Under siege Bombers at risk of being gutted

COMMENT: IN the end, stress strangled David Evans. He resigned because of reasons only he can reveal.

David Evans

COMMENT: IN the end, stress strangled David Evans. He resigned because of reasons only he can reveal.

But after six months stoically leading Essendon through the quagmire of alleged doping allegations, you have to ask why the stress and pressure made his position suddenly untenable or uncomfortable.

There was stress. Sadly, there was a harmful stress, evident by the episode he suffered in the rooms post-match on Friday night.

Indeed, he had been under stress for several months and had told people he was considering his position as club chairman.

Observers have said the hug between Evans and coach James Hird before the game on Friday night was evidence they remained close.

Those same observers cannot then blame Hird for the events of Saturday night.

No, Evans and Hird, who have been friends for 20 years, had found themselves in a difficult working position because they were diametrically opposed about the contents of a telephone conversation between Evans and AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou on February 4.

The stress of that situation was the tipping point.

Regarding that night, ASADA was told of information allegedly being passed from Demetriou to Evans about the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Hird has said he told the truth about the night when interviewed by ASADA.

Evans and Demetriou deny Demetriou said anything.

Evans denied it twice. He was requested to appear before ASADA, prompted by testimony delivered about the telephone call.

Demetriou has denied it too many times to remember.

Several senior officials had spoken to Evans in recent days about his version of events and their concern for his wellbeing.

His departure now makes it five key officials who have departed Essendon directly or indirectly because of the supplements program and subsequent investigation.

They are Evans, former chief executive Ian Robson, former football manager Paul Hamilton, former high performance manager Dean Robinson and sports scientist Stephen Dank.

Hird could follow. We say "could" because the ASADA investigation is expected to be completed in 10 days and the findings could decide his fate.

If Hird does go, senior assistant Mark Thompson, club doctor Bruce Reid and head of football Danny Corcoran would elect to depart the club as well. The club, under siege, would be completely gutted. Hird, though, won't ever resign.

The fact is Evans is a great Essendon person.

He is the son of former AFL chairman and Essendon star Ron Evans, who was a mentor to Demetriou, and he held high hopes of delivering a flag.

Unfortunately, he is now a another casualty in a horrible situation.

All the while, for their own reasons, Dank and Robinson are yet to speak.