FootyGoss :: All the Latest AFL and WAFL Breaking News

Drugs stoke a ‘sad day’

By Mr Dandalooa

Geelong has imposed a raft of sanctions on Mathew Stokes after the premiership forward was charged with cocaine possession and drug trafficking last week.

In a statement released by the club on Monday, Stokes will be ineligible to play until round 8, with the club telling the alleged drug trafficker to “get a job” outside of football, plus he must pay a $5,000 fine and perform drug-related community service.

The Cats took a hardline approach and stood Stokes down indefinitely before he even faced court, when it was discovered he’d been arrested after a series of police raids the previous week.

Stokes was bailed to re-appear in court next month, but he will not be able to train with his team until at least round five, FootyGoss understands.

Yet the treatment of Stokes appears to pale in comparison to that of former Eagles star Ben Cousins, who in 2007 suspended by the AFL for 12 months.

Cousins was found guilty after a long drawn out hearing in November 2007, in front of the AFL commission, and found to have taken part in conduct unbecoming and likely to prejudice the interest of the AFL and bringing the game into disrepute.

West Coast sacked the Cousins in October that year following his arrest by WA police on two drug-related charges, which were subsequently dropped.

Fortunately for him the AFL allowed him to apply for the 2008 draft to play in last year’s season.

Unlike Stokes to date, Cousins was somewhat apologetic for his misbehaviour and admitted he had a drug addiction.

“I’d like to address the fact I am overcoming drug addiction which is an ongoing process,” he read from a statement at the time.

“I’d like to apologise to the AFL, its players and supporters for the embarrassment my conduct has caused.

“I am a lot further down the road to recovery than has been portrayed in the media.

“I am bitterly disappointed I cannot continue to play football but that’s not to say I have given up hope of doing so in the future.”

At the time, AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said it was “a sad day.”

For Stokes, aside from being out of selection contention until May 15, when Geelong faces the Lions at the MCG, he has a raft of other sanctions.

These include him only being allowed to train by himself; from round one to four, Stokes can train with the club’s VFL listed players only; from round five to round seven, he can train with the VFL squad and will be eligible to play in the VFL, and from round eight onwards, he will be eligible to train with the full squad and for selection in the club’s AFL team.

Geelong has also mandated that he join and regularly take part in a drug-related community program.

The club said in a statement that the sanctions will stand regardless of how the court finds Stokes on the drug charges.

Such a sad, sad day.