Joel Smith (MEL) banned for drugs

[What'sinaname]

^
1. It's not just Melbourne. Every club will be caught up in this.
2. If a player believes they might have an illicit drug in their system, they engage with the club Doctor, and have a test. If it's positive, they avoid playing to avoid a possible 2 - 4-year sanction if tested ASADA. Not sure of the issue here. If a truck driver thought he/she was drug affected and had a test, and as a result decided not to get behind the wheel, then that's only a good thing.
3. What happens between a Doctor and patient is no one else's business.

[Mr Miyagi]

I just can’t agree, Whatsinaname. The AFL and MFC have brought the game and system into disrepute, but it’s now clear who owns the football media. No one is sticking their neck out and Dr Arain has been thrown under a bus by the AFL.
It’s amazing the supportive articles for Melbourne today, you’d think they’re the victims. Imagine if it was a Collingwood club doctor…

[What'sinaname]

I challenge the disrepute part of it. Disrepute from whose perspective? Not the AFL as this is the system they brought in. Is it the public - well who cares about them. If we worried about the public, then Collingwood and the AFL would be guilty of bringing the game into disrepute after the Maynard incident as the public was more outraged over that than this latest drugs issue.

[think positive]

More fool the public then

[What'sinaname]

^ why does it matter the real reason why a player misses a game. Players are injured, players are managed, players are dropped, players miss for family reasons. So does it really matter if a player misses if they have drugs in their system. Does the public need to know that.

Do we pry into the lives of players if they miss for personal reasons?

[Mr Miyagi]

Whatsinaname, they were cheating the system so players wouldn’t test positive on game day. Cheating. Blatantly. The world antidoping authority is completely correct in blasting the AFL and Melbourne.

It’s amazing how other clubs are treated compared if it were Collingwood. Bloody hell the upper elite MFC old boys must have some mind blowing dirt on key AFL people.

“‘We only have each other’: How the Demons galvanised amid raging scandals
Melbourne’s culture has been questioned, with coach Simon Goodwin saying actions speak louder than words. In the last month, the Demons’ actions have been convincing.”

[Presti35]

I half expected them to fall off a cliff. But it seems they have gotten away with any kind of scrutiny from the media. And they are travelling alright.

What's important to remember though, is those running the AFL will not want them winning the flag.

[stui magpie]