Dons grill team over drug use

AFLPA CEO Matt Finnis says the roles of club doctors and medical professionals are being diminished sports science.

Essendon coach James Hird asked his players if they took drugs. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: The Advertiser

ESSENDON has interrogated every player on its list about using performance enhancing drugs as it continues to examine every aspect of the drugs scandal.

Coach James Hird, who fronted a Bombers board meeting on Thursday night, and football department boss Danny Corcoran this week summoned each player to individual meetings.

A meeting was also held yesterday in Canberra where Bombers chairman David Evans and chief executive Ian Robson met senior ASADA officials to ascertain the process of the investigation.

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At Essendon, several crisis meetings involving all the playing staff have been held, one of which was headed by Evans.

The players were told at one meeting the club did not know if they had been given banned drugs.

At the Hird meetings, the players were asked: Is there anything you need to tell us? Is there anything the club needs to know?

Each player answered no.

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Although the answer was expected, Hird is understood to have found great comfort from the meetings, further strengthening his belief that his players did not knowingly take performance enhancing drugs.

Sacked sports scientist Stephen Danks has denied he gave the players prohibitive drugs when using injections and intravenous drips when loading players with supplements.

Some of those injections were done off-site, across the road from Windy Hill.

Thursday night's board meeting heard everything from Danks' signing to his departure, his unorthodox practices, the signing of consent forms and why and the expectation ahead of the ASADA investigation.

Directors were told strength and conditioning coach Dean Robinson, who joined the club in 2012, insisted that Danks join him as his sports science sidekick.

Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich says their players have been injected with vitamin supplements, but all above board.

Robinson has been suspended pending the ASADA investigation, but he's not expected to to return to the club.

Evans said yesterday it had been an "extremely difficult'' week for the players and their families.

"There's going to be a lot speculaiton, about our players, about our club and possible sanctions but remember not one of our players has not tested positive for any banned substance or performancing drugs,'' he said.

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AFL clubs under scrutiny

Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich says their players have been injected with vitamin supplements, but all above board.

Essendon high performance manager Dean Robinson worked at Geelong and Gold Coast, prompting the AFL to investigate those clubs. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

A SPECIAL AFL forensic team will investigate the operations of the two clubs who previously employed suspended Essendon high performance manager Dean Robinson.

Geelong and Gold Coast have been told the league's investigators will be putting the microscope over every aspect of their high performance departments.

Robinson, who was stood down by Essendon on Tuesday, joined Geelong in 2007 as its strength and conditioning coach before moving to the Suns at the end of 2010.

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Brisbane is also on the league's hit list after admitting Stephen Dank, the performance scientist who was brought to Essendon by Robinson and is the man at the centre of the scandal, had been briefly employed as a consultant to the Lions.

The AFL is planning to audit all clubs over their use of drugs and supplements with every training practice reviewed.

Geelong has maintained it has nothing to hide about the way it conducted its sports science and fitness departments during its stunning premiership run.

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"Everyone in this organisation is accountable," chief executive Brian Cook said earlier. "That accountability is a high focus within our footy club.

"I'm confident we won't be implicated. The processes we use are pretty sound.

"The doctors are the only ones allowed to give injections, the doctors have to sign off any vitamin purchases made and we have a supplement register."

Geelong Football Club CEO Brian Cook with the 1st Brownlow Medal returned to the club. Picture: Glenn Ferguson Source: Geelong Advertiser

Despite the latest scandal, Cook said the club would continue to remain on the cutting edge of sports science.

For the past three years the Cats have had their own sports science advisory committee which is made up of elite sports scientists from across the country, including the Australian Institute of Sport.

Cook said while that committee was always looking for the next competitive advantage in the sports science area, it operated in a "very ethical framework'' that complied with Anti-Doping regulations.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire yesterday revealed the Pies had already conducted their own  audit of their sports science procedures including substances used by the club.

AFLPA CEO Matt Finnis says the roles of club doctors and medical professionals are being diminished sports science.

"We have already audited Collingwood two days ago and we are ready to come in with our ideas of what has to happen,'' McGuire said.

"After what happened in the last couple of days, we wanted to make sure everything is right and ship-shape at our club, to make sure we have the protocols in place.

