Prestia signed for a couple years a year or so ago if I recall.

may have been a couple of seasons back, by the end of 2015?

Clubs have the ability to set standards of behaviour and have excellent compliance from their players on all manner of issues. Look back to the 60's and 70's and smoking and drinking footballers were not uncommon. I think it was Brent Crosswell who had a tete a tete with Ron Barassi over his mandatory halftime smoke. Gold Coast clearly don't have inside tabs on what their players are doing off the field, but a huge part of this problem is the criminality of the substances they've taken (cocaine, as K.Hunt is spilling the beans over). They're already underground, and thus an industry of concealment already exists.

In this way, I think football clubs show something of society in general. Some people want to take drugs, then do and continue, or stop completely, or with certain drugs become casual users. No drug is exceptional to this. They will ALWAYS be available, and there will ALWAYS be a market for them. Prohibition DOES NOT work, and never will. De-criminalise all drugs, and the problem is approached in a whole new, more realistic, and constructive way. It seems a radical idea only because drugs are associated with criminality/moral breakdown, and none of us have known anything else. The idea provokes such wild reactions of horror from some that it's yet to be seriously discussed in this country. There is a very smart and growing list of people advocating for it now, so it will happen, but not for a while methinks. Most importantly, for young moneyed footballers, drugs will lose the lure of the illicit, the dangers of criminal association, and introduce an acceptance of the reality which clubs can address more openly, such as with alcohol.

Totally agree. It would also take away the market for criminal gangs if it were supplied through legitimate means and fully regulated and supervised by the medical profession. Criminals love the current arrangement: it commands a premium price because of its illicit nature; it is not taxed - it is estimated government's globally miss out on over a billion dollars in tax revenue annually assuming tax was at the rate of tobacco; and the 50% of our prisoners who are incarcerated because of their drug activities would not be in prison.

As the AFL keep on a saying it is a medical issue, not a legal one. One of their more enlightened viewpoints. Pity our politicians don't yet see it in that light.

The Broadcast Rights are now worth too much $$$$

The league cannot afford to lose star players.

This is why their drug policy is so pathetic.

It is also why they are so concerned about WADA.

The AFL needed Govt. support so they signed the WADA code...

Where else does one get 3 strikes and anonimity in this world

This is why Lance "Thug" Franklin gets a week when others get 4

I have seen Lance snorting Candy with others

He knows he will be protected

I think you are right on there

Integrity and evenhandedness are two words totally foreign to the AFL.

It is all about $$$$$, and keeping their "marquee players" on the field.

Amazes me how anyone in that position allows a pic to be taken of him. What purpose could it possibly serve, other than to drop him in the schit?

Pretty easy to take photos on the sly with camera phones these days even when sober, but especially if you're inebriated, therefore not fully aware of what's going on around you.

It really feels like this is beat up GCS month (hey, thank god it's not us), but I can't help the feeling that the resentment from some factions is actually aimed more at the AFL through the Suns, and is linked heavily to the handling of the Essendon Saga and previous grievances.

Another massive fail by Andrew Demetriou and his offsiders creasing this plastic franchise.

Could have had a Tassie team instead.

You cant blame them for doing drugs or trying drugs its a part of growing up...When I played sports at state level my whole team got on the drugs together it made us a better team because we had fun aswell as playing well..

I hope this is tongue in cheek, if not its a very worrying attitude.

Another massive fail by Andrew Demetriou and his offsiders creasing this plastic franchise.

Could have had a Tassie team instead.

Tassie was never going to happen, A friend of mine was the one that conducted the research into which town got the 17th AFL and presented their finding to the AFL. South East QLD is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia. The AFL is trying to get into growing areas early and establish a base. Tassie was ruled out because of the population and potential growth and also sponsorship challenges.

Apparently 12 GCS players were named by Hunt.

The HS have 'coincidentally' found 'incriminating', 2 yr old photos in their archives of one player.

Thereby implicating the player as one of the 12.

This is a very shallow and transparent way of getting around the AFL request for player confidentiality.

They have set this young man up to be pilloried, humiliated and to be the fall guy.

