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THE AGE THURSDAY,THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 2016 4242 2016 AFL GRAND FINAL WEEK SWANS v BULLDOGS Former Kangaroo Petrie keen to hop across to West Coast to replace injured Naitanui Released North Melbourne veteran Drew ligament. Petrie believes he would be up to the 428 goals in 316 games for the Kangaroos Petrie (left) has confirmed his interest in a move task if required. ‘‘They haven’t given me any between 2001 and 2016. He said the club would to West Coast, but says he doesn’t expect to guarantees,’’ he said. ‘‘They’ve scoped out my forever remain close to his heart, even if he know his future for several weeks. The Eagles are level of interest, and I think they’ve got a few didn’t remain close to theirs. ‘‘I’ll bleed and blue reported to be considering picking up Petrie as a other players that they’ve got their eye on. and white,’’ he said. ‘‘But the club was great; they replacement for injured ruckman Nic Naitanui, I think it’s going to be a few weeks before they took me off the website about three minutes who will miss most of the 2017 season after give me any guarantees or certainties, but I’m after I got the flick. They’ve been quick to take all surgery on a ruptured anterior cruciate feeling OK at the moment.’’ Petrie kicked those things.’’ Allan accused of telling GWS staffer to delete email Michael Gleeson club at the home of welfare man- ager Lambert for fear that drug- Former Greater Western Sydney testers may have intended to test football boss Graeme Allan told a him. staff member to delete an email The fear,as expressed in the text from Lachie Whitfield’s girlfriend messages, was that he had taken an that raised alarms about the play- illicit substance that might have er’s alleged drug use and beha- been laced with a performance- viour. enhancing substance such as had Whitfield’s girlfriend had occurred with Collingwood pair emailed Brett Hand, a player wel- Lachlan Keeffe and Josh Thomas, Injured skipper Bob Murphy goes for a run with the team at Whitten Oval. Photo: Getty Images fare worker at the club, expressing who were subsequently banned for concern about her boyfriend’s be- two years. haviour, his possible drug use and Avoiding an illicit drug test that he was hiding from drug- would only have drawn a strike un- Bulldogs set to block out the testers. der the AFL’s illicit drug code, but Hand is understood to have seeking to avoid a test out of fear of approached Allan about the performance-enhancing drugs be- email. He was told by Allan that ing present falls under the WADA razzmatazz, focus on business he would deal with it and instruc- code and if found guilty, draws a ted Hand to delete the email. Al- mandatory minimum four-year Andrew Tate ‘‘[We’re] trying to keep it as nor- looking forward to the weekend.’’ lan is understood to have told ban for the player and the two offi- mal a week as you can, but it’s obvi- Stringer said he was thrilled to be Hand the girlfriend was erratic, cials, Allan and Lambert. As sidelined Western Bulldogs ously a bit hard because it’s a grand a part of the Bulldogs’ attempt at difficult and that he would handle The AFL concluded a long in- captain Bob Murphy says ruckman final. We’ll keep the meetings the history. the matter. vestigation before presenting the Jordan Roughead should recover same, but there will obviously be a ‘‘It’s just an exciting week for the Hand deleted the email and is brief to ASADA which considered from his eye bleed to play in the fair bit of fanfare outside of the club. club and for me personally and all not accused of any wrong-doing as the details and returned the brief grand final against Sydney, mid- Probably tomorrow we’ll switch into the boys,’’ he said. ‘‘Our first grand he was following instructions from to the AFL requesting it get legal fielder Lachie Hunter says the game mode and then the meetings final for 55 years. We are really a manager and believed the matter advice on the next move. grand finalists will kick into game will really kick into gear and turn looking forward to getting out there was being dealt with. The AFL is understood to have mode on Thursday and switch off our head to the game.’’ on Saturday and letting it rip. Allan, who has replaced Neil since received that legal advice and all outside distractions. On the difficult decision facing ‘‘We had a really young group Balme as football director at is deciding how next to proceed. Hunter, speaking at a promo- Bulldogs selectors with regards to and we have matured a lot in two Collingwood, had also deleted text There is understood to be some tional event at the MCG with team- Roughead, Lin Jong and Matt Suck- years and I’m just proud of every- messages on his phone between scope to charge the players with mate Jake Stringer, said the Bull- ling, Hunter was diplomatic. one and all the supporters who him and Whitfield and player wel- conduct unbecoming under the dogs were well aware of the need to ‘‘I’m glad I don’t have to pick it, it stuck with us and we’re looking all fare worker Craig Lambert. AFL’s rules. embrace the excitement of grand is obviously a really tough one ... so right now.’’ An AFL investigation into the There are no mandatory penal- final week, but then leave it behind. we’ll leave that up to them.’’ Stringer said the Dogs knew matter discovered the missing text ties for someone found guilty of ‘‘It’s such a different week and a Hunter, a Bulldogs father-son what they had to do to beat the messages and email. that charge. one-off for the year. You’ve just got selection thanks to his father Mark, Swans. The text messages and email are Allan and Lambert have consist- to embrace all the different things said his dad was enjoying the week. ‘‘I think it just really starts with at the heart of the AFL investiga- ently protested their innocence to that come with it and take it as it is ‘‘The whole family is rapt,’’ he the contest inside and then it sort of tion into claims the player was de- their new clubs. Lambert is now ... you can’t hide from them,’’ said. ‘‘Everyone who is part of the spreads away. I think if we get the liberately hidden away from the employed at the Brisbane Lions. Hunter said. Bulldog community is obviously contest right it will go a long way.’’ Eade leans toward Dogs, not upset over O’Meara Andrew Tate eventuated at this stage, there’s Eade, who coached both the think the top seven teams were re- kicking eight goals 12, you’ve got to still a bit of shadow boxing at the Western Bulldogs and Sydney, latively even and you get your play- kick 12 goals eight.’’ Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade moment. No, I wasn’t (upset) be- says he is leaning towards the Dogs ers on the park and, they are miss- Eade said when he coached the says that while he may not have cause I haven’t coached him. ‘‘He in the grand final. He said the Dogs’ ing a couple of players, anything Bulldogs he did not feel the weight agreed to it, he isn’t upset at Jaeger hasn’t played a game . There’s no sudden emergence showed what can happen and they’ve been fan- of history and the club’s lack of O’Meara’s decision to request a point being angry about it, it’s just was possible with a young team, tastic the past three weeks.’’ success. ‘‘I didn’t feel the pressure trade to Hawthorn. the way footy is and if we can come but it was surprising how quickly Eade said both teams had chal- as such as if that was a burden, it O’Meara has missed the past out in front on the deal, well, that’s they had come on. lenges in the big game, although he was sort of having an experience as two seasons with knee problems fine and we move on.’’ ‘‘Probably with their age, yeah, I tipped a defensive slug. a player and you wanted it for the since succumbing to a patella ten- Eade said he was hoping to get think they’ve done a terrific job ‘‘I think there’s a bit of query on players to experience and also for don injury in April 2015. O’Meara some experienced talent in the from where they’ve come from,’’ a few players at Sydney so hope- the supporters,’’ he said. hasn’t played in an Eade-coached trading period. Eade told SEN. ‘‘Obviously in pre- fully for their sake they have got ‘‘You see the genuine passion in Gold Coast team. ‘‘It’s a good draft and having so vious few years they struggled to everyone right,’’ he said. ‘‘Obvi- the supporters and they were ter- Eade said there was no further many picks we will be able to con- score a bit, but they’ve certainly ously both teams are very good de- rific support and they’ve stuck word on compensation from the vert them into players .

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