caro on the eagles...and us...

[stinger]

good read.....but she goes and spoils it by having a go at us ..

...neglects to mention that her team signed polak for pretty much the same reasons......

"AFL must rid Eagles nest of bad eggs

November 11, 2007

THE incredible sadness of the AFL's delayed reaction over the crisis at West Coast is the truth that, not only has the 2006 premiership been forever tainted, but Australian rules football has, too.

The tragic personal cost on the individuals involved continues to unfold. Ben Cousins' downward spiral appears bottomless, his father's ongoing deluded determination to save his son and rebuild the Brownlow medallist's football career endless, and Chris Mainwaring is dead.

Daniel Chick's career has ended in shame, his ex-wife Kimberley having retreated broken-hearted back to the US with their young son long ago, while Chad Fletcher's family must wonder at how fortunate it is to still have him alive following a drug episode gone wrong a year ago on a football trip attended by West Coast officials. An episode the club now admits it never investigated.

Daniel Kerr has survived to contest another season but his betrayals — including to the club doctor, whose prescription pad Kerr took to buy drugs some years ago — linger, and you have to wonder how John Worsfold can continue to coach and hold trust in these people.

Worsfold was the Eagles' first premiership captain and second premiership coach. He turned on some of his offending players — certainly some of those linked with the illegal drug culture at the club — after the finals loss to Collingwood, and while he may have been indirectly complicit in the cover-up that continued for some years at West Coast, his leadership has never been more important than now.

We will never know why he lost Chris Judd along with Cousins but the more the parallel investigation process announced this week by the AFL and then West Coast uncovers, the more many will suspect that Judd's return to Melbourne was more than a hankering for home.

This column wrote in 2005 that parents should think twice before sending their sons to West Coast. Now the club's new chairman Mark Barnaba — who was part of the culture of the cover-up for the years leading up to this dreadful situation — has admitted that to hear parents of potential draftees utter their fears has proved the cruellest blow of all.

It is perverse that the club has chosen to investigate itself so soon after the AFL announced the William Gillard review. Both announcements have come far too late and it is fascinating that the Eagles have chosen a former politician to delve into their affairs given the West Australian government was warned long ago about West Coast's footballers and their underworld connections.

The AFL, which claims its attempts to take action have been stifled by legal constraints until now, has chosen a Queen's counsel. The AFL, in fact, has been stifled by indecision and lack of leadership.

Putting aside West Coast and its years of denial, the AFL must show it is capable of acting decisively. Just because the situation at the accident-prone football club has seemingly become worse, the new Mike Fitzpatrick-led commission needs to make an emphatic statement. The only time the commission took a public stand against the Eagles was after a weekend of on- and off-field drama involving Michael Braun and Adam Selwood — two incidents that, when put in context, seem relatively harmless. The AFL considered then punishing the club by removing premiership points. But the commission was divided and all it did was summon the club's leaders to a meeting.

Rightly, it has charged Cousins with bringing the game into disrepute. Wrongly, it allowed him a hero's return back in July and sent a terrible message to the young people of this country.

In fact, Fitzpatrick's commission has been slow to act on several fronts. This indecision is strange and has not until now been a feature of Andrew Demetriou's time at the top.

As has been often said, the AFL has known of the Eagles' problems and has hoped it would remain public rumour at best or disappear altogether. Now it seems the only solution is to rid the club of all those individuals who have erred in the past. This might sound harsh but should someone like Kerr continue unpunished, then clearly the Eagles will have learnt nothing. After all, West Coast is not the only club to put results ahead of its social responsibilities. St Kilda knew about the Eagles' problems but recruited Michael Gardiner saying it could help improve his life, but in truth it desperately needed a ruckman.

But the AFL runs the competition and the fact it has not acted until now — while Cousins continues to contribute to his own downfall against an international backdrop — means the game could wrongly be seen as a haven for drug abusers.

