Riled Robinson to tell all on Hird Jon Pierik
The Age
July 28, 2013 Former Essendon high-performance boss Dean Robinson will break his silence in a paid television interview on Monday night, intensifying pressure on the Bombers as well as coach James Hird.
Robinson has a diametrical view to Hird over what happened in 2012 during the club's administering of a contentious injecting program, and is ready to deliver a tell-all on the Seven Network in an interview with commentator Luke Darcy.
Robinson, who was signed on a three-year deal in September 2011, is also planning to sue his former club, after he was suspended on February 5, the day the Bombers self-reported to the AFL and ASADA. He resigned on Friday, with his lawyer David Galbally confirming that he planned to begin legal action in the Supreme Court this week ''for breaches of their duties towards him as an employee''.
Robinson's version of events is that Hird was the instigator of the supplements program.
Fairfax Media understands he is prepared to discuss an important meeting with sacked sports scientist Stephen Dank and Hird at Hird's home soon after he came aboard in September 2011.
It's also understood there was one club, in particular, that the Bombers wanted to match in terms of physical strength.
Robinson is expected to confirm reports in Fairfax Media detailing how the injecting program took a twist after the Bombers were sent to the South Yarra clinic Hypermed during a short break leading into the Anzac Day blockbuster in 2012.
This led to the injecting program continuing until August, an invoice of about $60,000 and the eventual sacking of Dank.
Robinson's wife Tori is also expected to be interviewed by Seven. She has suffered from health problems, exacerbated by the supplements crisis. The view of Robinson's supporters is that he has been the target of a smear campaign. The Bombers recently moved to fully blame Robinson for the decision to hire Dank.
As the supplements controversy continued to erupt on Saturday, it also emerged Essendon ruckman Patrick Ryder had a brief meeting at AFL House on Thursday to clarify part of the statement he made when interviewed by ASADA.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has also revealed he is considering legal action against a senior News Ltd journalist for suggesting in print and on air that Demetriou had lied when questioned about a telephone conversation he had had with Bombers' chairman David Evans on the eve of the club's decision to self report the players' substance use.
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