looking forward to the Footscray game now for a change.
the banner before the game should read "thanks mate"
WHat was that about?
Helping fill a page.
That is just so ridiculous! The age is really desperate, scrapping the bottom of the barrel now with it's attempt to kill off James Hird.
What about the comparison with the sacked holden workers! .... Now the Hird's should feel embarrassed or ashamed because those workers are getting screwed by the company and the govt. Obviously those 'opinion' writers at the age get paid a truckload more than the holden workers- and I'm sure they are all going to make huge donations to their fund. How much DO the age writers get paid to write mischievous, vindictive biased crap?
Also, mr tate..... It's not only men who work for holden - they employ women too.
I don’t seem to recall this much angst when Mark Neeld was paid out his contract for effectively doing nothing.
This happens all the time. It’s called fulfilling a contract.
The most divisive year since 1996
December 15, 2013
Jake Niall
Senior sports writer for The Age
Illustration: Matt Golding
The year of 2013 is the worst season that the AFL has endured in terms of image and board-room brawling since 1996, when Fitzroy’s body was packed off to Brisbane, against the dying club’s wishes, and the Hawthorn members rightly rose up against a mindless merger with Melbourne that the AFL had tried to engineer.
This year began, you may recall, with the Melbourne tanking fiasco, when the Dees were found guilty of something that smelt like, looked like and barked like tanking, but had another name. Or it had no name at all. The dismal state of the Demons was a major minus - how can an established club become this weak? - while the poor Saints endured a rape charge, a positive drug test and the highly innovative burning of a dwarf. Then they pulled up stumps on their coach Scott Watters on the eve of the cricket season.
But all of these embarrassments to clubs and code were put in the shade - and given cover - by what is increasingly referred to as the ‘‘Essendon saga’’, since the word ‘‘scandal’’ can no longer suffice for a stinking mess that started in February, a few days after Novak Djokovic routed Andy Murray in the final at Melbourne Park.
Tennis, indeed, is a fair metaphor for what has been happening lately, as the saga winds on towards the new year. Initially, Essendon and the AFL were working together, however uneasily, when the club announced that it had self-reported to ASADA and would be subject to an investigation of its ‘‘supplements’’ program.
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Over time, divisions opened up. It was clear that the AFL and Essendon shared an objective that the players be let off, or treated leniently, since they knew not what they took. They’d been ‘‘Danked’’. Andrew Demetriou worked to facilitate a crafted outcome, hand in glove with his friend David Evans, the Essendon chairman.
We don’t have space to cover the intricacies of all the intrigues, but from late April it was evident that James Hird (below) was on the other side of the net to Andrew Demetriou and the AFL. Hird resisted the notion that he should be held to account for a rogue program. When an exhausted and conflicted Evans quit as chairman, the club hurtled in the Hird direction and prepared for a scrap with city hall.
Today, the game is afflicted with the worst divisions since the year of attempted mergers 17 years ago. Demetriou is under bombardment by Team Hird - James being unable to fire the shots himself, having signed a no-disparagement clause in his settlement with the AFL. The AFL boss has whacked back on radio and, in his frustration, scored some own goals by maintaining that Essendon could not pay Hird for season 2014.
Then on Friday, when all parties looked for a way out of a Mexican stand-off, the AFL rolled in with another deal on wheels. This compromise saw Hird paid a million dollars up front, a commercial victory for the exiled coach and his supporters and a major embarrassment to Demetriou and the league. Some saw this as a win for Essendon, which is interesting, given that the club is paying a million in advance - when it has just paid a $2 million fine - to someone who isn’t working next year.
The divisiveness of this issue is reflected in several ways. The bleeding obvious is between Hird and the AFL. If Team Hird’s intent is to force the removal of the AFL chief executive, then it should take into account not only Demetriou, but the commission and the other 17 clubs, which are tired of this soap opera and want it to end forthwith. The situation has undoubtedly dented Demetriou. But it has hardly helped Essendon, which - I am told - really does want to move on and win games and, provided there are no ASADA/WADA nasties ahead (depends on who you ask), will have a pretty good playing list in 2014.
The issue has divided fans and threatens to open up serious rifts between the AFL and its followers and those involved in other sports.
As one who has been the recipient of endless emails, the commentary/abuse tends to split on these lines. The most aggressive are the Hird Truthers, who think the club and coach are the innocent victim of a conspiracy from head office and want nothing less than Demetriou’s head. Then, there’s a more conciliatory Essendon fan, who regrets a rogue program, read the Switkowski report summary, is embarrassed by the club’s position and accepts punishments, but also wants questions answered about what is seen as a compromised investigation.
