Silence on Lions drug den claims

The AFL has yet to comment on whether they will investigate allegations of match-fixing, illegal gambling and drug use levelled at the Brisbane Lions.

No comment: Brisbane Lions chief executive Malcolm Holmes is silent on the drug claims. Picture: Glenn Barnes Source: The Courier-Mail

THE AFL has refused to reveal if it will investigate serious allegations of match-fixing, illegal gambling and drug use levelled at the Brisbane Lions.

Jason McGrath, the cousin of Lions premiership player Ash McGrath, has made a series of threats to expose behaviour at the club between 2002 and 2009, as the fallout continues from Australian sport's doping storm.

Jason McGrath, a confessed drug dealer, was seen in the Lions' dressingrooms and at functions at times during that period.

The newspaper made contact with Jason McGrath after he made a series of Facebook posts claiming he was ready to expose dodgy AFL practices: "If you don't think the drugs and match-fixing is real, I bet on the AFL and was involved in a game being fixed."

He told the newspaper he had been a drug supplier between 2002 and 2009 and named six Lions players from that period who were heavy users of speed, ecstasy and marijuana.

He said members of the Lions' coaching staff knew some players were regular drug users.

Lions chief executive Malcolm Holmes refused to confirm if the club would investigate the claims or pass the allegations on to the AFL.

"The Brisbane Lions do not comment on unsubstantiated allegations, rumour or innuendo," Holmes said.

The AFL has also refused to say whether it will look into Jason McGrath's claims.

The Courier-Mail can confirm the Lions administration at the time had heard suggestions about drug use by two of the players in question.

Jason McGrath claims to have been involved in fixing a match involving the Lions in 2003, another instance of spot fixing, and to have regularly received inside team information from Lions players just before games for the purposes of betting.

Jason McGrath also told of an occasion where he had delivered an ounce of speed to a Mad Monday celebration at the Broadway Hotel, another where a player was hospitalised after a binge on speed, and multiple times where players had smoked pot in his home.

He also said he had supplied cocaine to players on occasion.

Four players named by Jason McGrath are still playing in the AFL.

He also claimed he would provide to the newspaper betting slips and phone records to substantiate his claims about match-fixing, but he has since gone to ground and refused to return phone calls.

He claims to have received threats from a current player after making his Facebook posts.

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Stokes to miss at least a week

West Coast, Fremantle and Geelong all grab wins in NAB Cup triple-header, overcoming hot conditions in Perth.

Matthew Stokes walks off the ground after rolling his ankle. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

GEELONG is hopeful Mathew Stokes' rolled ankle will only keep him out of action for one or two weeks, despite him currently hobbling around in a moon boot.

Stokes turned his ankle in a tackle in the Cats' two-point win over West Coast and was on crutches post-game.

But Geelong football manager Neil Balme said he didn't expect the small forward to be out longer than a fortnight.

"It's hard to put a time on it but maybe a week or two, I think," Balme said on SEN.

"We're not all that worried about it."

"While the docs were concerned about it, he's got a moon boot and all that to take the weight off it but it's not all that bad, they reckon."

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Break confirmed for young Crow

A devastated Brodie Smith with his left arm in a sling after injuring his left shoulder Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE's worst fears with hard-working midfielder-defender Brodie Smith have been confirmed with a break to his left collarbone.

But Smith, 21, may not need surgery to correct the break suffered in the opening five minutes of Sunday's NAB Cup clash with Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, where he landed heavily on his shoulder on the outer wing.

Smith will miss as many as eight weeks of competitive football, effectively putting him out of the first month of the AFL premiership season.

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"It's disappointing. Brodie is such an important young player for us and had a fantastic year in 2012," coach Brenton Sanderson said.

After the match, Sanderson said Smith's injury would "test our depth".

Smith, who has played 36 AFL games since his AFL debut in 2011, was on track to be one of Adelaide's critical players for setting up opportunities to a new-look attack.

Meanwhile Angus Monfries' Port Adelaide debut was soured by a hamstring injury.

Power coach Ken Hinkley said Monfries had suffered a grade one hamstring strain which would sideline him from Port Adelaide's round two NAB Cup clash against Melbourne in Renmark on Sunday, March 3.

But Hinkley said Monfries was to be rested from the clash anyway.

"It's of no major concern for Gus or us," Hinkley said.

Monfries hurt his hamstring late in the loss to Adelaide in which he impressed with 11 disposals and one goal.

In the earlier win over St Kilda, the former Essendon forward had four touches.

