r/AFL

Title says it all folks. I'll go first- Chayce Jones and Lachie Sholl.

Garry: What's the motivation here? If it's not the one you want you might spill the board?

Brett: You're right, the crux of it all is this is based on a litany of many years of poor decisions. I'm speaking on behalf of a group, this is not about me this is about Essendon, it's not something I want to be doing, I have a business to run. I'd prefer to fly under the radar but this goes back to years of poor decisions. When Brad Scott was let go and James put his name out there, Essendon had an opportunity to stamp it on the head and say no or if he was going to be a candidate ensure the process was far quicker and more seamless than this complete circus we've seen bordering on 4 months. I don't know James Hird, he doesn't know me. This is about what's best for Essendon. This is not about board division and disuniting, it's about uniting the club. They can make a decision to unite the club and make it relevant again.

Brett gets disconnected due to audio issues, will rejoin

Tim Watson: If James wasn't going to be considered then the ideal time to tell him that was at the beginning of the process. I would hate to think at the end of all this they've just brought James along to appease the members. Because what it did do was at the beginning of it, it did scare off a lot of other potential candidates to be a coach.

Brett rejoins

Garry: It appears an actual process has been run, aren't you obliged to accept the results of the process?

Brett: That's a valid point Garry but why has the process taken as long as it has? How many potential candidates for this job have done exactly what we've seen and gone elsewhere and said we aren't interested? If Essendon/Welsh had've come out from the get go and said sorry James, no. My initial reaction was I'd have loved to see Corey Enright as a candidate. But once Hird puts his hat in the ring then Essendon had an obligation to make the process much faster.

Tim: If this process doesn't go the way you want do you see yourself as a potential chairman of the club?

Brett: Absolutely not, I see myself as a soldier and I represent a group of very significant influential individuals based in Melbourne who have a longer connection than I do. However for reasons I won't get into they have to remin anonymous.

Tim: When you say influential what does that actually mean?

Brett: They are closer to Essendon than I am. Obviously I'm in Adelaide, they're in melbourne. They have far more knowledge of the people, the process and at this stage they really want Essendon to do the right thing. We all want to go back to our lives if Essendon do the right thing and we will see Essendon become relevant again.

Garry: Is hiring Hird the only thing that could be the right thing?

Brett: Now, that's correct.

Tim: So if Essendon names, Graham, McVeigh or Davis so you're saying your group will challenge the board?

Brett: Absolutely and it wont be a complete challenge to clean out every board member. It will be a targeted program, there are people who have sat through the board through multiple terms. You only need to look at what Essendon's achieved during their time. If I was them I would've stepped down. This is very targeted at certain board members.

Edmund: What would you say to people who say you're causing division?

Brett: We are not interested in making upheaval for the sake of it. If Essendon do the right thing and make the right decision we will be united. We will cause upheaval to make Essendon relevant again. If push comes to shove why would we keep doing what we've done for 14-15 years? Sometimes desperate needs call for desperate deeds.

Brett leaves

Watson: If it's Graham or someone else I'm trusting that they've done the process correctly which is what I've said from the start. This is what I said to Hird, if you don't get it you have to trust that they've done the most rigorous process and you aren't the right man. So if it's Graham I'm happy its Graham. My point is that it's not about one appointment, there are a lot of things at the football club that need to be looked at and need to be fixed. The problem is that if they aren't fixed then we're just throwing a new coach to the wolves. If they choose Graham then they have to know that he has to be ready to handle all these things that will come

Full interview link

Carn!

I wanna change mine to the Salisbury Park Snags

Swans senior player Isaac Heeney has been revealed as the focus of a sexual assault investigation.

The woman at the centre of the scandal engulfing the Sydney Swans completed a formal complaint to police on Tuesday about what occurred in the East Melbourne hotel room.

A source familiar with the investigation, but not authorised to speak publicly, said the woman attended a city police station to provide a formal statement about what unfolded at the Pullman hotel on Monday morning.

Her official version of events, which involves an act of touching beyond what was agreed, will form the basis of Victoria Police’s ongoing investigation.

A second source with knowledge of the incident, but not authorised to speak publicly, said five players were in a room with naked women, with one performing lap dances.

They said Heeney, who was clothed, was the subject of the complaint.