Supporters of every other club vary, but it’s fair to say that most want Hird and Essendon hung and point to the administering of banned substances. Finally, there’s people outside football - supporters or participants in other sports - who believe that AFL players have been let off the hook. Those from Olympic sports tend to be most annoyed that players haven’t been suspended.
The influential sections of the NRL media in Sydney is another school of thought. They might unite with the Hird Truthers against the AFL and on the notion that the ASADA joint investigation was compromised, the difference being that they consider Essendon - read its players - to have benefited from this arrangement, while Cronulla players might be headed for the ASADA sin bin. Herein lies the great irony of the conflict - that Demetriou’s game plan was to work in the interests of Essendon players, but the corollary was that Essendon officials - Hird included - were consequently more accountable for their actions or inactions.
Hird v the AFL, club v clubs and even code v code. It has been an ugly episode. In terms of accountability, it would be helpful if there was less confusion between a) what happened at Windy Hill - who was given what substance by whom, at whose direction and with whose knowledge and consent; and b ) the nature and conduct of an investigation.
Essendon and its officials are clearly in the dock for the first part - the initial ‘‘crime’’. The AFL and ASADA, obviously, carry responsibility for the second part - how the investigation was handled.
All things must pass, as George Harrison said, and eventually even this appalling blight on the game will. But it will not end until some people put down their racquets and stop whacking.
If Hawthorn can forgive the board that tried to merge it and the AFL administration that drove the Melbourne Hawks (albeit Ross Oakley left later that year), then it shouldn’t be too hard for Essendon people to allow 2013’s war of the supplements to fade into legend. For everyone else, besides Hawks fans, 2013 is a year best forgotten.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-most-divisive-year-since-1996-20131214-2ze9o.html
It’s just a belly laugh and shake of the head.
The good news out of this is we got BEST. THREAD. TITLE. EVER.
Monty Burns - "I SAY WHEN ITS CHRISTMAS"
I do note that Andrew Tate is the Sunday Age Sports Editor BUT WHO THE HELL IS HE?
What a pitiful human being, writing drivel in a haze of Christmas cheer. Andrew, why don't you pick up your crayons and move in with that other ex-Essendon member, Fatprick Smith. Perhaps he can even persuade you to become a Richscum member and you can cuddle up to Caro and listen to her stories about past glories and her love child, Mathew Knights. I doubt somehow she will tell you anything about how her father ruined her club
Andrew, with ever decreasing subscriptions and sales it appears that you too may be joining the queues at Centrelink with our unfortunate auto workers.
WE ARE ESSENDON and we don't need scumbags like you at our club. ■■■■ off and don't come back.
Happy for the Commission and other 17 clubs to be investigated, go for it Jake, do an investigative journalist’s job. Can’t understand what he’s getting at comparing us to the forgiving Hawthorn fans. Our membership growth at this stage doesn’t seem to suggest Essendon members are dissatisfied. Perhaps we will feel even better if Demetriou does a Ross Oakley.
I would be very surprised if there was anything in the deed that Hird signed that prohited him attending a Xmas function. You would think that the clowns at AFL would be happy to keep quiet after the payment fiasco.
Does Vlad actually think that no player will talk to Hird in 2014.
Just as well Hirdy isn’t going to the EFC Christmas party, our favorite newspaper would have some headline about a female staffer being propositioned.
What about freedom of association? If the AFL were a country who would they be? North Korea or Stalinist Russia?
Wish I didn’t have to attend my Christmas party, and get the big pay day. Put the feet up Hirdy, play some PS4 and have a couple of cold ones.
Anyone remember the old “Up yours Oakley” bumper stickers on every second car in Melbourne? Just sayin’ …
Seriously, what would they do if he did turn up? Fine him 1 mil, ban him from coaching for ever?
We really need to #standbyhird more than ever because I fear this character assassination is going to continue 'til fck knows when-in an attempt to force him out of the game. We have got to make our voices louder than theirs.
'then it shouldn't be too hard for Essendon people to allow 2013's war of the supplements to fade into legend. For everyone else, besides Hawks fans, 2013 is a year best forgotten.'
Of course, Jake, Essendon supporters should allow it 'to fade into legend', you and your paper should also allow it 'to fade into legend', but, I am guessing, that you are are a 'do as I say and not as I do' type of guy, else wise, you would be writing about other things happening in the sports world.
I heard football manager Stephanie Hird is invited to the Christmas Party. James is going as her +1. AFL can‘t complain about that.
Would love to see Little come out and say " there was nothing in the agreement to say Hird couldn’t attend the Christmas party, sorry Vlad but he’s going"
Then Burnside starts tweeting… Do the AFL really want to go to court over this ?