AFL player investigated for drug dealing

[Ron The Bear]

Yep ya got me I can occassionally be one of them alright. I havent seen anyone die, have seen 1 or 2 go to Jail but I didnt miss them and they were head cases b4 they ever touched any gear, and havent known anyone to go to a mental hospital. Some of those I know were heavy and regular users and some not...is there a point other than I am a "****ing smartarse"?

Nah, that was the gist of it.

 

[JeffDunne]

Personally I say let adults make their own life decisions.

I agree.

They should think long and hard before signing a contract if they aren't prepared to meet the conditions of it.

 

[JeffDunne]

WHY is it a story???

Read to the qutoe below

Det-Insp Steve Smith, head of the Victorian drug taskforce, confirmed the investigation.

"Yes, we can confirm that the drug taskforce received information and that information was investigated," Det-Insp Smith said.

"But it was not taken any further because the information could not be substantiated and (because of) other operational contingencies," Det. Insp Smith said.

You don't think it's an interesting admission from the police?

I'm sure they were prepared to make comment for their own reasons.

FFS, as the cops said the information could not be substaintiated, just like the Braun story. Does the player sue channel 7 as well.

Did Channel 7 break this story too?

 

[westhawk]

Why even mention this crap.The player was investigated in April and no evidence was found,so it is just more gutter journalism at its best.Anyone could have told the police to look at this player and the police wpuld have to do it,it doesnt mean he was actually dealing.The police investigate every complaint they get that someone is dealing.
A certain ex player at this particular club who did a footy show interview earlier this year was also investigated for dealing and that was just from some d*ckhead accusing him of something that had no substance at all.
This is just another pile of media crap.Dont be sucked in by it.

 

[Kitty]

Well thank god the debate hasnt filled up with hyperbole then

You are moron. Educate yourself with facts and figures before you start making light of a huge problem that does cost many lives. Obviously you are either an insensitive dumb arse or you don't know anyone whose lives have been ruined by drugs.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Tanking is a problem that isn’t difficult to fix. The others are very difficult if not impossible. Tanking is a product of the AFL’s rules.

Partly.

On the other hand, once the finals are out of the question, clubs build for "next year". That means playing kids who are not ready, experimenting with game plans and player roles, dropping senior players who are "on the way out" despite being nominally in their best 22, and sending players off for surgery before the home and away season is completed.

No rule changes will fix this. The game is too professional nowadays, and clubs that dont prepare early for next season - call it tanking - are culpable for not using August as part of an extended preseason.

 

[fossman]

I worked in a pub years ago owned by football "royalty" where two well known players constantly took and sold drugs, they were tools of the highest order who were constantly out of order. I never5 understood how these well known players could get away with it so I asked a journo from the Herald Sun if he was aware of these guys.

He told me that it was well known what these guys got up to but due to a lack of hard evidence the paper couldn't run with the story. Eye witness accounts were not enough apparently.

These guys were protected cause they were mates with the footy establishment and did their dealing in a pub owned by high profile footy players.

The media know alot more about drugs in football than they ever report. If they were to tell all Demetrious inflated head would explode.

 

[Waverley73]

I worked in a pub years ago owned by football "royalty" where two well known players constantly took and sold drugs, they were tools of the highest order who were constantly out of order. I never5 understood how these well known players could get away with it so I asked a journo from the Herald Sun if he was aware of these guys.

He told me that it was well known what these guys got up to but due to a lack of hard evidence the paper couldn't run with the story. Eye witness accounts were not enough apparently.

These guys were protected cause they were mates with the footy establishment and did their dealing in a pub owned by high profile footy players.

The media know alot more about drugs in football than they ever report. If they were to tell all Demetrious inflated head would explode.

Why wouldn't eye witness accounts be enough? Couldn't they get a warrant based on that, do a raid and find the said illegal substances? Seems a bit dumb that everyone knows (and sees) whats going on but nothing can be done.

 

[morgoth]

westhawk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why even mention this crap.The player was investigated in April and no evidence was found,so it is just more gutter journalism at its best.Anyone could have told the police to look at this player and the police wpuld have to do it,it doesnt mean he was actually dealing.The police investigate every complaint they get that someone is dealing.
A certain ex player at this particular club who did a footy show interview earlier this year was also investigated for dealing and that was just from some d*ckhead accusing him of something that had no substance at all.
This is just another pile of media crap.Dont be sucked in by it.

But it was OK for the media to tee off on Didak when he took a drunken ride in a car with a future murder? Wasn't it your club that proceeded to boo him? Now you expect us to ignore it for reasons we can't say.

You and your fellow Dawk supporters are hypocrits, called for my club to sack a player but all of a sudden rumours and innudendo about an unamed player are crap and should be ignored.