All have denied any wrongdoing.

On Monday, police announced detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad had taken carriage of the probe.

The Sydney Swans had been staying at the hotel after playing Essendon at the MCG on Sunday night, ahead of plans to return home the next day.

A number of players had allegedly been drinking, and two women were invited to their hotel sometime after 2am.

What happened next is the subject of the complaint filed by one of the women, the details of which have not been made public.

Sydney Swans players Chad Warner, James Jordon, Isaac Heeney, Riley Bice and Nick Blakey.

The two women left the hotel room and were joined by a third woman in the foyer, where there was a commotion, this masthead has previously reported.

Detectives attended the hotel to collect evidence and CCTV footage on Monday. None of the players involved has been formally interviewed.

At least five players returned to Sydney that night in a rental car, driving the eight-hour trip instead of flying to allegedly avoid the media gathered at both airports.

Sydney Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich confirms that the police are investigating in an incident involving several players in a Melbourne hotel.

Representatives of Isaac Heeney, Riley Bice, James Jordon and Chad Warner were contacted for comment after two senior industry sources identified them as part of the group returning together.

A representative of Nick Blakey denied any involvement, and stated Blakey had not been asked to speak with the police even informally. Blakey had remained in Melbourne to travel back to Sydney with his four teammates. He is also one of the group subsequently suspended by the club.

This masthead has previously reported that all five players had been prepared to speak with police on Monday, but only one was ultimately questioned.

A source with knowledge of the incident, but not authorised to speak publicly, said police told the group they were not ready to conduct a formal interview or speak with any of the players acting as witnesses.

The source said leading Melbourne criminal lawyer Tony Hargreaves was called in to assist the players before they were told they were free to return home.

AFL chief Andrew Dillon said on Tuesday – before the complaint was filed – that the allegations were “deeply concerning”.

“The woman who made the report to police [on Monday morning] is entitled to privacy and care, and that should be respected,” he said.

“It is important that the police process is allowed to run its course.”

Victoria Police declined to comment.

- Collingwood is the frontrunner for Lachie Neale with West Coast the other club in the race, Adelaide aren't seen as an option

- Gold Coast is expected to announce Ben King's departure in the days after their game against St Kilda

- Jake Stringer definitely won't be at the Giants next season. Pies are still exploring a possible move for him

- Buku Khamis looks to be a 50/50 situation between staying at the Bulldogs and moving to Carlton.

- Similar with Joel Amartey with staying at Sydney or heading to the Blues

- North Melbourne is having a look at Jordan Ridley (ESS)

- It looks more likely that Zane Duursma leaves North Melbourne than stays. Melbourne are the club to watch there

- Sam Switkowski won't make a contract call before the end of the year but is still likely to stay at Fremantle

- Jesse Hogan also looks more likely than not to leave the Giants this off-season

- Jy Simpkin has told North Melbourne he won't pursue a move away, unlike last season

- Adelaide will be happy to let Nick Murray go if a first round pick is offered

- Melbourne are also keen on Will McLachlan (BRI), alongside Essendon

- Kieren Briggs (GWS) is "one of the locks" to move in the free agency period. Heading to Richmond on a 4 year deal

- Darcy Parish is clearly exploring a move away from Essendon

- Zac Bailey won't make a call on where he plays next year between Brisbane and Adelaide until the end of the year. There's still a significant gap in money between offers, despite both now being at 7 years

- The Bulldogs, Essendon, and both SA clubs have interest in Charlie Ballard (GC)

- Nathan O'Driscoll has a 2 year offer on the table from Fremantle, the Bulldogs are amongst clubs to have asked the question

- Bailey Macdonald is tossing up between moving to the Dees or staying at the Hawks on a 2 year deal

- Sam Marshall very unlikely to be at Brisbane next year. The Dogs and Saints are both keen

- Archie Perkins looks likely to stay at Essendon on a 1 year deal

- Jordon Butts (ADE) looks set to head to the Bulldogs on a 5 year deal

- There's a sense amongst Victorian clubs that Kai Lohmann (BRI) is gettable next year

- There's still a level of hope that GWS can retain Toby Greene

- The Dogs have been "losing some hope" in recruiting Zak Butters (PA)