[Armoooo]

Pathetic!
Ofcourse she was going to conveniently forget to mention Polak, the woman has about as much integrity as all the other cockroaches you see around the place.

I'm thinking about putting money on West Coast to make the GF next year, they may have lost 3 quality players but they love this them against us mentality.

[Brian Collis]

edited by mods

[Mr Magic]

Some legal advice please Stinger.
Isn't there a 'restraining order' or two around AFL circles regarding the names of players supposedly who have tested positive to drugs?

If so, how then can she intimate/hypothesize a player recruited by StKilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture?

[Armoooo]

Some legal advice please Stinger.
Isn't there a 'restraining order' or two around AFL circles regarding the names of players supposedly who have tested positive to drugs?

If so, how then can she intimate/hypothesize a player recruited by StKilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture?

I'm no lawyer like Stinger but can't someone still be tarnished just by rumours, inneundo and reputation, there doesn't neccessarily need to be proof for a player's rep to be tarnished.

[stinger]

Some legal advice please Stinger.
Isn't there a 'restraining order' or two around AFL circles regarding the names of players supposedly who have tested positive to drugs?

If so, how then can she intimate/hypothesize a player recruited by StKilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture?

well she hasn't been specific but she's treading on dangerous grounds...i would think her comments would be actionable by gardiner anyway....she's intimating that he is of bad character and the saints are negligent in having him around the other saints players....

[F_Q_F]

Well we would have known about the Eagles off field problems but the fact that she chose to have a go at us for drafting Gardiner is stupid.

She completely ignored the fact that we wouldve spoken to him about his off field problems as well as the fact that he has been put on a one strike and your out contract.

Whilst we wouldve known about his problematic past I think we have fulfilled our social responsibility to him. From all reports Gardiner has been keeping his head down (if he had been in some sort of trouble the WA media wouldve been all over it).

[Riewoldting]

Read the article again Mr Magic.

Gardiner was sacked from West Coast after driving drunk and pranging his car. This was after being warned by the club about poor behaviour on- and off-field. This followed Gardiner refusing to assist police with their inquiries into a nightclub shooting.

This is all on the public record.

The only person saying Caro is "intimating/hypothesising a player recruited by St Kilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture" is you.

[Mr Magic]

Some legal advice please Stinger.
Isn't there a 'restraining order' or two around AFL circles regarding the names of players supposedly who have tested positive to drugs?

If so, how then can she intimate/hypothesize a player recruited by StKilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture?

well she hasn't been specific but she's treading on dangerous grounds...i would think her comments would be actionable by gardiner anyway....she's intimating that he is of bad character and the saints are negligent in having him around the other saints players....

Why single out Gardiner?
How many other players have left the WCE over the last 3 years (when the problems seem to have been occuring more often)?

Chad Morrison to Collingwood
Aaron Edwards to Kangaroos via the VFL - wasn't he on the same 'phone-tap' tape as Kerr?
Morton this off-season to Richmond.

Any others?

Her answer for not mentioning Polak could well be that she was only talking about WCE and not Fremantle where Polak was despatched from and Tarrant/Solomon were recruited to continue their tradition of unacceptable behaviour.

[stinger]

Her answer for not mentioning Polak could well be that she was only talking about WCE and not Fremantle where Polak was despatched from and Tarrant/Solomon were recruited to continue their tradition of unacceptable behaviour.

and you don't know the commonn thread with these two players....?

[Solar]

Some legal advice please Stinger.
Isn't there a 'restraining order' or two around AFL circles regarding the names of players supposedly who have tested positive to drugs?

If so, how then can she intimate/hypothesize a player recruited by StKilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture?

well she hasn't been specific but she's treading on dangerous grounds...i would think her comments would be actionable by gardiner anyway....she's intimating that he is of bad character and the saints are negligent in having him around the other saints players....

Why single out Gardiner?
How many other players have left the WCE over the last 3 years (when the problems seem to have been occuring more often)?