I wounder what else the HS have in their archives on AFL players and why they chose Harley for special exposure?

Yes, he is talented, controversial and one of their best known players so makes good headlines.

But the cynic in me wonders whether they would do this if he was not an indigenous player.

Harley deserves the same protection as other players. Shame on the HS for 'exposing' him or any player.

I hope my cynicism is misplaced but I wonder about the HS agenda.

Apparently 12 GCS players were named by Hunt.

The HS have 'coincidentally' found 'incriminating', 2 yr old photos in their archives of one player.

Thereby implicating the player as one of the 12.

This is a very shallow and transparent way of getting around the AFL request for player confidentiality.

They have set this young man up to be pilloried, humiliated and to be the fall guy.

I wounder what else the HS have in their archives on AFL players and why they chose Harley for special exposure?

Yes, he is talented, controversial and one of their best known players so makes good headlines.

But the cynic in me wonders whether they would do this if he was not an indigenous player.

Harley deserves the same protection as other players. Shame on the HS for 'exposing' him or any player.

I hope my cynicism is misplaced but I wonder about the HS agenda.

I don't see it that way at all.

This guy (& how many others) has been racking up for over 28 months. Having a lovely time.

Who is running the fkn club?

3 Strike Drug policy. Good one AFL

Vlad fled just at the right time didn't he.

Set up this total sham and then disappear

How many $ Millions have we shovelled up north just so the AFL can have a huge TV monopoly whilst most Victorian club are on a drip feed ($ 91 million combined debt??) Most of them were forced to move to a privately owned stadium that is killing them slowly.

Meanwhile up north it's party time at the Soulless Francaise. Nothing lasts on the Gold Coast

The whole place should be shut down.

Remember that photo is dated March 2013

It is now July 2015

I don't see it that way at all.

This guy (& how many others) has been racking up for over 28 months. Having a lovely time.

Who is running the fkn club?

3 Strike Drug policy. Good one AFL

Vlad fled just at the right time didn't he.

Set up this total sham and then disappear

How many $ Millions have we shovelled up north just so the AFL can have a huge TV monopoly whilst most Victorian club are on a drip feed ($ 91 million combined debt??) Most of them were forced to move to a privately owned stadium that is killing them slowly.

Meanwhile up north it's party time at the Soulless Francaise. Nothing lasts on the Gold Coast

The whole place should be shut down.

Remember that photo is dated March 2013

It is now July 2015

You may be right in all that SWYL.

My point was solely about the appropriateness of the HS 'exposing' one player.

The 12 should be treated equally: Give the protection of confidentiality to all or to none.

You may be right in all that SWYL.

My point was solely about the appropriateness of the HS 'exposing' one player.

The 12 should be treated equally: Give the protection of confidentiality to all or to none.

I understand that Luce. But this has been covered up for 2 Years.

Don't tell me the AFL didn't know about this.

Cocaine "come down" is very easy to spot.

The AFL are abusing our game and our $$ with this ill concieved franchaise.

The Gold Coast is like a small Las Vegas

Open 24/7

Another massive fail by Andrew Demetriou and his offsiders creasing this plastic franchise.

Could have had a Tassie team instead.

Yeah I tend to agree.

The AFL looked at the rapid growth in QLD and arrogantly assumed that another QLD based AFL side would appeal to the masses.

QLD is largely an NRL state, it was naive by the AFL to implement a team in QLD - just because it has a growing base.

On the other hand, Tasmania has over a 100 years of historical roots. There is no pressing need to sell the game to the masses - that hard work has already been done.

I think the AFL are now starting to realise that a team in Tasmania is more than doable, not only would it be viable economically, but it would add to a game in desperate need of romanticism. Not only has the public not bought into these plastic franchises, but it would now appear that the players also haven't either.

Another massive fail by Andrew Demetriou and his offsiders creasing this plastic franchise.

Could have had a Tassie team instead.

And then so Bennell would be snorting lines with a cardigan on and a snifter of brandy.

I understand that Luce. But this has been covered up for 2 Years.