 

[Pessimistic]

Theres a drug cultuee - thats evident. If there wasnt there wouldn't be testing - there'd be no point.

If you accept they have drugs then they come from somewhere. If a workmate obtains drugs for you is he a dealer ? Technically yes but in relation to drug barons no.

its a grey area and thats why police do investigations.

Now if the Glen Archer scenario came up ie draftees (especially the ones the draft has moved far from home) are getting pressure to become users to fit in then the club(s) and the AFL have a big problem.

As a parent its bad enough your kid needing to move thousands of miles without being moved into a potential drug culture (assuming the kid has not used before)

Clubs which have been names will (understandably) not be the favoured destinations of potential draftee's families

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Partly.

On the other hand, once the finals are out of the question, clubs build for "next year". That means playing kids who are not ready, experimenting with game plans and player roles, dropping senior players who are "on the way out" despite being nominally in their best 22, and sending players off for surgery before the home and away season is completed.

No rule changes will fix this. The game is too professional nowadays, and clubs that dont prepare early for next season - call it tanking - are culpable for not using August as part of an extended preseason.

Seems a little off topic but you're right.

If (for argument's sake) Fevola and Jarrod Waite needed surgery witha 3 month recovery and Carlton couldn't make the finals, you can understand Carlton wanting to get them treated and recovered before the preseason training, hence a tank of sorts. However the aim isn't to lose games and get a draft pick, the aim is to have players ripped for the following season.

 

[JeffDunne]

But it was OK for the media to tee off on Didak when he took a drunken ride in a car with a future murder? Wasn't it your club that proceeded to boo him? Now you expect us to ignore it for reasons we can't say.

You and your fellow Dawk supporters are hypocrits, called for my club to sack a player but all of a sudden rumours and innudendo about an unamed player are crap and should be ignored.

Do you every stand on principle?

If you had a problem with Didak being named then shouldn't you be agreeing with people complaining about this story? Not sure how you get off calling other people hypocrites.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure your club conducted press conferences to tell us rather than going to court to suppress the information, so you can hardly complain about Didak being named when it was the club that did it.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

But it was OK for the media to tee off on Didak when he took a drunken ride in a car with a future murder? Wasn't it your club that proceeded to boo him? Now you expect us to ignore it for reasons we can't say.

You and your fellow Dawk supporters are hypocrits, called for my club to sack a player but all of a sudden rumours and innudendo about an unamed player are crap and should be ignored.

If you can find any post where I said for Collingwood to sack didak, go ahead and call me a hypocrit on this.

 

[morgoth]

JD for any other club I would but after the treatment Didak got they can get stuffed. Throw in their self righteous president and his constant critism of the other clubs and they deserve everything they get.

Fact is the media sensationalised the Didak story, they are now starting to do the same re this club and the players in question, yet supporters of this club think that we should ignore it. Same courtesy was not extended to my club so screw them and the horse they rode in on.

 

[fossman]

Why wouldn't eye witness accounts be enough? Couldn't they get a warrant based on that, do a raid and find the said illegal substances? Seems a bit dumb that everyone knows (and sees) whats going on but nothing can be done.

No idea, that is the bit that lead me to think these guys were protected. I reckon for years the footy media had an "understanding" that it didn't cover these things. It seems that since Cousins this has changed and the media are now doing everything they can to get "hard evidence", even paying junkies for stolen goods.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Seems a little off topic but you're right..

You're right. Its miles off topic.

 

[Linda Crescent]

Could it be that C7 through their 'sister' business the Herald Sun are looking for a better argument to kill off a certain court injunction scheduled to be heard tomorrow in Melbourne.

How will they present themselves I wonder? Oh yeah bugger the individuals freedom it's in "the public interest".

God this country needs a Bill of Rights.

 

[JeffDunne]

JD for any other club I would but after the treatment Didak got they can get stuffed. Throw in their self righteous president and his constant critism of the other clubs and they deserve everything they get.

Fact is the media sensationalised the Didak story, they are now starting to do the same re this club and the players in question, yet supporters of this club think that we should ignore it. Same courtesy was not extended to my club so screw them and the horse they rode in on.

I'll take that as a "no".

 

[Leather Poisoning]

Could it be that C7 through their 'sister' business the Herald Sun are looking for a better argument to kill off a certain court injunction scheduled to be heard tomorrow in Melbourne.

How will they present themselves I wonder? Oh yeah bugger the individuals freedom it's in "the public interest".

God this country needs a Bill of Rights.

I've always wondered what the connection is with the Herald Sun and Channel 7. They often seem connected in some unspoken way. Is there something I'm missing?