Chad Morrison to Collingwood
Aaron Edwards to Kangaroos via the VFL - wasn't he on the same 'phone-tap' tape as Kerr?
Morton this off-season to Richmond.

Any others?

Her answer for not mentioning Polak could well be that she was only talking about WCE and not Fremantle where Polak was despatched from and Tarrant/Solomon were recruited to continue their tradition of unacceptable behaviour.

agreed, the closest we have heard to him playing up has been "supporting the opposition" during a match acording to one supporter and spending social time with cousins up in sydney.

But to suggest that all we wanted was a ruckman, no matter what the excuse is a disgrace. We offered Gardiner a life line, a second chance which included getting out of the west. She needs to back up that we have done nothing to help him become a better part of the community or she is just pedding lies (never heard her being accused of that ey!)

[Eastern]

I would like to think that Archie or Greg or someone high up at the club would be in touch with the bosses at The Age first thing tomorrow morning to express their displeasure with this article. After all, The Age as a sponsor is tarnishing the StKilda brand. I'm sure there would be some action if the boot was on the other foot !!

[Mr Magic]

Read the article again Mr Magic.

Gardiner was sacked from West Coast after driving drunk and pranging his car. This was after being warned by the club about poor behaviour on- and off-field. This followed Gardiner refusing to assist police with their inquiries into a nightclub shooting.

This is all on the public record.

The only person saying Caro is "intimating/hypothesising a player recruited by St Kilda is 'tarnished' by the WCE drug culture" is you.

Riewoldting, I've just re-read it and in my mind there is no doubt the tone of her article is the drug problem at WCE. The examples she refers to, Cousins, Kerr, Fletcher are all to do with drug issues. She does not mention any other cases including Lynch where the problems were other than drug related.

The cases she refers to the AFL portion of her story are the Selwood (sledging) and Braun (drug) ones and she only refers to those in the context that the AFL was seen to have tried to act in those cases whereas it appears to have been extremely tardy in acting in the other cases.

I have no doubt that the reference to Gardiner was intended to be read as both Stinger and I have, and apparently others who have posted in this thread.

[Mr Magic]

Her answer for not mentioning Polak could well be that she was only talking about WCE and not Fremantle where Polak was despatched from and Tarrant/Solomon were recruited to continue their tradition of unacceptable behaviour.

and you don't know the commonn thread with these two players....?

Off course I do Stinger. I was just hypothesizing what her answer to an allegation of mentioning Gardiner but not mentioning Polak.

[Eastern]

I can't see how that article could be read any other way than "THE DRUG CULTURE". But then again I'm not all that bright !!

[Quixote]

After all, West Coast is not the only club to put results ahead of its social responsibilities. St Kilda knew about the Eagles' problems but recruited Michael Gardiner saying it could help improve his life, but in truth it desperately needed a ruckman.

This woman is a cantankerous, coiffured old sow.

God strike me!!

Any chance she can bloody get, she'll have a snide little dig at St Kilda.

So, after all that has gone before us in this year of cheating and the AFL, WE are the club that is putting results ahead of social responsibilties??

FOR f**** SAKE!!!

I mean a long-bow is one thing but this is just TAKING THE PISS!!



I mean, what are we, the f****** Red Cross??

We drafted Gardiner as a FOOTBALLER you stupid woman!

We gave him the chance to mend his ways - we gave him a new environment



What has this trumped-up flat-headed KROUT got against us?


That comment is just so randomly inserted into an otherwise mediocre article that one has to wonder...

She is obviously upset at how well we have handled ourselves over the off-season



This woman makes me very angry


I hope the people at Moorabbin feel the same way!

[stinger]

I can't see how that article could be read any other way than "THE DRUG CULTURE". But then again I'm not all that bright !!

i'm with you and mr magic on this one...revolting has once again lost the plot

[bigcarl]

St Kilda knew about the Eagles' problems but recruited Michael Gardiner saying it could help improve his life, but in truth it desperately needed a ruckman.

true, we desperately needed a ruckman ... but we've also helped improve gardiner's life.

win/win if he can ultimately take the field for us and contribute. an unbalanced and biased dig by caro.