"If there is anything to uncover I welcome it. One of the things that has been lost in translation is that we don't want to win a premiership by cheating. So we stand for sportsmanship. You have to stand up for that.''

Hawthorn has also conducted an audit which found players were only taking multivitamins and protein powder.

Brisbane coach Michael Voss said he was "not concerned at all'' about the club's links to Dank given the very "limited involvement'' the club had with him.

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Star-struck Tigers punished

The Indigenous All Stars show a united front against the Tigers. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

RICHMOND'S first game of the year descended to almost embarrassing levels last night after the Tigers were swept aside by the Indigenous All-Stars.

In warm conditions, the Tigers were never in the hunt and went down 14.6 (90) to 6.4 (40) in front of 8350 fans at Alice Springs' Traeger Park.

Richmond couldn't, or wouldn't, match the All-Stars' hunger at the contest and struggled to contain their run and spread from stoppages in the slightly shortened match.

Both sides missed key players, with stars including Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli, Shaun Burgoyne, Brett Deledio, Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt all sitting out.

The All-Stars' speed inside 50m was the telling factor, with Graham Johncock (three goals), Liam Jones, Eddie Betts (both two) and Lindsay Thomas (one) all on the end of quick counter-attacks.

Betts - involved in an intriguing match-up with Steven Morris - Thomas and Johncock all had moments of brilliance.

Liam Jones marks strongly under pressure. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

But it was Jones who caught the eye early, with the Western Bulldogs forward leading quickly and marking strongly to kick two first-quarter goals.

Leroy Jetta's 60m bomb on the run helped the All-Stars to a 23-point quarter-time lead they never looked like relinquishing.

It was an even performance from the victors, who were propelled by the midfield influence of Harley Bennell, who won the Polly Farmer Medal for best afield.

Alwyn Davey and Lindsay Thomas were consistent contributors, Neville Jetta was a success off half-back, while Brett Goodes showed signs he could make it at the highest level playing in the same position.

Richmond started with Luke McGuane and Aaron Edwards deep inside 50m in the absence of Riewoldt and Tyrone Vickery.

McGuane kicked two, but Edwards' first game in yellow and black was a success. The former North Melbourne and West Coast forward looked bright early before the supply dried up.

Second-year forward Todd Elton looked promising, despite his kicking continuing to let him down. Dustin Martin lifted after a poor first quarter, but his influence was blunted by unusually poor execution.

Acting captain Shane Edwards got better as the game wore on. Orren Stephenson did the lion's share of the ruck work in the absence of Ivan Maric and finished with two goals.

The Tigers played three draftees - Nick Vlastuin, Kamdyn McIntosh and Matthew McDonough - and rookie Cadeyn Williams.

While none of the quartet exerted any great influence, none looked out of their depth. Vlastuin's ferocious attack on the football late in the match was eye-catching.

GOALS All-Stars: Johncock 3, Jones, Betts 2, Leroy Jetta, Ryder, Ugle, Thomas, Anderson, Bennell, Newman Richmond: McGuane 2, Stephenson 2, McDonough, Edwards BEST All-Stars: Bennell, Johncock, Thomas, Alwyn Davey, Jones, Betts Richmond: Martin, Grigg, Edwards, Jackson, Conca, Elton

ALL-STARS 5.0 8.1 12.4 14.6 (90) RICHMOND 1.1 2.1 3.1 6.4 (40)

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Milne boots four in Seaford heat

Stephen Milne starred in St Kilda's first intraclub practice match of the year. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

AGELESS Stephen Milne set the pattern for another productive AFL season as a standout performer in St Kilda's first intraclub practice match today.

Milne booted four goals and set up at least another three with his renowned crumbing work in the forward line at Seaford.

The form of the 258-game veteran was high on coach Scott Watters' list of encouraging signs from the workout that lasted nearly two hours.

Watters said Milne was on a modified training program early in the pre-season to protect a minor knee problem.

But the 32-year-old stepped up his work when players resumed after the Christmas break.

Milne looked sharp and keen and the coach continued to marvel at his leadership and example for younger teammates.

He had a hand in two of fellow forward Terry Milera's three goals while another small forward Ahmed Saad also chimed in with two.

