So, Essendon have been using performance enhancing drugs...

Something is brewing.

I think a few 'elite' players will suffer a serious drop back into the pack.

James Hird reckons he is very disappointed and shocked.

I'm not sure if that's because of the supplements his players are taking or because someone suggested he needs some botox.

Definitely interesting to see how this pans out, could put a big asterisk next to the 2012 Brownlow Medal.

Sounds like Jobe was one of only 3 to opt out of taking whatever it is they were given.

That's interesting, but it begs the question: if someone was offering "supplements", surely someone with half a brain was checking out whatever was in the so-called "supplements", and if the captain was opting out, why weren't alarm bells ringing to at least make sure they were on firm ground?

As a passionate Essendon member, I will actually cry if this is proven true.

This is why I refuse to believe that Hird wasn't aware of what was going on.

Can someone give me the abbreviated version of what's happening at Essendon?

For extra lolz, I suggest you all go to the Bombers website, and have a look at their slogan for this season :lol:.

He's the mystery man who made a name for himself with innovative sports science methods including delving into the genetic build-up of players.

Stephen Dank would research the DNA of star NRL players to help structure their training programs.
He worked at Manly with Dean "The Weapon" Robinson before the pair reunited at Windy Hill.

But 2012 didn't go to plan and Dank was a quick casualty. The club and Dank parted company late last year. The Weapon has been stood down by the club pending the investigation from the AFL and ASADA.

Most of us had not heard of Dank before the Essendon press conference, and while it is not known if he is linked to the current investigation, let's find out more about him...

WHO IS STEPHEN DANK?
- A physiologist from Sydney who became known in Australia’s sporting landscape a decade ago, when working for NRL outfit Manly Sea Eagles

- Dank grabbed headlines in 2004 when, working for NRL club Manly, he pioneered testing players’ DNA to increase performance.

- This allowed Manly to tailor speed, power, weight and endurance programs to suit the make-up of their stars.

- In 2008 Dank put it on the record that he did not do media interviews
- Dank was known to work with calves’ blood, altitude training machines, while his DNA program made Manly global pioneers
- Dank worked closely with Manly coach Dessie Hassler before joining Essendon
- Dank was sacked from the Bombers at the end of last season amid the fallout from the injury epidemic and Essendon’s dramatic demise in the second half of the year
- It is believed Dank has since taken up a role at a different AFL club.


Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/the-sports-science-guru-at-centre-of-doping-investigation-worked-for-manly-during-title-winning-year/story-fn2mcuj6-1226571148467#ixzz2K2GshF5x

Also, apparently the Sports Science staff took the players away from Club facilities when they were administering these substances.

Stephen Dank would research the DNA of star NRL players to help structure their training programs.

For extra lolz, I suggest you all go to the Bombers website, and have a look at their slogan for this season

This is what makes me suspicious/angry about Hird's position in all of this. His 'derp, I didn't know' is absolute bullshit.

They had a horror run with injuries last season that was just borderline ridiculous, you'd have to think these 'supplements' may have been a key part of that.

TBH I'd rather a drug cheating Bombers side in the AFL than a wiped out weak as piss list for two years, having GWS and the Suns is bad enough without having such a traditionally great club made non competitive, and this is coming from a Collingwood supporter.