10 June 2015

Dear Mr Mooney
RE: Cameron Mooney: There is a dark cloud over the Essendon Football Club and
James Hird put it there Geelong Advertiser 10 June, 2015
Although I am a rugby fanatic, I have never had any hesitation in saying Australian Football
is the best game ever invented. What I dont understand, is how such a great game attracts:

appalling people at the top level as administrators;

journalists, who dont mind trashing the reputation of their profession; and,

ex-players with no integrity and no knowledge of the facts, who join the mob in
vilifying good people.

Todays Geelong Advertiser proves you, or your ghost, have no idea what you are talking
about.
Item (Mooney) 1: JAMES Hird is right. A big dark cloud is again hanging over the heads of
his players after WADAs latest appeal. But is Hird ever going to take responsibility for
putting the cloud there in the first place?
My Comment:
1. If you werent too lazy to read and understand the Victorian Occupational, Health and
Safety Act, The Commonwealth Corporations Act, the Essendon organisation
structure, the job descriptions of James Hird, Paul Hamilton, Dean Robinson, Brett
Clothier, Adrian Anderson, and the responsibilities of Mike Fitzpatrick and Gillon
McLachlan, you would know that at least 25 people had more responsibility than
Hird.
2. For some inexplicable reason, Hird and his four assistant coaches were on a different
branch of the Essendon organisation structure from the football department. As
general manager football operations, Paul Hamilton was responsible for Dank,
Robinson, the doctors and the supplements program a fact which Hamilton
confirmed on 2 February 2012, when he sent a memo to the staff insisting that
everything to do with the supplements program had to come across his desk. As Hird
wasnt in the football department, he did not receive the memo.
3. On a number of occasions Hird has accepted some responsibility for what happened at
Essendon. He just doesnt think he should accept responsibility for the AFL
Commission, who sat back and did nothing for 12 months, despite believing the
players were taking dangerous, banned substances. He also doesnt think he should
accept responsibility for governance failures by the Essendon board.

4. As we speak, I have no idea what Hird has to take responsibility for. Please enlighten
us and explain why.
5. On 31 March 2015, an independent tribunal found the players not guilty of taking a
banned substance. By my reckoning that means Hird is only guilty of capitulating to
blackmail and bullying by admitting he should have done more to ensure the football
department, which he wasnt a member of, kept appropriate records.
Item (Mooney) 2: The Essendon players look cooked and we are only 10 rounds into the
season.
My Comment:
1. Many clubs have had one-off shockers this season, and I cant recall you saying they
were cooked, and I cant recall you implying the coach should be sacked. Geelong has
been smashed four times this year and I cant remember you calling for Scotts head.
You didnt even make that claim last year when Geelong was annihilated by 90 points
by the Swans in round 11.
2. If you want Hird sacked you have an obligation to spell out exactly what he has done
wrong over the last three years.

