Nick's Collingwood Bulletin Board

It's easy to bash the players but I'm pretty certain they were told by their club that everything was above board. I'm also pretty certain that most players from any club would have similar faith in their coaches, medicos etc.. It doesn't make them any less guilty under the rules but I do feel for them. Ultimately, if found guilty, their careers are pretty much destroyed, if not already and all for what, having faith in their employer? and what of the real perpetrators? The club is big enough to survive, they'll probably wallow for a few years but they could be back sooner than you think. You only need one brave person to make the right calls and things can turn around fairly quickly. Having said all that, I do hope the club is punished (I've no doubt they're guilty), unfortunately, that does mean the players would cop it too

Essendon should be abolished.

Im torn on this subject in regards to bans honestly.
Firstly players put there trust in the club staff (coaches, doctors, physio's etc) daily. They trust the club has there best interests in mind at all times. The players who are asked to sign a consent form should have questioned why ? Why do we need to sign this form if everything that is being administered is legal and above board ?
Bomber Thompson has made claims he didn't like it at all and voiced those concerns internally as did the club doctor.
Surely at some stage someone there must have questioned what was going on.
Then we have the case of Keefe & Thomas who set out to break a law by taking an illegal substance. Turns out they got much more than bargained for which now will cost them 2yrs of there career and quite possibly much more.
If they had tested positive to just a party drug we wouldn't know about it due to the afl policy.
They will get 2yrs because they rolled the dice and lost a lesson I hope echoed through our club loud and clear.
Now the Essendon players who were given these injections face the same ban. But is there guilt the same as our 2 players ?
Did 37 players all set out to deliberately take a performance enhancing substance at the same time ?
I doubt it
They are guilty of stupidly and should be punished on that regards but I don't see 2yrs in it personally.