November 7, 2007

Mega kick

If the West Coast Eagles thought that bouncing Ben would wipe their slate squeaky clean, they'll be howling into their hankies tonight.
"The AFL has appointed a retired Supreme Court judge to head a special investigation into whether the West Coast Eagles have sufficiently addressed their players' off-field behaviour.

The Honourable Justice William Gillard will investigate whether the club had undertaken necessary steps to address the AFL Commission's concerns about the conduct of the club and its players."

Judge to head Eagles investigation ...


  1. According to Sky News the judge will provide the report by the 19th of November.

    Something seems strange to me about this. An assessment of how a club looks after it's players which lasts for less than two weeks? And most of the players are away on leave? And Cousins has only just flown back into the country and is staying in Sydney?


    As a Dockers fan, though, I hope they rule that the West Coast list be reduced to 15 men, they lose draft picks for the next decade or so and forfeit the next couple of Derby's to us. No mercy! :)

  2. It's certainly a fast turn around - 12 days from now.

    Supreme Court Judges don't ordinarily work that quickly, but perhaps they pick up speed after retirement.

    The inquiry is into the processes, and what the "club" did, or failed to do, so, while you'd logically think that chatting to some players might provide insights, or at least act to validate findings, the focus would seem to be entirely on management.

    That's my take on it: it's about management of the club, not the players.

  3. Good point on the management/players, Caz.

    The speed of the inquiry just seems way too fast. Is the rush because Benny is due to front the Commission the same day? Or maybe the AFL Commission only site for a couple of days a month?

    In any case, I would have thought it would take you a bit longer than a couple of days to figure out what was going on in an organisation like the WCE.

  4. It's concerning that they appear to be conflating the two events.

    The Eagles had "drug problems" before Bennie boy. It didn't start with him.

    Maybe it's their last "sitting day of the year"?

    Who the heck knows. Out of season, I would have thought they could call a meeting, when and if needed, on whatever date they want.

    There's no reason to rush this very sudden enquiry.

    Looks like they want to get all the bad medicine over and done with on a single day.

    They probably also want Eagles management to start cleaning up their act as quickly as possible, long before the 2008 season.

    However, doing Ben on the same day as doing the Eagles management will give a significant veneer of slating blame home to that one individual, "as if" the mis-management is related solely to Cousins.

    Dirty games, dirty games!

    It's a sleazy tactic.

    They shouldn't even be dragging Cousins before the commission. He's already shot to pieces.

  5. Kathy9:09 PM

    Looks like Cousins has blown it Caz! What a dickhead..

  6. Yep, my Mum told me about this Kath, she saw it on "A Current Affair".

    I thought it was a bit strange that his dad flew back home with him.

    Not so strange now: guess his dad felt Ben needed an escort, to make sure he got here, in one piece.

  7. I gather that the drug treatment facility in the US have said that they won't ever have him back.

    Things are harsh when an up market drug treatment facility won't take your money.

    Still, not the sort of indulgence Cousins will be able to afford in future.

    (Plenty of local places he can go, where no one would find him.)