Item (Mooney) 3: This is a team that has a list in the perfect age bracket and games played
bracket to be competing for a flag, yet their listless effort against the Cats showed they are so
far off that.
My Comment:
1. My understanding is you have to be in the top four to be competing for a flag. I cant
recall at the start of the season you predicting Essendon to finish in the top four. Some
of your colleagues didnt even expect them to make the eight. Hindsight is useless. It
only enables you to carry on as though your ego was higher than your IQ.
2. Although I dont know much about Australian Football, I know for a start that you
need players to kick goals. During 2014 and 2015 it has been obvious that Essendon
didnt, and doesnt, have two forwards consist enough to kick winning scores. Your
idle, Mark Thompson, believes as soon as the players are cleared by CAS, Carlisle
and Daniher will make outstanding forwards.
3. I suspect in todays game you also need an outstand ruckman, and pace around the
ground. Essendon lacks both. I heard a rumour that Mick Nolan said he could give
half the Essendon side a start and still beat them! And it is rumoured Barry Round is
bringing bought in to teach the players to kick.
Item (Mooney) 4: You wonder, in hindsight, if the Essendon board would have been better
off cutting ties with Hird rather than allowing him to return from his 12-month ban? While he
is there the stigma attached to this long-running supplements saga will remain at Essendon,
whether WADA finds the players guilty or not guilty.
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My Comment:
1. What stigma? I was under the impression two county court judges and a high powered
lawyer found the players not guilty of taking a banned substance. The ASADA
investigators found there was insufficient evidence to even charge the players.
ASADAs lawyers whinged that they had nothing to work with. By my reckoning that
means at least ten qualified people with access to the evidence believed the players
were not guilty.
2. The only stigma is associated with the people who corrupted the investigation; the
media who trashed their profession; and, ex-players who knew nothing but declared
the players guilty.
Item (Mooney) 5: What has never been proved is what substances the Essendon players
actually took in 2012. They are guilty of nothing but in the court of public opinion, so many
remain angered that the coach in charge cant say for sure what the kids under his watch
were actually injected with.
My Comment:
1. In first year of high school I was told in Australia the prosecutor, which in this
instance includes ASADA, the AFL, the media and the obnoxious loud mouth explayers, have to prove the players took banned substances. The onus is not on the
players to prove what they took.
2. As we speak, the Essendon players have been cleared of taking banned substances.
That puts the Essendon players in the same category as every player at every club in
the league. Are you stupid enough to try and convince me that every player and every
coach at every club can prove what substances he took in 2012.
3. If the players at the 17 other clubs knew what substances they took, I assume they
would have complied with clause 7.4 of the AFLs Anti-Doping Code. That clause
requires each player at every club to submit in writing by 28 February every year a list
of substances taken in the previous 12 months. To my knowledge, no club has ever
required its players to comply with this most basic rule. To its shame, the AFL has
never checked compliance with clause 7.4. Thats where the problem starts and ends.
4. I suspect I would be wasting my time trying to teach you how to suck eggs. But Ill
have a go. My understanding is a player only knows what substance he is given
because the sports scientist or doctor says I am giving you substance A and it is a
WADA permitted substance. That conversation takes place at every club, including
Essendon. Dank says he knows the name of every substance given to every Essendon
player. He testified under oath to the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) that he
didnt give any player a banned substance. If the ACC had evidence to the contrary, it
would have charged him with perjury. It hasnt. What proof do you have that Dank
lied. Better still, can you prove every sports scientist and every doctor at every
other club told the truth?

5. No coach would have witnessed every player being administered every substance.
Like Hird, the coaches rely upon the word of their sports scientists and doctors.
6. Throwing in the court of public opinion suggests that you are not only floundering
at the bottom of the bird cage but if you had another cell you would have a synapse. I
cant believe you are silly enough to think supporters of other clubs should influence
what happens to Hird.
7. The court of public opinion was:

Poisoned by its loyalty to its own clubs and hatred of Essendon;

Poisoned by Andrew Demetriou claiming on countless occasions the players and

Hird were guilty;

Poisoned by Gillon McLachlan falsely claiming that Brett Clothier had told Hird
that all peptides were banned;

Poisoned by a media, which was prepared to trash the profession;

Poisoned by ex-players, who know bugger all, proclaiming that the players and
Hird were guilty.

Item (Mooney) 6: Has Hird ever taken real responsibility for that?
My Comment:
1. Hird believes that Dank knows the name of every substance given to the players and
believes Dank followed his instructions and only gave the players WADA permitted
substances that were safe.
2. As you obviously think you have evidence to the contrary, I suggest you ring WADA
and see if you can get a trip to Switzerland.
Item (Mooney) 7: That is why his presence polarises people, including many Essendon
supporters, and you wonder if that is a healthy thing for a club that desperately wants to
move forward.
My Comment:
1. If you are agitating for Hird to be sacked, I think you need to quantify how many is
many Essendon supporters. You have no idea how many, and when you have no
idea, you should shut up.
2. All media reports suggest the players want Hird to coach. If you have evidence to the
contrary, put up. If not, shut up.

