Opinion David Buttifant - do we need to be worried?

[The Royal Sampler]

With the ACC report coming out there appears to be a mothership-sized storm coming down on sports science and conditioning departments of AFL clubs, with some "high-performance" staff across various sporting codes allegedly using players as guinea pigs, to see what can be gotten away with in terms of avoiding a positive test.

David Buttifant is our guru and much lauded by players and coaching staff alike. I dearly want to believe he is the reputable and knowledgable resource we've always had reason to think he is. Ought we be fearful of what might come out of our sports science department's efforts to keep our boys at the top, or are our concerns rightly limited to what a rogue element in our playing group are getting up to when the bright city lights are calling?

 

[MagpieJoel]

Not sure any of us could really know. It'll all come out in the wash.

I'd be more concerned about MM to be honest. The boys sure were big at West Coast in the 90s.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

I don't know, but I am certainly shitting myself at the moment because not knowing is the worst thing.

 

[Matz]

The club should release a statement advising its members where they currently stand with all this in their department

 

[Swooop]

Good question to ask.

I'd be amazed if anything dodgy though. Essendon bodies changed shape last year in a noticeable, read suspicious, way.

Apparently that Dank guy is not even sports science qualified, not that having a qual would ensure 100% that the person was above board.

We do need to be sure though, because damage to the brand, possible adverse health consequences plus any penalties that would follow >>>>>> any possible marginal benefit to performance outcomes.

 

[Bugz]

Sorry to intrude- but I would guess that its one AFL club with the systematic approach (Bombers?!), mixed in with a few rogue players from elsewhere. Hope our and your players have more integrity- but who knows.

 

[Shellz]

The club should release a statement advising its members where they currently stand with all this in their department

I say they are drafting something now. Checking with legal, PR and the sports scientist/doctors.

 

[Matz]

I say they are drafting something now. Checking with legal, PR and the sports scientist/doctors.

i hope you are right.

 

[Old Spice]

I don't mind if Butters is not qualified, and I am led to believe there are issues of definition around what sports scientist is even meant to mean.

But I will say that Dank sounds an extremely shady character and I would think an abberation in the League. Our issue may be with individuals, just like any other club.

 

[jimmy35]

It won't make one iota of difference if the club issues a standard press release, the truth will come out in the wash eventually.
Hopefully we have acted with honesty and integrity but I don't think anyone is sure just how far Collingwood have pushed their own boundaries.

 

[KJpie]

Whilst you can never say never Dank's has prior history with a multitude of clubs in different sports. More concerns and supposed evidence is being leaked by the day and he is reportedly under federal police investigation for illegal drugs to boot. On top of this the fact is he was sacked by his own club. In comparison Butt's has a long history of excellence and is held in extremely high regard amongst his peers, furthermore he has no priors.

Eddie and Co have been extremely strong Re: their thoughts relating to Rec drugs taken by players outside of club time that they can hardly control, I hardly think they would allow any form taken within their control. I have faith in the club and staff!!

 

[KJpie]

From an Essendon perspective you have to wonder who or whom were responsible for his employment and the process or lack off that finally awarded him the position. Who ever they are their probably finding a place to hide at present.

It would seem due diligence was on holidays at the time?

 

[4#Didak#4]

I am not too worried in terms of club involvement. The report by ACC & general media reporting is that there is only one club implicated in administering the doping with a couple to be investigated. Its pretty clear who these are.

My concern would be that players are going off on their own or using shady contacts to obtain the same treatments. This could be through an independent advisor like Dank who has worked individually with Woewodin, Cousins & even Mr perfect James Hird back in the day. This could be through "underworld" contacts who can acquire the goods. It could simply be through online purchases from overseas.

I think (hope) the Bombers case is a one off disaster and a case of collective adminstrative brain fade and will centre around one or two individuals who have been able to embed themselves at clubs.

However, as with the recreational drugs there will always be a small cross section of players dabbling in it across all clubs off their own bat. This is being seen in the VFL already. If this is the case and are detected then they will be dealt with accordingly and rightly so.

 

[kevind]

Met with a former player a few weeks back who played 9 years of AFL for 2 different clubs and seems to still be in contact with many at AFL level. He claims that it is comon knowledge amongst his AFL'mates' that Collingwood has a major drug problem and that 1 Collingwood player has had 3 strikes already.

Wouldn't elaborate if it was purely recreational drugs or performance enhancing drugs, but He's not the sort of guy that usually talks up rumours

 

[TradeDraft]

Met with a former player a few weeks back who played 9 years of AFL for 2 different clubs and seems to still be in contact with many at AFL level. He claims that it is comon knowledge amongst his AFL'mates' that Collingwood has a major drug problem and that 1 Collingwood player has had 3 strikes already.

Wouldn't elaborate if it was purely recreational drugs or performance enhancing drugs, but He's not the sort of guy that usually talks up rumours

Well Few Hawks Players suppose to be on 3 Strikes as well if you believe Rumors

 

[jmac70]

At this stage I think we need to trust in Buttifants reputation. It has also been suggested that athletes have purchased PEDs independantly of their clubs. This worries me more.