[Oh When the Saints]

I wouldn't make that call yet bigcarl ... don't reckon we've necessarily "improved his life".


Poor form by Caro in writing in The Age - a St Kilda sponsor.


The reference to Gardiner added nothing to her article, and for the sake of continuing good relations with St Kilda, should have been removed.

[noddy]

All you people bagging her (and she deserves it) can show your disdain by telling the AGE to shove their paper where the sun dont shine.. easy really

[Mr Magic]

I wouldn't make that call yet bigcarl ... don't reckon we've necessarily "improved his life".


Poor form by Caro in writing in The Age - a St Kilda sponsor.


The reference to Gardiner added nothing to her article, and for the sake of continuing good relations with St Kilda, should have been removed.

Free Press OWTS!

Given the well publicized 'problems' surrounding the following players not mentioned in her article, it is difficult to draw a conclusion other than she was taking a 'swipe' at us (nothing to do with conspiracy theories)

Tarrant - recruited by Fremantle
Solomon - recruited by Fremantle
Polak - recruited by Richmond
Everitt - recruited by Hawthorn and Sydney
Edwardes - recruited by Kangaroos
T. Johnstone - recruited by Brisbane
S. Johnston - not delisted by Geelong
Farmer - not delisted by Fremantle
Didak - not delisted by Collingwood
Holland - not delisted by Collingwood

and probably others that I don't recall.

[SaintBot]

I wouldn't make that call yet bigcarl ... don't reckon we've necessarily "improved his life".


Poor form by Caro in writing in The Age - a St Kilda sponsor.


The reference to Gardiner added nothing to her article, and for the sake of continuing good relations with St Kilda, should have been removed.

Free Press OWTS!

Given the well publicized 'problems' surrounding the following players not mentioned in her article, it is difficult to draw a conclusion other than she was taking a 'swipe' at us (nothing to do with conspiracy theories)

Tarrant - recruited by Fremantle
Solomon - recruited by Fremantle
Polak - recruited by Richmond
Everitt - recruited by Hawthorn and Sydney
Edwardes - recruited by Kangaroos
T. Johnstone - recruited by Brisbane
S. Johnston - not delisted by Geelong
Farmer - not delisted by Fremantle
Didak - not delisted by Collingwood
Holland - not delisted by Collingwood

and probably others that I don't recall.

Thurstans not delisted by port

[bigcarl]

I wouldn't make that call yet bigcarl ... don't reckon we've necessarily "improved his life".

okay, but we've given him a second chance at life, away from the drug culture and criminal elements associated with his life at the eagles.

as far as i know he hasn't done a lot wrong since he's been with us (fingers crossed).

[LTN16]

She doesn't mention Andrew Krakour and his problems doe's she

[Riewoldting]

I have no doubt that the reference to Gardiner was intended to be read as both Stinger and I have, and apparently others who have posted in this thread.

And how exactly have you read it? Did you read it as saying that Gardiner had a problem with illicit drugs? That he had tested positive to a test for such substances?

Those solely with knowledge of what is on the public record would take Wilson's comments to refer to the matters I mentioned earlier. Those with special knowledge of facts not on the public record might interpret her comments as referring to something else. I am sure Wilson would not have a problem with someone interpreting her comments that way, and I'd suggest that is how they were intended to be interpreted by those persons, but there is nothing there to breach any injunction in contempt of the Victorian Supreme Court.

i would think her comments would be actionable by gardiner anyway

What's the cause of action, sting-sting?

revolting has once again lost the plot

Do you even remember who I am? I thought the Alzheimer's was more advanced than that.

OWTS I'm pleased you feel that The Age should sacrifice editorial independence for the sake of its commercial relationships. That's exactly what the Australian media needs.