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Monitor cap in heat: Buckley

Collingwood cach Nathan Buckley believes the AFL may have to alter its planned cap on rotations if extreme weather conditions continue. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley expects the AFL to scale back its planned trial of a cap on interchange rotations if there is a continuation of the hot weather in which the pre-season competition opened.

St Kilda, Adelaide and Port Adelaide players struggled through their triple-header in temperatures as high as 38 degrees at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

But they were at least able to have six interchange players and make team changes for each of their two mini-matches per side.

In the later rounds, teams will play full-length games, with three interchange players, one substitute and a limit of 20 rotations per quarter, a trial geared towards potentially introducing such a cap in the 2014 season proper.

Buckley, whose Magpies are due to play their first match under the cap against West Coast in Perth on March 3, said while he understood the AFL's desire to trial the cap, introducing it during one of the hottest periods of the year could be problematic.

"We obviously care for the welfare of our players," the Magpies coach told reporters in the Victorian town of Healesville, where the club are holding their community camp.

"It's probably something the AFLPA (players' association) will look pretty strongly at over the next couple of days in particular.

"I can understand the AFL's want to gather information about the cap on rotations and try to make it as realistic as possible with a three and one interchange bench.

"But if we're playing in 35-degree-plus conditions, whether it's Collingwood or any other team, I think there's a duty of care to the playing group to make sure that we shuffle things a little bit to make sure players aren't under undue duress at this stage of the season in particular.

"I'm sure the AFL and (players' association) will come to an arrangement there and I'd be surprised if we didn't see some movement to support the welfare of players."

Buckley said if the AFL did press ahead with the cap in hot weather, the information gathered would barely translate to the regular season anyway.

"If you're taking statistics from a 37, or what was it in Adelaide on the weekend, 38-degree day, with a three-and-one bench and cap of 80 rotations, that's not going to happen very often in June or through the middle of home and away," he said.

"You're not working off a level playing field."

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Dank's plea to stay in the game

Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank. Picture: James Croucher Source: The Daily Telegraph

STEPHEN Dank has been cast as the chief scientific villain in the biggest doping investigation in the history of Australian sport.

But Dank says he has never used performance-enhancing substances in the NRL, including the illegal peptide GHRP-6, and hopes to work in rugby league again.

With the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority under increasing pressure to deliver a scalp in the doping probe, sports-science guru Dank yesterday spoke for the first time about his precise involvement with NRL clubs.

In a candid interview with News Limited, Dank:

Denied issuing the banned substance Warfarin to Cronulla players;

Said he was not aware of illegal peptides being used in the NRL;

Revealed his supplementation regime at Manly played only a minor role in their 2008 premiership win;

Claimed a lack of knowledge of sports science had fuelled baseless suspicions about doping in the NRL.

Dank's involvement with AFL club Essendon remains under ASADA investigation, but the besieged sports scientist insists he never presided over an NRL doping regime and is keen to return to the sport.

"I have done nothing illegal with any club in the NRL," said Dank, who met with his legal team last night to explore defamation proceedings.

"Not one player under my care has ever tested positive to performance-enhancing drugs.

"The truth is I would love to work in the NRL again. At the end of the day, I love helping athletes and I have ideas, legal ones, which I think can contribute to rugby league.

"All this (doping allegations) upsets me deeply because it is not true. I am not a doping scientist or a cheat.

"People ask me to test the boundaries and to find an edge.

"I try and maximise athletic performance, but I do it legally. I never cross the line. Simple."

Asked if he had an ongoing involvement with individual NRL players, as flagged in the Australian Crime Commission report, Dank said: "No."

Asked if NRL hierarchy had directly flagged doping concerns with him, Dank said: "Never. No club has raised anything against me with the NRL."

News Limited has obtained the high-performance program issued to NRL clubs detailing Dank's methods. Much of the program relates to the use of hyperbaric chambers, blood-testing, DNA profiling and training technology underpinned by GPS tracking systems.

There is no mention of peptides, the controversial supplement at the centre of the ACC's probe into AFL powerhouse Essendon and illicit drug use in Australian sport.

Dank piqued the interest of ACC investigators over his scientific methods at Manly, Penrith and Cronulla, including the possible use of Warfarin, a blood-thinning agent to promote anaerobic capacity, at the Sharks.

Asked if illegal peptide use exists in the NRL, Dank said: "There are legal peptides in protein shakes used by NRL athletes and footballers around the world.

"But I certainly don't believe there are performance-enhancing drugs in the Australian sporting landscape such as the growth hormones and testosterone stuff being talked about.

"There are peptides in various protein supplements, but many are legal and freely available."

