Kitten!
Jobe just admitted he took a banned substance on live TV...
Hey all, I've spent the past couple of weeks calling people and checking facts and writing and shit and here's the cover story I wrote on women's footy. Talks about the bad old days, the development of women's footy, the draft in May, the upcoming curtain raiser, and the future of women's footy - nearly everyone I spoke to envisages a national AFL women's comp - so AFL clubs fielding women's teams - by 2020. Have a read if you want
AFL Women's Round: And the big girls fly | Northern Weekly
There is obviously something that we (general public, media) don't know, because Jobe was supremely confident, as was Tim on SEN this morning. They can't say why, but why admit to otherwise? It seems like there's something about it all that will exonerate them. I just wrote on Twitter that perhaps he's so confident because he's been assured a six-month ban from October-March. That's probably stupid, though.
There was a VFL player who got banned for 18 months for importing some powder or something that contained a banned substance. Never took it and legitimately didn't know he was doing anything wrong. Jobe's admitted to taking a banned substance and seems to think he won't be banned. Double standards?
Also it would be disappointing if some players/coaches/staff weren't charged with bringing game into disrepute. Will demonstrate it's all a boys' club. Hmm.
Ex-ASADA boss Richard Ings has bad news for Bomber fans. Says it's been banned by ASADA since Jan 1 2011.
No way Watson can escape ban: former ASADA boss | Illawarra Mercury
This was really good, by the way. There's one thing that confuses me a bit though. What's always struck me is how heavily involved women are as fans of footy, far more than any sport - it seems there's no major gender divide in following footy, while I know almost no women who care much about rugby or cricket and the gender divide following those sports in NZ/NSW/QLD is obvious - but those other sports have far more developed women's leagues. I guess it helps that they're international sports, but women's cricket and women's rugby are very well developed and have pretty prestigious tournaments, while by the sounds of it women's AFL is only now starting to gather steam. Strange.
Shame I won't be in the country Saturday, or I'd have enjoyed going to that curtain-raiser. Well, maybe. Melbourne vs Dogs? Couldn't care less about either club, whatever the gender of the people on the field. Why two teams with such limited fanbases? You'd think making it Collingwood vs Carlton or Essendon vs Richmond or whatever would be far more beneficial a launching pad. Heaps more interest and publicity.
Yeah I'm very curious to see how this plays out. I imagine the difference between this and the VFL player is the substantial legal muscle being marshalled in Essendon's defence - and it's no secret that the Bombers' stature within the AFL will help them out. Every sport has its nepotism and aristocracy. I figure there will be some serious wrangling that will culminate in off-field sanctions, fines, sackings of executives and medical staff and the like, and some draft penalties.
I expect the 2012 Brownlow to be stripped from Jobe though. Hopefully he'll win it again this year cleanly, though Gaz is putting up a mighty challenge to him.
True, and it is a shame that the crowd will be lessened because Melb-WB is a low draw, but it's simply because Melbourne went to the AFL with the idea first, along with the Dogs (Sue Alberti is a stalwart of the game, she played a game of women's footy in the 60s!). Melbourne has been the hardest driver of women's footy in the AFL. AFL could hardly take it off them and give it to Collingwood. The hope is next year more teams will get involved.
I really think people will be surprised by the standard - it is literally the 50 best female footballers in the country. You never see that in the AFL.
Definitely seems a two-horse race for the Brownlow. Reckon Gaz is leading at the moment though Jobe would be very close.