,wowee.
Paul D
Roar Guru
WADA handed down the penalties, not the AFL. The AFL used all sorts of political and off-field arguments to try and get Essendon off the hook. And true re:Hird but has nothing to do with him handing over a medal, unless what you're really saying is that he should continue to be punished in perpetuity. I disagree.