Performance-enhancing drugs in the AFL

[ossie85]

I'm happy to see everyone getting along guys, well done. No need for any warnings here....

Nawwww... I thought I was relatively reasonable and had some valuable info in there about how the Armstrong thing was a different league and the media aren't reliable...  ;D

I'll behave. Sorry ossie...

Yeah, you were reasonable I think. I needed you for the narrative lol

[The_Captain]

Noto, you are the best BFF I'm yet to acquire on here.

Not sure if srs or....haha. Now that i see the mods can write comments for us i can't believe anyone haha  ::)  :P

[kilbluff1985]

if a mod has edited the comment will say down the bottom

edited by ossie85/whoever

[The_Captain]

if a mod has edited the comment will say down the bottom

edited by ossie85/whoever

No i mean like post on behalf of us lol. They clearly can because i have posts on this thread i didn;t write hhha  :P. Sly mods  ;)

[ossie85]

if a mod has edited the comment will say down the bottom

edited by ossie85/whoever

No i mean like post on behalf of us lol. They clearly can because i have posts on this thread i didn;t write hhha  :P. Sly mods  ;)

If you have a look at the posts, at the end of it it tells you if was edited by someone else :)

[Capper]

When the story about the suplements broke, the news footage showed that they were taking down a sign at windy hill that said "What ever it takes"

Just watched some footage http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/essendon-announces-an-official-review-into-governance-and-processes-of-the-afl-club/story-e6frf33l-1226586713241 and it appears that the sign has gone back up

[Cicjose]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdHyfKuRSGE

[Tominator]

cocaine more popular than ever amongst AFL players.. not a good sign

[Grazz]

Got me stumped why the AFL would be at all surprised, the system they have in place can only be described as a joke and a toothless Tiger. Pathetic drug code and they've only got themselves to blame for the blowout. The system as it stood provided no deterrent or invoked any fear from being caught. Just exemplifies the fact that idiots/idiot are running the show. The tosser will go down in history as the worst ever to be head honcho of the AFL. So much has happened under his watch that he should be giving himself uppercuts every spare minute of the day. He should be sacked immediately and the last words he should here is "Don't let the door hit you in the @rse on the way out you useless flog".

[ossie85]

Got me stumped why the AFL would be at all surprised, the system they have in place can only be described as a joke and a toothless Tiger. Pathetic drug code and they've only got themselves to blame for the blowout. The system as it stood provided no deterrent or invoked any fear from being caught. Just exemplifies the fact that idiots/idiot are running the show. The tosser will go down in history as the worst ever to be head honcho of the AFL. So much has happened under his watch that he should be giving himself uppercuts every spare minute of the day. He should be sacked immediately and the last words he should here is "Don't let the door hit you in the @rse on the way out you useless flog".

A whole bunch of things I don't like about Andy D --> rule changes, ignoring Tassie, speaking out when he should shut up, etc.

But, unfortunately, his record speaks for itself --> record crowds, record membership, TV deals, and expansion into Rugby territory (I think the Suns are a roaring success, Giants I'm less convinced of). That will be his legacy.

The current drug policy is aimed at rehabilitation, not punishment. The impact is that people will abuse this system, and may lead to worse issues for specific individuals.

If we wanted a drug policy aimed at punishment, not rehabilitation. The impact will be that lifes will be ruined for one mistake.

Pros and Cons both ways IMO

[Ringo]

Agree with Ossie here Demetriou has some good signs on his record but he has really dropped the ball on the drug issue.  Did not agree with the self reporting at all.  Also keeping clubs in the dark was a mistake as well  as the clubs should be involved in the rehabilitation process.

Drug issue however is a very difficult one to deal with.  Obviously the clubs education policies are not working as evidenced by the fact that we are now talking hard drugs which are illegal and players are breaking the law.  It is also interesting to note that although 26 breaches were detected they went to great lengths to explain it did not necessarily mean that 26 individual players were involved so the inference is there are some players who are on 2 strikes.  In my recent work place we had introduced random drug and alcohol testing and to maintain privacy if breach detected only the employees Group manager was informed.

Transferring this to the AFL situation maybe the CEO should be informed when a positive test has occurred.  Will give the club the chance to work with player on rehab etc before he gets to the current 3 strikes policy.  As anyone knows it is a lot easier to kick habits in the early stages rather than later.  This way the players are given every chance to kick the habit before the downward spiral invariably occurs.

As an aside have really not forgiven Demetriou for agreeing with Eddie Maguire to remove Brisbane's concessions. And do not agree with Ossie about the expansion into Qld as he has taken his eyes of the ball here as well. NAB cup final could have been played at Carrara or even in Cairns if he really wanted promote game here.  Taking away priority Qld zone picks for Suns and Lions is not going to help the game advance here as well.  On a positive though auskick is really thriving here.

[Tominator]

Sack Demetriou I say, going against common sense and what the fans want too much now

[Grazz]

I tend to feel the game has driven itself to the success it is as we speak. Whoever was in charge during this period would of achieved the same successes that we currently see, Demetriou just happens to be heading it up at the moment. Sure outright punishment isn't the complete answer but i seriously doubt the loophole of dobbing yourself in to avoid a strike benefits anyone nor does a three strike policy assist in aiding a illicit drug user. By the time they are caught three times they could of developed a serious problem as we've seen in the past allah Cousins. I get caught on the street i'm gone 1st time no ifs buts or maybes and i fail to see why  the fact i play footy should offer me protection from punishment of some kind. The drug policy is just a head in the sand attitude because nobody at the top is prepared to make the hard calls so they continue to just tip toe around the situation and leave it in the to hard basket, leave it for someone else to deal with so to speak. Demetriou is responsible for a lot of what we dislike about our game at the minute, like rule changes, GWS instead of Tassie we'll be propping up GWS for years Tassy would of been a success fan base wise from the get go, the handling of the drugs in sport fiasco, the tanking saga, applying pressure to Adelaide to sack Redden for a supposed racist comment when the guys completely innocent, going to court to place injunctions on reporters to stop them telling how rife drugs are in sport long before it blew up, sweeping so much stuff swept under the carpet which has the public feeling the biggest lack of trust and faith in those running the game which is at an all time low at the minute. I could go on. For all his errors anyone else in any business domain outside the AFL would of been shown the door months ago. You can congratulate him all you like on the success of the TV rights, record crowds, record membership etc etc but the reality is if Forrest Gump was in charge all these successes would of still taken place as the game is driving the success that's taken place and would of occurred if he'd not had a hand in any of it. Record membership i give the success to the clubs and their ability to promote their clubs, they've driven that point more than the AFL in my opinion, Record crowds i feel is driven by the beauty of the game and the success that the clubs that draw big crowds are or have been having over recent times as much as AFL influence. TV rights massive pay deal although i concede some decent business acumen would of been required the game sells itself tbh, if the game wasn't the attraction it is then the money wouldn't of come regardless of business/negotiation ability and while the TV rights deal was great reality is its taking the game further away from the grass roots supporter, less games free to air more games going to pay TV which will only keep increasing in my opinion. Way to much credit is afforded to Demetriou for these things in my opinion where i feel the game itself has driven these and as i said Forrest Gump could of achieved the same results, to say this is all Demetrious success is a little misguided in my opinion. Have to agree to disagree.

[Ringo]

No worries mate - Think though we are basically on the same page apart from a few little issues which as you say we agree to disagree. Think Demetriou has to go myself and allow another CEO in to take game forward.

He can claim success when AFL is not 6 pages from the back in Qld newspapers. 

[Nails]

Wish somebody would give Demetriou performance enhancing drugs.