Dank also lifted the lid on his methods at Manly, saying ill-informed critics were confusing the guarding of intellectual property with "something scurrilous".

"Sports scientists like myself aren't proponents of anything illegal," he said.

"It annoys me and hurts me because at the end of the day, Manly were a success story because of their coach, their players and their work ethic.

"We looked at periodisation of players training, how they recovered, the supplement program was only a small cog to be perfectly honest.

"In terms of science, we do barely anything in Australian sport. The way we train, the way we supplement athletes and the way things are done generally borders on mediocrity.

"Rugby league has the greatest untapped potential of any sport in this country and possibly any sport in the world."

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Geelong boss happy with recruits

West Coast, Fremantle and Geelong all grab wins in NAB Cup triple-header, overcoming hot conditions in Perth.

Geelong's Josh Caddy tackles Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne during their NAB Cup clash in Perth. Source: Getty Images

Geelong's Jared Rivers in action against West Coast in the NAB Cup. Source: Getty Images

GEELONG coach Chris Scott says he was delighted with what he saw from recruits Josh Caddy and Jared Rivers in the NAB cup triple-header in Perth.

Geelong, Fremantle and West Coast had a win each last night but, for the Cats and Eagles especially, it was noteworthy for the displays by some recruits and encouraging returns from long-term injuries by others.

Geelong came back to beat West Coast in the opening game on the back of a last-minute Joel Selwood nine-point super goal before falling short in another attempted comeback against the Dockers.

Most encouraging for Scott was the form of recruits Caddy and Rivers, as well as the return of Travis Varcoe off half-back after he was limited to just one game in 2012.

Caddy has 24 AFL games to his credit with the Gold Coast Suns and the 20-year-old arrived at Geelong set to be a long-term midfielder.

Rivers is at the other end of his career after 150 games at Melbourne and Scott was equally pleased with both.

"I thought he (Rivers) was impressive. He looks to me like a Geelong defender already. We aren't getting too carried away, but it was overwhelmingly positive - Jared's performance. But to be clear, Jared Rivers is not filling Matthew Scarlett's role,'' Scott said.

"We thought he (Caddy) was pretty solid. He got in good spots, was able to win the ball and looked strong in the contests. The indications are that Josh is going to be the sort of player we thought he would be.''

Geelong's Josh Caddy tackles Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne during their NAB Cup clash in Perth. Source: Getty Images

Scott also doesn't believe he has any reason to worry over an incident involving Steve Johnson and Fremantle foe Hayden Ballantyne.

"There tends to be not too much friction in NAB one,'' Scott said.

"I didn't really see what happened and I know he was down for a long time, but I was more concerned with how quickly he got up to set up the next goal. He didn't look too bad did he?''

West Coast coach John Worsfold liked what he saw from All-Australian forward Mark LeCras in his first official game in 17 months because of a serious knee injury. He also was impressed with Collingwood recruit Sharrod Wellingham.

"I was rapt. I think he (LeCras) was rapt too. He was just keen to get it all going again. His pre-season has been outstanding so it's just good to know he's up and going again,'' Worsfold said.

"He had a smile on his face after the game so I would say he's pulled up pretty well. That goal he kicked was probably to make sure he's still got it.

"It was a short hit out for Sharrod, but we were really pleased. He showed why we picked him, and we know what role we want him to play and he did it well.''

Fremantle did lose Chris Mayne (ankle) and Aaron Sandilands (glute) to injury during the night, but coach Ross Lyon is confident will both right in a fortnight's time with Matthew Pavlich, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy and Nat Fyfe among those set to face Carlton in the Dockers' next game.

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Saints turn up heat on Crows

St Kilda's Jack Steven and Adelaide's Matthew Wright contest for the ball at AAMI Stadium. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

Clinton Jones looks to handball. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

A RAZOR sharp St Kilda has drawn first blood in today's NAB Cup triangular series at AAMI Stadium.

The impressive Saints led from start to finish in scorching 38-degree heat to crush last year's NAB Cup premier Adelaide by 26 points, 0.8.2 (50) to 0.3.6 (24).

St Kilda - fielding a far stronger side than the Crows - booted four goals without reply in the first half to effectively knock Adelaide out of pre-season grand final contention in the opening round.

The Crows did not lose a game in five NAB Cup matches last year.

Today they were never in the hunt.

The Saints - whose game was built on short kicks to open targets - controlled the midfield, were well-marshalled in defence by Farren Ray and Arryn Siposs and had a dominant forward line.

Former Swan Trent Dennis-Lane and Beau Maister each kicked two goals for St Kilda while smalls Terry Milera (two), Ahmed Saad and Stephen Milne (one each) led their opponents a merry dance.

