General Discussions

[Professer E]

Single handedly ensuring a NO result at the upcoming referendum

[DJC]

If a male senator went to a strip club, with or without accompanying females friends, it would be career ending and it should be! :o

This Lidia Thorpe situation has become a parody of itself, true character is now on display for all to see and I have to wonder if those with young daughters think it's OK?

K Rudd was outed going to a strip club and his popularity rating skyrocketed 

A friend was a Greens candidate many years ago.  I think that she would now agree that it was fortunate that she wasn't elected as she was eminently ill-prepared for politics/parliament at the time.  It was apparent to me that she was selected on the basis of the boxes she ticked rather than her ability to do the job.  Almost a quarter of a century later, the Greens seem to have taken the same approach with Thorpe and guaranteed her a seat in the Senate because of what she is rather than whether she is capable of doing the job or whether she is an appropriate person to be a Senator.  It has come back to bite them on the butt big time, but it's also biting Lidia on the butt.

It's interesting to compare Thorpe with the fictional Alex Irving from "Total Control".  Lidia could have done worse than to follow Alex's lead or, indeed, that of the major parties' Indigenous Senators, who manage to perform their roles with dignity and respect.

[Baggers]

K Rudd was outed going to a strip club and his popularity rating skyrocketed 

A friend was a Greens candidate many years ago.  I think that she would now agree that it was fortunate that she wasn't elected as she was eminently ill-prepared for politics/parliament at the time.  It was apparent to me that she was selected on the basis of the boxes she ticked rather than her ability to do the job.  Almost a quarter of a century later, the Greens seem to have taken the same approach with Thorpe and guaranteed her a seat in the Senate because of what she is rather than whether she is capable of doing the job or whether she is an appropriate person to be a Senator.  It has come back to bite them on the butt big time, but it's also biting Lidia on the butt.

It's interesting to compare Thorpe with the fictional Alex Irving from "Total Control".  Lidia could have done worse than to follow Alex's lead or, indeed, that of the major parties' Indigenous Senators, who manage to perform their roles with dignity and respect.

Exactly a discussion I was having with Mrs Baggers very recently, David. And goes some distance in explaining the calibre of some pollies... in all parties. The ideal of going into politics to be of service to the public has all but evaporated.

[Baggers]

Now with this missive I will tread carefully!

I have absolutely no doubt that many suing the AFL for brain injury sustained on the field of play are absolutely legitimate... however... cocaine use also causes brain damage and I hope neurosurgeons can tell the difference between the two, if there is one. I'll leave it at that.

[LP]

Now with this missive I will tread carefully!

I have absolutely no doubt that many suing the AFL for brain injury sustained on the field of play are absolutely legitimate... however... cocaine use also causes brain damage and I hope neurosurgeons can tell the difference between the two, if there is one. I'll leave it at that.

I suppose that is the key difference between finding someone to blame versus taking responsibility.

What an opportunity lost!

[ElwoodBlues1]

Now with this missive I will tread carefully!

I have absolutely no doubt that many suing the AFL for brain injury sustained on the field of play are absolutely legitimate... however... cocaine use also causes brain damage and I hope neurosurgeons can tell the difference between the two, if there is one. I'll leave it at that.

The AFL don't have a drug problem with players...just ask them.

[LP]

The AFL don't have a drug problem with players...just ask them.

Back then was different, and post career Ablett Snr was in a bad way, far worse than BumberT and BumberT was fully cooked.

Not sure how modern players can reliably avoid detection anymore, they are tested so much, I doubt the issue is anywhere near as bad as it was in the 80s and 90s. But I worry that the non-illicit drugs and out of season detections might not be taken as seriously as they should be, we know that nefarious types spike the stuff with preferred addictions.

[Baggers]

Back then was different, and post career Ablett Snr was in a bad way, far worse than BumberT and BumberT was fully cooked.

Not sure how modern players can reliably avoid detection anymore, they are tested so much, I doubt the issue is anywhere near as bad as it was in the 80s and 90s. But I worry that the non-illicit drugs and out of season detections might not be taken as seriously as they should be, we know that nefarious types spike the stuff with preferred addictions.

I know quite well a player who regularly sourced a 'bag' and got on the snort reasonably regularly and it was somewhat of a culture at this particular club... and that was well into the 2000s.

[LP]

I know quite well a player who regularly sourced a 'bag' and got on the snort reasonably regularly and it was somewhat of a culture at this particular club... and that was well into the 2000s.

True, but even so the testing then wasn't what it is now.

Even if we do not know, the AFL surely do!

We see this growing trend for players to take some time away from the game, it is often written off as mental health, it won't be all cases but I'm certain some of them will be strikes that we the general public know nothing about. The problem is we do not want to the speculation, it helps nobody, but it's surely up to the player to expose their own issues if they feel fit to do so!

I suspect eventually the culture will change, and these issues will be discussed more freely.

[Professer E]

Ablett Snr suing the AFL after what he did on-field is both cynical and disengenuous.  And given his off field history, if he takes the stand the entire industry comes under the spotlight.  How's the AFL going to handle this, how many skeletons are going to need reburying?