 

[SteeleBeams]

Well Few Hawks Players suppose to be on 3 Strikes as well if you believe Rumors

Yeah, alot of rumours circulate, you'd have to say 70% of them would be false.

As for worrying about Butters - who knows. All you can do is hope that everything has been done by the book. Although as for physical stature at our club, not many people have stacked on the muscle in rapid periods - whereas it is believed that is the case down at Windy Hill.

 

[jmac70]

Met with a former player a few weeks back who played 9 years of AFL for 2 different clubs and seems to still be in contact with many at AFL level. He claims that it is comon knowledge amongst his AFL'mates' that Collingwood has a major drug problem and that 1 Collingwood player has had 3 strikes already.

Wouldn't elaborate if it was purely recreational drugs or performance enhancing drugs, but He's not the sort of guy that usually talks up rumours

You should be careful what you write Kevind.

 

[4#Didak#4]

Met with a former player a few weeks back who played 9 years of AFL for 2 different clubs and seems to still be in contact with many at AFL level. He claims that it is comon knowledge amongst his AFL'mates' that Collingwood has a major drug problem and that 1 Collingwood player has had 3 strikes already.

Wouldn't elaborate if it was purely recreational drugs or performance enhancing drugs, but He's not the sort of guy that usually talks up rumours

If your mate is actually telling the truth then I can confirm its definitely say its not performance enhancing as you do not get strikes for that its purely for recreational. If they did have 3 strikes its safe to assume they are no longer playing as per the rules. It would also go against what the AFL is saying - however their credibilty is quickly evaporating.

 

[mattys123]

Met with a former player a few weeks back who played 9 years of AFL for 2 different clubs and seems to still be in contact with many at AFL level. He claims that it is comon knowledge amongst his AFL'mates' that Collingwood has a major drug problem and that 1 Collingwood player has had 3 strikes already.

Wouldn't elaborate if it was purely recreational drugs or performance enhancing drugs, but He's not the sort of guy that usually talks up rumours

BULLSHIT. Absolute crap, sorry but that bolded part is, as soon as a player gets his third strike he is publicly named and shamed under ASADA and WADA rules, that's the deal the AFL has, and as far as I can remember there has only ever been one AFL player named as having three strikes under the current rules and that's Travis Tuck. (Justin Charles was suspended under the old rules).

And as far as the thread title goes don't worry about any club driven misuse of drugs. If you've ever had the pleasure of talking to David Buttifant, even for a few minutes you would understand his approach to illicit drugs, and that simply is that anything that is on the banned list under the performance enhancing banner is completely off limits in any of his programs. He is a little more lenient on the illicit drug use (not that he encourages it, more of a realistic approach) and that too has been spoken about by a few people, but when it comes to performance enhancing drugs the only way a Collingwood player will be found on them is if they've sought medical treatment outside of club hours/time.

 

[TradeDraft]

BULLSHIT. Absolute crap, sorry but that bolded part is, as soon as a player gets his third strike he is publicly named and shamed under ASADA and WADA rules, that's the deal the AFL has, and as far as I can remember there has only ever been one AFL player named as having three strikes under the current rules and that's Travis Tuck. (Justin Charles was suspended under the old rules).

And as far as the thread title goes don't worry about any club driven misuse of drugs. If you've ever had the pleasure of talking to David Buttifant, even for a few minutes you would understand his approach to illicit drugs, and that simply is that anything that is on the banned list under the performance enhancing banner is completely off limits in any of his programs. He is a little more lenient on the illicit drug use (not that he encourages it, more of a realistic approach) and that too has been spoken about by a few people, but when it comes to performance enhancing drugs the only way a Collingwood player will be found on them is if they've sought medical treatment outside of club hours/time.

Espically what happened to his Son

Agree with 1st Paragraph about the 3rd Strike

 

[jmac70]

I agree with you Matty but it is a fair question to ask (title thread). I think Justin Charles was done for PEDs.

 

[mattys123]

I agree with you Matty but it is a fair question to ask (title thread). I think Justin Charles was done for PEDs.

Yeah he was, but it was under a different system to the one used today, he was banned for 2 years (basically ending his career anyway).

And yeah I get the reason for this thread, because the Government's inquiry and the AFL won't name anyone specifically we are all worried about whether or not any of our players or staff are involved.

The simple answer is "We don't know yet".

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I agree we'd know about it if someone had had their third strike already.

 

[KJpie]

Collingwood has a major drug problem

Without stating the obvious we can only hope this is not the case.

That said with the amount of money a lot of these boys are paid, the spare time on hand as well as the free shite they are offered/ exposed to I would be surprised if it was not an issue for every club. On top of this it has been well documented for a decade or more that players have turned to Rec drugs instead of alcohol or a combo of both as a means to keep their skin folds down.
Parko was correct 20 years ago stating the players needed another vice outside of football.