In contrast, the Crows - fielding a second-string team - had only one goalkicker.

Small forward Graham Johncock booted all three of their goals in an encouraging inside-50 display.

Adelaide badly missed key players Scott Thompson, Patrick Dangerfield, Taylor Walker, Rory Sloane, Sam Jacobs and captain Nathan van Berlo, who were all rested as coach Brenton Sanderson focuses solely on the premiership season.

But he would have been disappointed with most of his kids, who did not grab their opportunities.

Josh Jenkins - who wants departed Kurt Tippett's spot in attack - failed to take a mark, while fellow key forward Lewis Johnston had just one disposal.

Apart from Johncock, Brodie Smith stood out at half-back for Adelaide while Matthew Wright was impressive in the midfield with nine possessions.

Beginning a new era without its former star Brendon Goddard, who joined Essendon in free agency, St Kilda used the ball with great precision, recording 47 marks to the Crows' 26.

Playing without captain Nick Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Lenny Hayes and Sam Fisher, the Saints were sharp, quick and well-drilled.

Dennis-Lane showed he would be a handy addition from Sydney while ruckman Tom Hickey highlighted why the club was so keen to trade for him from Gold Coast.

Surprisingly, the 20/20 match was not shortened by five minutes despite the high temperatures.

ST KILDA 0.4.1 0.8.2 (50)
ADELAIDE 0.0.4 0.3.6 (24)

BEST
St Kilda: Ray, Siposs, McEvoy, Dal Santo, Geary, Gwilt, Saad.
Adelaide: Johncock, Smith, Wright, Mackay.

GOALS
St Kilda: Dennis-Lane, Maister, Milera 2, Saad, Milne.
Adelaide: Johncock 3.

UMPIRES
S. McBurney, D. Harris, C. Bowen.

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LIVE: Power v Saints

Sam Kerridge (Crows) and Ollie Wines (Port) will make their debut today.l Picture: Matt Turner Source: The Advertiser

FOLLOW the Round 1 NAB Cup action between Adelaide, Port Adelaide and St Kilda from AAMI Stadium

5:31pm AEDT - Adelaide 3.6 (24) were defeated by St Kilda 8-2 (50)

ST Kilda way too good for Adelaide in the first clash at AAMI Stadium today.

They started well and never gave the Crows a sniff.

It was a very impressive performance and coach Scott Watters would be very happy with that.

The Saints will take on Port Adelaide in the second fixture today.

Beau Wilkes after kicking a goal against Adelaide. Source: Getty Images

5:22pm AEDT - Adelaide 2.5 (17) trail St Kilda 8.2 (50)

HOW exciting do St Kilda look?

Their vast array of small forwards are making mince meat of Adelaide.

Johncock kicked his second for the home side, but other than that it has been all St Kilda.

Stephen Milne and Milera both with clever goals.

The Saints and Crows in action. Source: Getty Images

5:16pm AEDT- Adelaide 1.5 (11) trail St Kilda 6.2 (38)

BEAU Maister marks and goals to kick the opening goal for St Kilda in the second half.

But it is not all bad news for Adelaide with Graham Johncock getting the Crows on the board after roving off the pack.

It was booted to the hot spot and Johncock did enough to get his hands on it and run into an open goal.

But the Saints replied straight away through Dennis-Lane.

Saints look hard to beat.

5:02pm AEDT- Adelaide 0.3 (3) trail St Kilda 4.1 (25) HALF-TIME

IT has been all St Kilda at AAMI Stadium, who lead Adelaide by 21 points at half-time.

The Saints are full of running and look dangerous up forward.

While the Crows have been slow to get going and have wasted many multiple chances in front of goal.

Can the home side turn it around in the second half?

Arryn Siposs and Josh Jenkins compete for the ball at AAMI Stadium. Source: Getty Images

4:55pm AEDT - Adelaide 0.3 (3) trail St Kilda 3.1 (19)

VERY lively opening for St Kilda, who have kicked the opening three goals of the game.

Trent Dennis-Lane found some space to break away and mark 30 metres out from goal.

He made no mistake to give the Saints a two-goal lead over the Crows, who have been sluggish in the early going.

The home side have wasted a number of chances in front of goal.

The Saints are making them pay with Ahmed Saad snapping his first for the day.

4:47pm AEDT- Adelaide 0.1 (1) trails St Kilda 1-0 (6)

TERRY Milera has booted the first goal of the game for St Kilda.

The small forward, who kicked 19 goals last year, received a free kick for a high tackle and calmly slotted it through.