Don't tell me the AFL didn't know about this.

Cocaine "come down" is very easy to spot.

The AFL are abusing our game and our $$ with this ill concieved franchaise.

The Gold Coast is like a small Las Vegas

Open 24/7

Agree. GCS and AFL would have known.

This saga may give insight into why McKenna was sacked and why a high-profile contender didn't get the gig.

This week Mckenna and Ablett have said: they had no idea!!

What the hell were they and their Player Welfare staff doing?

Head in the sand!

The AFL dropped the ball!

They have fessed up to being so busy with the Ess saga to notice the Lions were imploding.

Looks like they didn't act to stop the Suns imploding.

Can the GCS recover?

Possibly not. Maybe they then merge Lions and Suns?

$100m down the drain!!

Wasted top draft picks and the codes more talented players.

Sour taste for us and other teams stuck at the bottom of the ladder!

Seeing those pics in the Hun ... no wonder Grabblett and his mates were having prayer-a-thons, with SATAN in their very midst!

This whole Let's feel sorry for drug users nonsense, and give them all a cuddle is a damn farce in society.

If someone at the MFC or a player on our list gets caught using illicit drugs SACK them. I don't care if it's our marquee player or not! I will not pay membership money if a club knowingly keeps a player on their list who uses illicit drugs.

This pampering to drug users has gone too far......it's A typical of everything in society now....no one takes responsibility for their actions.

The AFL are pyssweek with its policy on drugs...let's cuddle them hey....what a joke!

Another massive fail by Andrew Demetriou and his offsiders creasing this plastic franchise.

Could have had a Tassie team instead.

Yeah, then Bennell could be snorting lines in Tassie instead of.... oh wait...

Another massive fail by Andrew Demetriou and his offsiders creasing this plastic franchise.

Could have had a Tassie team instead.

Ironically those photos were taken in Tasmania.

If someone at the MFC or a player on our list gets caught using illicit drugs SACK them. I don't care if it's our marquee player or not! I will not pay membership money if a club knowingly keeps a player on their list who uses illicit drugs.

You may as well stop paying for your membership now, as if you think Jamar, Sylvia and others didn't take illicit drugs during their careers then you're kidding yourself.

You may as well stop paying for your membership now, as if you think Jamar, Sylvia and others didn't take illicit drugs during their careers then you're kidding yourself.

You may as well stop paying for your membership now, as if you think Jamar, Sylvia and others didn't take illicit drugs during their careers then you're kidding yourself.

If all player vices were uncovered and punished, there will be a high standard prison competition to rival the AFL.

You may as well stop paying for your membership now, as if you think Jamar, Sylvia and others didn't take illicit drugs during their careers then you're kidding yourself.

Not kidding myself at all. I'm not naive enough to think it goes on! But if they get caught, then cancel their contracts full stop.

It's symptomatic of the drug culture ....throw mud at its detractors to deflect responsibility.

Have a look at the health system it's costing taxpayers millions upon millions every year because of a drug culture.

Society is in the gutter on this topic.

If someone at the MFC or a player on our list gets caught using illicit drugs SACK them. I don't care if it's our marquee player or not!

This policy works beautifully, right up until the moment when it turns out it's your marquee player that's been caught.

This pampering to drug users has gone too far......it's A typical of everything in society now....no one takes responsibility for their actions.

The AFL are pyssweek with its policy on drugs...let's cuddle them hey....what a joke!

You're not far off it ... the pampering and cuddling you will now see will be of the AFL. Bennell may or may not be collateral damage, but the protection effort will be in order: AFL, GCS, Bennell & his gang.

I wonder if anyone stops and pauses for one second to contemplate who AFL players fund with their drug use!

They include murderers, thugs, bikies, organised foreign and Australian crime gangs, who rape murder and torture people.

I wonder if anyone stops and pauses for one second to contemplate who AFL players fund with their drug use!

They include murderers, thugs, bikies, organised foreign and Australian crime gangs, who rape murder and torture people.

the idea that part of the "solution" to drugs in society is to get the crims out of the game has been canvassed by several here.