Re: Post Game Prognostications!: AFL 2021 Rd 7: Carlton vs Drug Cheat
Reply #162 –
Ryder demanded a trade because of the drug cheating and there was talk at the time of allowing Essendon players to walk. Ryder is still going around, in a somewhat diminished capacity, and, yes, he is a decent player. Crameri had a limited career after Essendon and getting pick 26 for him was a gift.
However, my point is that Essendon were permitted to draft players in the early rounds of 2013 and 2014 drafts. That is, the AFL allowed them to ameliorate their draft penalties. Meanwhile, we lost picks 1, 2, 31 and 34 in the 2002 national draft, all picks in the 2003 pre-season draft, and our first and second round picks in the 2003 national draft (but we were allowed to draft Andrew Walker).
Anyway you look at, we were penalised more harshly than Essendon for less serious wrongdoing. The AFL wanted to come down hard on Essendon but they were hampered by their desire to avoid litigation through negotiated penalties. I suspect that they also realised from our penalties that hamstringing a club's list management isn't good for the competition.