Richie Douglas nearly had the first goal of the day when he burst clear 60 metres from goal.

He let fly just outside the 50m but it hit the post.

Lively opening at AAMI Stadium.

Daniel Talia gets Terry Milera high at AAMI Stadium. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

4:15pm AEDT-

HELLO and welcome to our live coverage of today's Round 1 NAB Cup clash at AAMI Stadium.

At 4:40pm AEDT, Adelaide will take on St Kilda.

At 5:45pm AEDT, Port Adelaide will then take on the Saints.

At then at 6:50pm AEDT, brace yourself for when the Crows and the Power lock horns.

Follow all the action right here!

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'O'Meara will lead Suns': Ablett

Gary Ablett says Jaeger O'Meara, right, could be the next captain of the Gold Coast Suns. Picture: Glenn Hampson Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

GARY Ablett says he expects to retire a Suns premiership player but not captain and has anointed teenager Jaeger O'Meara as his potential replacement.

Ablett also identified David Swallow and Tom Lynch as young players with outstanding leadership credentials who would make worthy skippers.

O'Meara has yet to play an AFL game as he was ineligible because of age restrictions in 2012.

But Ablett said O'Meara displayed maturity beyond his years and the fact he has yet to taste senior action did not mean he could not quickly emerge as his successor.

"He has got a lot of talent, he is a very hard worker and leads by example," he said.

"As soon as he gets the confidence and starts speaking up a bit more he could be the future captain of our football club."

Ablett has always maintained the Suns' first premiership would not come until the senior players recruited in 2010 to build the club were no longer the headline act on the football field.

He also believes that extends to the leadership of the side.

"I think we need it for the side to get better, and a couple of them have already stepped-up in the leadership group," he said.

"I think a lot of guys can step up into the leadership group next year and if they squeeze us older blokes out, they can take those duties and we can concentrate on our footy.

''Ablett is by no means trying to dump the captaincy but says he expects to play out his career under another captain."I'm enjoying it at the moment," he said.

"But when the coach and club think someone else is more suitable I'll happily hand it over.

"I've come here to win premierships and if that means someone else stepping into the captaincy that is fine by me."

Ablett's nomination of Lynch may surprise Suns fans but he is highly regarded by the match committee for his enormous work ethic and competitiveness and is one of the most respected voices in the side.

Ablett said this was the first pre-season where he felt the younger generation were ready to stamp themselves on the competition and take control of the side's destiny.

He said O'Meara, Swallow and Lynch were the drivers behind a new level of confidence and maturity from the side's crop of exciting young talent.

"Sometimes talented kids come to clubs but they don't really understand what it takes to be an AFL footballer," he said.

"From day one they have worked hard and they have listened, that is the main thing."

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Merrett poised to sign again

Daniel Merrett is set to sign a deal that will make him a Lion for life. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

BRISBANE vice-captain Daniel Merrett will be a "Lion for life".

The 28-year-old is poised to sign a contract extension with Brisbane that will see the vice-captain finish his career as a one-club player.

The fullback would have been a free agent at the end of this season but he will sign a new deal before this year's competition starts.

"I've got every intention of being a Lion for life. I'm very close to re-signing," Merrett said.

"I'm a Queensland boy and I want to stay in Queensland and be a one-club player.

"This club has a proud history, I love the club and I love the jumper.

"The club has invested a lot into me and I want to repay that. I'm happy where the club is headed and I want to be a part of it."

Merrett has played 135 senior games since his debut in 2005 and at his best is an All-Australian contender.

The Gold Coast junior spent most of last season in the forward line but will return as a full time defender this year.He is a contender for the vacant co-captaincy post but expects the club to give the nod to a youngster.

"We've got a great group of young guys coming through who can step up to the plate. I don't whether or not I take on a mentoring role and allow these young guys to spread their wings and grow as leaders," Merrett said.

Merrett and Lions captain Jonathan Brown visited flood-affected areas of Grantham and Laidley yesterday as part of Brisbane's two-day community camp in Toowoomba.

Brown visited the Grantham State School two years ago, soon after the town was ravaged by flood waters.He said the community had done an "awesome job" of rebuilding.

"The community spirit is incredible. I know, being from a small country town myself, how strong people are in the country," Brown said.

"These people know how to get up after they've been knocked over. You wouldn't have blamed them for leaving but they have rebuilt and stayed strong."

Merrett said it was a humbling experience to see the community triumph over hardship.

"When you see what these people have gone through, it puts things like a bad week on the training track into perspective," he said.

"It's definitely inspiring to see the smiles on faces no matter how tough times have got. We'll probably get more out of this than the kids will."

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