Beau Maister - formerly Wilkes - was impressive among the tall targets with three goals and midfielders Jack Steven and David Armitage were others to show impressive early touch.

Captain Nick Riewoldt, best and fairest winner Lenny Hayes, Sean Dempster, Adam Schneider and Rhys Stanley were the senior players to sit out the opening practice match.

Watters was the overseer of the game, supervised by a full complement of field and boundary umpires, that gave players short breaks every 10 or 15 minutes for onfield drinks in the heat.

Ruckman Ben McEvoy ran to the dressing rooms with a trainer midway through the match and didn't return. But

Watters said he was fine and the rest was only to manage his heavy workloads.

St Kilda starts its NAB Cup campaign against Adelaide and Port Adelaide in Adelaide tomorrow week.

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Vitamin injections no worry: Rosich

CLEAN: Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich says his club has nothing to fear from any investigations stemming from the ACC report. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou is adamant that cheating of any form in the AFL will not be accepted and you will be caught.

The AFL announce new measures to their Integrity Commission to catch drug cheats including more investigators and more drug testing.

Former Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy chats to Fox Sports News about the Bombers doping scandal, saying anyone found guilty should be banned from the AFL.

FREMANTLE CEO Steve Rosich has admitted the club has injected players with vitamins to aid their recovery but said the Dockers have nothing to fear from investigations stemming from the bombshell Australian Crime Commission report.

Rosich was also adamant Fremantle players did not take anything illegal provided by former sponsor Nutrition Systems, the supplements company whose parent company was fined more than $3m for importing and supplying unregistered substances.

Nutrition Systems sponsored the Dockers in 2008 and 2009.

"It was essentially a marketing contract. It was a non-exclusive supply arrangement," Rosich said.

"We vetted the products that we utilised and that process as we normally would, so we're very comfortable.

"I'm really comfortable with our people, our structure, our processes, so no, we don't have a major concern at the Fremantle Dockers.

"We've got well-respected and credentialed people in our sports science department."

Rosich did not believe the year-long ACC probe had looked at Fremantle.

"The short answer is we don't know definitively, but every indication is from what we know that no, we weren't part of that,'' he said.

"Our club has a food-first focus, and the supplements are obviously part of that process, but they are only a minor part of it.''

Rosich said players sometimes received injections to aid recovery.

"In some instances, if a player's feeling that way that they need a quick infiltration of vitamins, but no only natural substances in that context,'' he said when asked if players were injected with supplements.
 

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Vince held back in intra-club game

Bernie Vince was held back at Adelaide's pre-NAB Cup intra-club game. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE has no headache but a few more things to think about after a drama-free internal trial behind locked gates at AAMI Stadium.

The cautious Crows opted to hold back midfielders Bernie Vince and Richard Tambling and young defender Sam Shaw after having more than 44 players to spread across two evenly matched teams.

There was no dramatic change to the way the Crows played, with coach Brenton Sanderson's 2012 theme of contested football and direct movement through the centre corridor continuing to 2013.

But there is to be a change in how Adelaide lines up some of its players as Sanderson seeks depth by greater versatility of his men.

The question of who partners key forward Taylor Walker - either Josh Jenkins or Shaun McKernan - in the absence by defection of Kurt Tippett to Sydney appears destined to linger through Adelaide's defence of the NAB Cup starting on Sunday week.

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Jumping Jack jets home sick

Jack Riewoldt will miss tonight's match. Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images Source: HWT Image Library

RICHMOND superstar Jack Riewoldt has flown home early from Alice Springs with an illness.

The Tigers spearhead flew back to Melbourne this morning after contracting the flu on the clubs Pre-season camp in the Northern Territory.

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A Richmond official said Riewoldt had long been ruled out of tonight's exhibition match against the indigenous All Stars as he continues his recovery from injury.

Geelong pair Alan Christensen and Travis Varcoe also flew home this morning.

The absence of Riewoldt further dilutes the talent on display at Alice Springs' Traeger Park tonight, with Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli, Shaun Burgoyne and Adam Goodes all not playing.

