Former Essendon teammates Jobe Watson and Sam Lonergan in and out of news

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Lonergan in and out of newsSeptember 26 2016 - 10:00pmSeptember 26 2016 - 10:00pmFacebookTwitterWhatsappEmailCopyQ and A: Jobe Watson speaks to the media about his AFL playing future during

a press conference in Melbourne last week. Picture: Getty Images Few sporting bodies do double standards quite as well as the AFL.

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held a press conference on Monday to announce that Sam Lonergan will be reappointed as head coach when he has served his suspension for being involved in the Essendon supplements scandal.

Lonergan was not at the press conference because he’s not allowed to be. As part of the suspension, players cannot be used for media, marketing or promotional activities until November 14.

Fair enough and credit to both Launceston FC and Lonergan for toeing the line.

However, the press conference came three days after another in Melbourne where Jobe Watson spoke at length about his situation.

Wearing a baseball cap proclaiming himself to be a “Feminist”, Watson joked about a failed career as a New York barista and posted poorly-spelt Tweets of getting his boots back from his dog.

"I'm really excited to be back at the Essendon Football Club and I'm ready to play," Watson told a media pack of Parliamentary proportions.

And yet Lonergan appears not allowed to say: “I'm really excited to be back at the Launceston Football Club and I'm ready to play.”

Blues president Paul O’Donoghue said every time the club wish to communicate with their coach they have to inform the AFL to ask for permission.

But Watson can stage open-slather press conferences while another former Bomber Dyson Heppell hops between Channel Nine’s Footy Show and Fox Sports’ AFL 360 to air his thoughts on the saga.

Then there’s the AFL’s reluctance to accept the facts of the case.

Wikipedia’s list of Brownlow Medallists contains an asterisk next to Watson’s win in 2012 and the note: “On 12 January 2016, Watson was found guilty of doping offences committed during the

2012 season.”

The list of Brownlow Medallists on the AFL’s website contains no such asterisk.

When the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed season-long bans on the Essendon 34, the AFL announced it would delay its review of Watson’s win until after their appeals were heard by the 

Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

But no mention of this is made at www.afl.com.au/brownlow/history.

Famously, Corey McKernan and Chris Grant were denied Brownlow Medals in 1996 and ’97 respectively for playing misdemeanours.

But Watson retains his despite being found guilty of taking banned substances.

As the AFL crowns its 2016 Brownlow Medallist, the 1996, 1997 and 2012 results stand testament to its message that drug-taking is not as serious as rough conduct.

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