The player-led crackdown on discipline at the Gold Coast Suns has claimed another victim with Danny Stanley to join Harley Bennell, Trent McKenzie and Brandon Matera on the sidelines for disobeying a team drinking ban.
Stanley will not be considered for selection for Saturday’s clash with Adelaide in Carrara after it emerged he had also broken the team-wide edict that no alcohol be consumed six days out from an AFL match.
The Suns’ utility was playing in the NEAFL on the weekend and was not present during the meeting where Rodney Eade reinforced the drinking ban following their breakthrough win over the Brisbane Lions.
But such is the club’s availability crisis, Stanley would have been in line for a senior call-up.
Eade has now been left with just 24 suitable players from which to pick, with key defender Steven May suspended for three weeks and Jack Martin, Seb Tape and Jarrod Garlett copping injuries against the Lions to add further heft to a huge casualty list.
But an unapologetic Eade, who faces an uphill battle to compile a balanced, competitive side to take on the Crows, said it was time standards were enforced at the club.
“We’re trying to build the correct culture,” he said.
“Probably historically, players are telling me that people [at the club] maybe run their own race a little bit at times.
“If we’re going to be successful, the players have got to own the team, drive each other, challenge each other, set standards.”
Tom Nicholls and Charlie Dixon also admitted to consuming alcohol but will not be suspended, since they were drinking at dinner with their families on Sunday, which is permitted under the player-enforced rules.