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Crows will step up drugs protection

Adelaide Crows chairman Rob Chapman says his club will ramp up protection against the drugs scandal. Picture: Michael Dodge. Source: Getty Images

ADELAIDE is ready to step up its protection against illegal drug suppliers and organised crime units to ensure it is not trapped in Australian sports' latest scandal.

A day after declaring they were "fully compliant'' with AFL guidelines and "every confidence'' in the club's medical programs, the Crows today reaffirmed they could do more.

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"No one can ever be 100 per cent certain that their staff and players are not involved (in drug taking or match-fixing), but given the significant education, welfare and support that is provided by us to our staff and players we have every confidence that we are compliant,'' said club chairman Rob Chapman in his follow-up statement today.

"All our club medical and physical conditioning staff have been consulted following recent events and the club is in the process of conducting our own analysis, but we believe their conduct is consistent and compliant with AFL guidelines.

"We will continue to review all club systems and procedures.

"The Adelaide Football Club acknowledges the gravity of the Australian Crime Commission's report findings.

"The club fully supports the investigations and the AFL's response, which we think is comprehensive and clearly signals a new sense of urgency which we subscribe to. We will assist the AFL in any way to ensure the integrity of the game and our club is upheld.''

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Hawks lend helping hand

Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge gets his hands dirty working for Blazeaid in Tasmania's bushfire-affected Connelly's Marsh region. Picture: Roger Lovell Source: The Mercury

HAWTHORN captain Luke Hodge led a player charge to help Tasmania's bushfire affected communities.

The Hawks were already planning to do the rounds in Tasmania during this week's community camp prior to January's devastating fires, but changed tact once the enormity of the disaster became clear.

A text from Hodge to club chief executive Stuart Fox during the players' holidays set plans in motion and on Thursday a group of Hawks got their hands dirty -- and legs bloodied -- to help repair fences in the farming community of Connelly's Marsh.

"I think everyone was pretty keen to get down and help where we can,'' Hodge said.

"We've got such a tight bond with Tasmania and as soon as you hear anything that's happened with the guys down here you automatically think you want to get down and help.

"You don't actually realise the impact the recent fires had on the people down here until you get out on the roads and see it for yourself, see all the land that's been burnt and driving past houses that are gone.

"We just want to help a little bit, clean up a bit of their property. It's only little but we do as much as we can.

"I guess it's also just to let everyone know that we are thinking of them and anything we can do we will to try and help.''

Hawthorn, in consultation with the Tasmanian government, identified the areas most in need of support throughout their three-day Tasmanian sojourn.

Players based in Hobart will also visit Sorrell, Dodges Ferry, Cambridge and Dunnalley.

While Victorians paused to reflect on the fourth anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires, Fox said it was important to keep Tasmania's recent fire victims in mind.

"This is our 11th year of coming down here for our community camp and we take it pretty seriously, Tasmania, and we're very proud of our partnership,'' Fox said.

"So when we come down we try and work hard spread our wings and get to as many people as we can but this year has been more of a focus on the bushfire effected areas, although we do have blokes in Launceston and on the east and west coasts.

"We don't come down here just to kick a few footballs around and shake some hands ... when we come down we want some genuine engagement.''

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Port boss stunned at drug use

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas says he is stunned. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: The Advertiser

Justice Minister Jason Clare on the shocking findings of the Australian Crime Commission investigation into Australian sport.

PORT Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas says he was stunned by Australian Crime Commission findings of widespread drug use and links to organised crime in sport.

However Thomas believes the Power will emerge unscathed from a year-long investigation by the ACS which established elite sport links to illegal drug taking and match-fixing.

Thomas did concede that no club could be 100 per cent sure it's players had not used illicit substances.

The Power had no knowledge of the bombshell dropped by Federal Sports Minister Kate Lundy, police and sport bosses today.

"Like everyone in sport the findings were a shocked," said Thomas.

"When we heard reports coming out Essendon it gave us a chance to assess our own situation and I am confident our own guiding principles are sound and safeguard against the issues we could be open to."

Thomas said a repeat of the Essendon furore over use of banned growth hormones would not be possible at Alberton.

"We only purchase supplements from reputable brands and they are all batchtested. Everything is monitored and our players are educated to report being offered any products," said Thomas.

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