a draw = joke

[St Ick]

Fact - Bummers lobbied the AFL to change the rules to allow them to fly up on day of game, (rules clearly state all teams must fly on day before game) AFL gave them permission (apparently) and naturally they have stuffed up failing to get to the game. The AFL is considering whether or not Essendon pays compensation to the Wangaratta organisers or they do (AFL) - Saints have come out smelling of roses, crowd reaction is total fury at the arrogance of the bombers. Many expressing dismay at how many could drive all the way up from Melb today AND make it in time, how the saints drove up a day earlier and were ready yet Essendon fc could not manage to do either.

This has been an atrocious PR disaster for Essendon and the StKilda FC have now made many new friends up in Wangaratta for the fact that they made the effort and put on an Intraclub for the fans.

Shame on you Essendon Shame.

This... apart from the Hunch quote...

[Munga]

$200,000 for the pre season cup winner. Points please.

[saintspremiers]

Fact - Bummers lobbied the AFL to change the rules to allow them to fly up on day of game, (rules clearly state all teams must fly on day before game) AFL gave them permission (apparently) and naturally they have stuffed up failing to get to the game. The AFL is considering whether or not Essendon pays compensation to the Wangaratta organisers or they do (AFL) - Saints have come out smelling of roses, crowd reaction is total fury at the arrogance of the bombers. Many expressing dismay at how many could drive all the way up from Melb today AND make it in time, how the saints drove up a day earlier and were ready yet Essendon fc could not manage to do either.

This has been an atrocious PR disaster for Essendon and the StKilda FC have now made many new friends up in Wangaratta for the fact that they made the effort and put on an Intraclub for the fans.

Shame on you Essendon Shame.

Shame AFL shame you mean?

Essendon got what they requested.

They did nothing they weren't allowed to do.

Had the AFL given us the 4 points you'd say fairs fair.

That's all most of us want.

I really hope our club goes hard on the AFL on this - we need a win over stupidity to help make up for the crimes against us in the past, just for our own sanity.

[yipper]

Update: It seems our coach was / is shocked the AFL have declared a draw - he has said "he thought it was a forfeit when your opponents don't turn up to play".

Wangaratta organisers are furious - have said that Bombers will lose a lot of supporters over this - their credibility has taken a hit. They are wondering why they chose to fly in 2 x jets when they could've just driven up like the Saints did and so to did thousands of fans from Melbourne.

[Foz]

Great PR for us though, putting on an exhibition game anyway for the locals.

Just hope we don't have anyone injured or drowned.

I was in the rooms afterwards and saw no injuries.

Lenny didnt look at full freedom, assume soreness in extreme conditions.

[Dave McNamara]

Reimburse supporters?, jesus christ

Wow, I didn't know he was a supporter!

Of course he is!



(There are sooooo many biblical tie-ins... Saints... true faith... Sainters are God's chosen footabll supporters, patiently awaiting the Second Coming...)

[8856brother]

Also who is going to reimburse any supporters that travelled to the Wang there Fuel and Accommodation. The points don't bother me, unless it is true that where you finish on the NAB ladder is how much prize money your club receives.

Reimburse supporters?, jesus christ

He's good. But not that good.

[Sobraz]

Something (or someone) has been absent from this thread for several hours?!.. Interesting, especially considering our coach, who's opinion has more weight than us all has spoken up and holds the same view about a forfeit, that plugger66 has gone quiet..

Maybe waiting for the next move by the AFL before making comment..

[Harvey To Hayes]

Shame on you Essendon Shame.

Shame AFL shame you mean?

Essendon got what they requested.

They did nothing they weren't allowed to do.

Had the AFL given us the 4 points you'd say fairs fair.

That's all most of us want.

I really hope our club goes hard on the AFL on this - we need a win over stupidity to help make up for the crimes against us in the past, just for our own sanity.

It all really hinges on exactly what they asked for from the AFL and the scope of the concessions they were granted.

Did they just ask for permission to fly up on the day of the game, or did they ask for permission to fly up mere hours before the game?

I wouldn't have thought that catching say an 11am flight yesterday would have impinged on their preparation for next week, and it would have given them ample time to implement a contingency plan if the weather was too bad to fly ie a bus, or even a fleet of cars, doesn't matter.

Essendon treated this game with disdain and we have suffered actual loss (ie the opportunity to advance in the NAB cup) due to the AFL's incompetence, as have the people of Wangaratta. Terrible on their behalf...

As an aside, I wonder if this would have been adjudicated in the same way if the roads had flooded and we missed the game but Essendon's planes made it through? I bet Essendon would have been granted the win because we'd been given the same opportunity to fly and decided against it...

[Middo]

Something (or someone) has been absent from this thread for several hours?!.. Interesting, especially considering our coach, who's opinion has more weight than us all has spoken up and holds the same view about a forfeit, that plugger66 has gone quiet.. \n\nMaybe waiting for the next move by the AFL before making comment..

\n

THIS ......pretty simple hey

[No1_Saint]

I thought the AFL was re-accessing the score and waiting for either side to put up a convincing argument to sharing or taking all the points?

[ozrulestrace]

I'm pretty sure that next year's Nab Cup fixture will include a "return bout" between St Kilda and the no-shows and the AFL will carry the cost of the match and the no-shows will this time travel by bus.

BTW I've already formed a low opinion of the AFL's propaganda website-now there is a glowing report about how Essendon returned to the training track this morning and worked flat out to catch up on match fitness blah, blah, blah. Nothing about our team giving something back to the local Wangaratta community by playing a game etc