 

[jonesy86]

why would the same story in the Daily Telegraph have more details than the Herald Sun story? both are by the same journo

...Meanwhile Det-Insp Steve Smith, head of the Victorian drug taskforce, confirmed the investigation into the high-profile player.
"Yes, we can confirm that the drug taskforce received information and that information was investigated,'' Det-Insp Smith said.
"But it was not taken any further because the information could not be substantiated and other operational contingencies at the time.''

A source close to the AFL star said the investigated player's affinity with drugs "went to another level'' when he started dealing.
"He would brag about making $10,000 a week from it,'' the source said. "He's had scales and cutting equipment just lying around his house. His teammates would just come over and pick it up.''
The player would openly use and deal illicit substances during the Spring Racing Carnival, the source said.
"At the spring carny . . . it was rife, just out of control. Two or three times a day, every day ... he'd have it in his pocket and just do it then and there.''...

Full Article

 

[JeffDunne]

God this country needs a Bill of Rights.

How would that stop stories like this being reported?

You do realise the US has a bill of rights . . . don't you? The US press wouldn't hesitate publishing names (see my example earlier in the thread).

Our defamation laws provide more than enough protection for individuals, although I do agree we need a Bill of Rights but for completely different reasons.

 

[JeffDunne]

At least you're honest morgoth.

FWIW, I don't know why you're picking on one group of supporters.

 

[clobba]

You are moron. Educate yourself with facts and figures before you start making light of a huge problem that does cost many lives. Obviously you are either an insensitive dumb arse or you don't know anyone whose lives have been ruined by drugs.

Oh sorry didnt realise you were putting forth a rational argument as your methods confused me in the post I initially replied to. It was your "kids die everyday" throwawy line I was taking a swipe at, yep kids do die every day...from many causes.

In the context of your statement I assumed you meant via drugs but you didnt specify in how large an area a kid dies everyday, is it in Australia? If there are over 365 deaths of kids attributable to "just" illegal drugs in Australia then I will apologise though I find that hard to believe, feel free to educate me with your facts and figures rather than rhetoric though its much more effective. If its the world well that problems a little big to solve on an internet footy forum but hell share your view

I wasnt making light of the problem btw...I was making light of your simplistic stance on it .
Yes I possibly am insensitive but I'd hate to think I was some dumb arse that saw things in black/white or good/evil caricatures .

Do I know people who have ruined their lives by drugs? Depends on your definition of ruined I guess, I know a couple of people who F'ed up things big time through going over the top with "substance abuse" though most have pretty much recovered from it and straightened themselves out.

I just dont get the whole prohibition crowd I guess, as by outlawing it all you do is drive it into the hands of those underworld types you were moaning about in your initial post. Prohibition doesnt work never has and never will, its human nature it seems to be contrary and the more you demonise things the more some (usually younger types) will want to give you the metaphorical finger and go do it.

If you are going to call someone a moron its probably best if you dont make simple grammatical errors whilst doing so.

 

[Bolt1493]

Leather Poisioning - "You're beginning to make a fool of yourself because you're annoyed at the treatment Didak got.

Don't take it out on people who are actually arguing for the same thing you were with Didak."

Hawthorn lead the charge against the Eagles & Didak - mainly because of your high profile prez - ban Cousins for 2 years was his call despite no positive tests. Will he call for the same for his players or perhaps it should be life bans with 2 positive tests?

While I agree the medical records should never have been used, the fact is your club has a drug culture & you ain't copping it like the Eagles & to some degree Collingwood did over Didak. Perhaps Benny will now not be boo'ed when in Melbourne. You are getting little sympathy now owing to your club's previous statements.

By the way if the Telegraph piece is right the player is much more than a source for mates on a big night out.

That being said I think recreational drug abuse are not as big an issue as alcohol abuse & that all drugs should be legalised. I am not really too bothered by it all. So, some young overpaid boof heads do drugs - what a shock. Here was me thinking they was paragons of virtue & members of born again christian sects.

 

[lazy]

My take on the drug issues

As a fan of AFL I would want to be damn sure that they players are not using PED's. This testing should be stepped up ro reach international standards. This should be the number 1 priority of the AFL in regards to a drug policy. If a player in caught using PED's then he should be banned for life.

I wouldnt bother testing for recreational drugs outside of game day as I believe it should be left up to club to determine if they want this and if they want to pay for this. Some clubs would put it in the contract of the player as they would think it would be important in the branding of the club. Others would not.

However, if a player is caught doing recreational drugs then they should be automatically suspended for a 1 year. As in my book they have embarrassed the club and the league and brought the game into disrepute. Any other drugs matters should be referred to the police. Simple.

If a player is caught distributing drugs then he should be banned for life.