AFL, players reviewing illicit drugs policy

AFL Players Association chief Paul Marsh says the league’s illicit drugs policy is under review, and has hit back at claims by Nick Riewoldt that the association failed former Saint Sam Fisher.

Riewoldt reopened the illicit drugs debate on Monday, when discussing the situation of Fisher, who was charged last week with allegedly regularly trafficking large quantities of illicit drugs across state borders. Riewoldt also said drug use was a “massive” issue among current and former players, for current players had much time and money to spend.

The three-strikes illicit drugs code has long been a point of debate, in terms of whether it acts as enough of a deterrent.

St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt has taken aim at the AFLPA and the league’s illicit drugs policy.Credit:Getty Images

Speaking on SEN on Tuesday, Marsh said the policy was under review, with the league and players working towards an updated model.

“We’re doing a review of it at the moment. We’ve had a very similar structured policy in place since it started, which is close to 15 years ago,” he said.

“We have initiated this conversation with the AFL about probably two years ago … what we’re trying to do here is review the principles of it. But I think it is important to note that AFL players are just a subset of the community, most workers don’t have a policy like this, to take really hard approaches on these issues isn’t necessarily the answer.

“We are reviewing the principles, where that lands I can’t tell you yet, but we’re closing in on an outcome there.”

The AFL was contacted for comment.

Fisher, who played 228 games for the Saints from 2004-16, did not appear in court last week, and has preferred to remain in custody. Riewoldt said the AFLPA’s response to concerns he had earlier raised about Fisher had been slow and inadequate.

Marsh, however, said clubs also needed to take greater responsibility when helping players transition into life away from professional football.

“This has to be a joint responsibility, transition doesn’t start when a player leaves the game, transition starts when a player starts in the game,” he said.

“We, as an industry, run induction programs for the players, the clubs all have player development managers that work with the players day to day, and this is about trying to prepare players for their life after football.

“There’s a lot of resources and support available while they’re playing. So whilst, ultimately when they leave the game players will tap into the resources of the AFLPA, it has to happen while they’re playing because it’s too late when you get to the end to start thinking about what you’re going to do next.

“I think the clubs do take their responsibility in this space seriously. I’m not pushing the responsibility solely to the clubs, I think we all have to work together on this issue, that’s what we’re trying to do.

“Yes, we’ve had some issues like the one we’re talking about here, where in Nick’s words, ‘players have slipped through the cracks,’ but there have also been many success stories through the programs that we’re running.”

AFL chief Gillon McLachlan (left) and AFLPA chief Paul Marsh are working towards an upgraded illicit drugs policy.Credit:Getty Images

Club officials have told The Age the significant cut in football-department spending, as a result of the financial hit the game took during the pandemic, meant clubs were flat out predominantly dealing with their current list. There are times, though, when clubs help distressed former players financially or with other support.

Sydney coach John Longmire said on Monday that football departments were struggling.

“When $3.5 million was carved out of footy departments, there was going to be less [for] the playing lists, and what happens is you never want to give your players less service, so you’re doing it on less staff and those staff are still on massive pay cuts,” he said.

“So I feel for footy departments across the country because they’re all sort of absolutely working their fingers to the bone, and I just don’t think it’s right what the industry is doing to footy departments the way it’s been handled. You would have thought there would have been some comeback, but it still seems a fair way off, unfortunately.”

Under the illicit drugs policy, a first strike leads to a suspended $5000 sanction, compulsory counselling and education, before a four-match ban and $5000 sanction for a second strike, when a player’s name will be publicly disclosed. A third strike results in a 12-match ban and $10,000 sanction. However, only former Hawthorn player Travis Tuck has been publicly found to have had three strikes.

The “wiggle room” Riewoldt alluded to are through loopholes, where players who have tested positive more than once can be treated, rather than banned, if they’ve been diagnosed with a medical condition, including a mental health disorder. There is also off-season hair testing of players.

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