Say

"Didak for Kerr"

Three times quickly

and then you realize how badly that we really need some wind

Shaw, Didak out for season


August 05, 2008

COLLINGWOOD have suspended wayward stars Alan Didak and Heath Shaw for the rest of the year and admitted their AFL futures remain in doubt.

Shaw and Didak were suspended after lying to the club following a drink-driving incident on Sunday night.

"When you have two of your key players looking your president, the coach, their own teammates in the eye and actually lying to them, that really destroys the essence of the club," said Magpies chief executive Gary Pert.

A third player - Shaw's older brother Rhyce - was fined $5,000 after it was discovered he had been drinking over the weekend while injured.

Heath Shaw's original fine of $10,000 stands while Didak, described by Collingwood as a repeat offender, was fined $5,000.

The episode forced Collingwood, which has a history of refusing to suspended misbehaving players, into a massive backflip.

Pert admitted there was no guarantee Heath Shaw and Didak would be playing for the club next season but that decision would be made at the end of the year.

Didak was on a "last chance" before recently signing a new no-restriction two-year contract worth $800,000, following his involvement with convicted CBD murderer Christopher Wayne Hudson last year.

"It's something that obviously during the discussions yesterday and this morning we addressed," Pert said.

"Do these players deserve to be part of the Collingwood Football Club? We don't have any resolution on that and that's something that will be evaluated at the end of the year."

Pert denied Collingwood had a drinking culture, but said the actions of Shaw and Didak had struck at the core of the club's integrity.

"I don't accept that (accusation) at all but I do accept that people will be looking at the Collingwood Football Club asking questions," Pert said.

"We're dealing with our sponsors, we're dealing with our members, we're dealing with young players who may want to play with the Collingwood Football Club into the future.

"Do we have a cultural issue on that? Absolutely not. We've got a playing group that isn't behaving like that, and lives every day disciplined and focused on winning a premiership and they're as devestated.

"If this club found their behaviour as acceptable then maybe we've got an issue there.

"Unfortunately we are focused on two players that have made really poor decisions and that has affected their behaviour which I think will regret for the rest of their life.

"It was decided by the leadership group, the executive, that these two players actually don't deserve to wear the Collingwood Football Club jumper and that's why they're not playing for the rest of the season."

Pert rejected the notion that the club placed winning games above the social problems such as drink-driving, claiming he was perplexed why some players ignored the law.

"We can put in place the rules, we can educate the guys - these guys have sat in this room here and they've been educated by people who have lost their family members through drink driving," he said.

"These guys nearly had tears in their eyes yet months later they go out and do that.

"We can't be there when they turn the key and make stupid decisions but we won't tolerate it," he said.

Walsh said the value system of the club was undermined once players began lying about their behaviour.

"If that (honesty and integrity) is taken away or if that's diminished in any way, shape or form, we'll then you're striking at the very essence or very core of your exsistence," Walsh said.

"You may as well turn the lights off and go home."

Bondalucci said...

I'm a Pies supporter ..

You poor thing. I think eventually they will find a cure for you

GO CATS

Are these guys like slaves or something ???

I think the dockers would be prepared to swap their first three draft picks for Didak, Shaw and Kerr!

combine those with the genius (jeff Farmer), what a combo.

I like your thinking Jman.......except for te essendon bit.