Unfortunately 34 of those people are the players who’ve been sent show-cause notices by ASADA. They now have 10 days to respond to ASADA’s allegations and could be staring down the barrel of a suspension. Whether that’s the slap on the wrist suspension the Cronulla players received or something more significant remains to be seen.
Along with suspensions the ramifications of this decision are significant for these people too.
Paul Little
Can Paul Little survive this as Chairman? If the club doesn’t appeal Friday’s verdict then it will look like Little’s wasted plenty of time and money on a losing cause simply intended to delay the inevitable. Making matters worse, Justice Middleton ordered the Bombers to pay ASADA's legal bill. He also offered James Hird a new two-year deal that could cost the club even more. The Bombers are having an AGM in December and whether Little retains support remains to be seen.
James Hird
Hird looked a wounded man as he stepped outside of the Federal Court on Friday afternoon. Is it possible for him to go on as coach if 34 players under his care during the 2012 season receive infraction notices? It’s hard to see how he can survive, especially as he’s on the record saying – as early as ANZAC Day 2012 when the soft-tissue injuries started happening – that he’s ultimately responsible for whatever happens with this team.
Mark Thompson
If Hird does end up stepping down or being fired by the club, does this mean the Bombers offer Mark Thompson the senior position on a more permanent basis? It would also be interesting to see whether Brenton Sanderson may then come into consideration as an Essendon assistant given that Simon Goodwin’s now headed to Melbourne.
Paddy Ryder
According to reports Ryder has pretty much decided to leave Essendon despite having two years to go on his contract. Brisbane and Port Adelaide are the major suitors but GWS remains in with a chance. Sydney have reportedly said they’re not interested in Ryder. The ruckman has asked to be traded out but if the Bombers refuse he can invoke the 'duty of care' clause in his contract, meaning Essendon could be heading to court for that case as well.
Angus Monfries
We’re not entirely certain, but we can presume that Angus Monfries – a Bomber during 2012 – may be one of the players given a show-cause notice. Although Port have plenty of forward firepower, they would nevertheless be pretty unhappy losing a player of Monfries calibre if he receives any sort of suspension for next season. It will also be interesting to see if the news hurts his performance in Saturday night's Preliminary Final against Hawthorn.
Stuart Crameri
Crameri is in a similar position to Monfries, despite having moved to the Western Bulldogs last year. If Crameri was to receive a long-term suspension, it will make it even more important for the Bulldogs to secure another tall marking target.
Dustin Fletcher
Fletcher turns 40 in May next year and after a so-so season in 2014 does the ASADA verdict impact any decision on whether he goes on. Fletcher’s currently on 393 games and it would almost seem an injustice if he doesn’t make it to 400.
Jason Winderlich
Winderlich’s fantastic finish to the campaign had apparently made the talented Essendon utility reconsider his decision to retire early. But does the ASADA verdict make him reconsider the fact he was reconsidering retirement?
Jobe Watson
If Watson if suspended for this, will the AFL have to look at his 2012 Brownlow Medal. It may be unlikely but League HQ may come under some political pressure to do so.
The Essendon Players
If the Bombers’ players are suspended for this, then the ‘duty of care’ clause in their contract that Ryder may use to leave the club could be utilised by others. Although Brendon Goddard’s called it ‘unethical’, all the other clubs will have no qualms trying to tempt some of Essendon’s big names to leave.
The 2015 Season
How will any suspensions affect next year? Even if Essendon receives the Cronulla-style slap on the wrist ban, there’s a chance they could still miss the first few games of the season. This begs the question, will Essendon be able to field a team for those games? Chances are they will be able to prop it up with reserves players etc but it would be a fair bet this team would be virtually cannon fodder for their opposition. But is this fair on the clubs that don’t get to play this lightweight Essendon? And how does the AFL decide who should play them?
The Essendon Fans
Increasingly lost in all this mess is just how painful this must be for Bombers fans as they consider a third season hit by the supplement scandal. Added to this, they will now have no idea who their coach will be or which players will stay at the club. Essendon made a financial loss last year due to all their legal bills but strong membership figures helped ease some of this pain. Will the members be so willing to fork out their dosh for 2015, though?