Item (Mooney) 8: The Bombers players have been so resilient through this, and Ive felt
desperately sorry for them, but you get the feeling that this latest WADA appeal has
completely flattened them. And you do wonder whether deep down they resent the club and
those in charge for putting them through such hell.
My Comment:
1. You say Ive felt desperately sorry for them [the players]. Why then try and bury
their coach, particularly, as all reports suggest they want him to coach them?
2. I cant believe that anyone could be so egotistical to want to bury the coach because
you wonder whether the players resent him. Get off your backside and do some
research before you try and bury someone.
3. My research indicates the players resent the AFL for taking away two round one draft
picks and a second round draft pick. They resent the AFL for its unconscionable
behaviour in changing the rules to allow Paddy Ryder to break his contract. They
resent the AFL for participating in a corrupt investigation and then benefitting to the
tune of $2 million. They resent ex-players, who know bugger all, taking the high
moral ground, shouting their big mouths off.
4. The AFL and ASADA have put the players through hell by running a corrupt
investigation.
5. The media and many ex-players have put the players through hell by proclaiming the
players guilt for two plus years.
Item (Mooney) 9: Whatever the reason, his players are putting in non-competitive
performances right now and if it continues, the heat on Essendon to make a call on Hird will
intensify.
My Comment:
Your comment, the heat on Essendon to make a call on Hird will intensify is mindboggling in its arrogance. Id love to buy you at my price and sell you at your price. To my
knowledge, the only heat on Essendon to get rid of Hird is coming from Bambi, aka Gerard
Whateley, and the other narcissists at Fox 360 and Fox Sports, who think it is their right to
drive coaches out of the game. I am unaware anyone at Essendon is applying heat to get rid
of Hird. If any board member moves that way, he wont survive the next time he is due for
re-election. In fact, I suspect the whole board would be rolled if it moves that way.
Item (Mooney) 10: He is contracted to the end of next year. It was staggering that his
contract was extended through all this, but what happens if they finish 13th or 14th after
investing in mature-aged players to take them to a premiership?
My Comment:
1. We think you are a dill, dont try and prove it. Hirds contract was extended because
he foolishly capitulated to the AFLs and Paul Littles demand to withdraw his
unlosable case in the Supreme Court.
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2. Please tell us where Essendon would have recruited players if it hadnt signed matureaged players?:

Essendon was denied its entitled draft picks.

No reasonable young player would have joined Essendon because the media and
the ex-players had convinced the world that the players were guilty and that over
20 players would be suspended or gaoled for years.

Item (Mooney) 11: What other coach in the competition would escape scrutiny if the on-field
results were so far away from club expectations?
My Comment:
1. Please share with us the clubs expectations. While you are at it, please let us know
how much you think the WADA appeal has affected the players.
2. You wax lyrical about Mark Thompson as a coach. Are you now suggesting he
doesnt know what he is talking about?
3. Lets assume Fox 360 chalks up another notch on its belt, who do you think could do
a better job than Hird?
Item (Mooney) 12: Compounding issues on-field is that Jake Carlisle seems to have the
sooks. He looks like a player who still doesnt want to be a key forward and is waiting until
the end of the year so he can leave for a club that allows him to be the key defender he wants
to be.
My Comment:
1. Surely you have an obligation to share your knowledge that that Carlisle wants to
leave the club. Give us some quotes, preferably from Jake, but at least from someone.
2. I have never understood why ex-players need to belittle current players. You of all
people shouldnt be talking about sooks. I am still dumbfounded that anyone can cry
over losing a game of football.
3. Congratulations on your compounding pun. It was very clever. If you didnt get it, Ill
explain it to you.
Item (Mooney): Michael Hurley has been a shining light for the Bombers and has turned
himself into a great key defender, but for the good of the club, he needs to put his hand up
and say put me forward and send Jake down back. Carlisles body language is horrible, he
is not crashing and bashing and doing all the little things that a key forward must do,
particularly when playing alongside a young developing player like Joe Daniher. But he is
not alone in looking like a player who just doesnt want to be there at the moment.

My Comment:
1. It always amuses me that ex-players know more than the respective coaches. Tonight,
Mark Thompson was strongly opposed to moving Carlisle down back and still
believes he will make a very good forward.
2. I dont know a lot about Australian football but I was surprised to read that a player
can tell the coach where to play him.
Item (Mooney) 13: I still hope the players escape penalties and are found not guilty. Theyve
been through more than any player who comes into this industry deserves. But even if the
appeal decision does go their way, whenever that will be, and even if the on-field results
begin to improve, will the club ever be truly free of all this mess while Hird is in charge?
My Comment:
1. How noble of you. I suspect the players would be more appreciative if you got off
their backs and Hirds back.
2. As we speak, the players have been found not guilty of taking banned substances.
That means the only issues were governance issues. Hird wasnt responsible for
governance at Essendon.
3. To my knowledge, Essendon claims it has addressed all its governance issues. Which
begs the question, what mess are you talking about?
4. If you think the government has created a mess by inducing or bribing WADA to
appeal against the tribunals findings, I suggest you attack the government, not Hird.
Mr Mooney, you have no idea what happened at Essendon and you have no idea how the
players feel. I suggest you confine your comments to subjects you are qualified to speak.

Yours sincerely

Bruce Francis
Cc The media; social media