Fava dropped for alcohol breach

[Mambo No. 5]

Heard Fava interviewed on ABC radio this morning by Liam Bartlett. Can't say that I was all that impressed with Liam and his line of questioning but Scotty came up fine. It might not have come across very well in the media so far but the reading was not just an indicator for the amount of Alcohol in his system but more about the amount of Rehydration that he consumed whilst drinking alcohol. The better hydrated the body the better a player will recoup after a game.

Basically, the rule is in place so that players are not told how many beers they can drink, but how well they look after their bodies whilst drinking the beers. So as long as they stay well hydrated (ie. Drink losts of water as well) then they are not restricted by any amount of beers.

Fava also stated that he didn't eat any food after the match which also contributed to the reading.

So the moral of the story is. If you are going to drink, make sure that you eat food and also drink plenty of water.

Liam did finish of the interview by praising Fava for facing up to the indescretion and publicly stated that some of the other Perth based teams should maybe have similar policies.

[The InnFORCEr]

If the Eagles and Dockers had similar policies they would struggle to field a team each week (especially if they were drug and alcohol tets) plus the Western Reds wouldn't have lasted as long as they did that's for sure!!

[Burgs]

Yeah I agree that the Force are setting both a very high and a very responsible standard for themselves and perhaps other professional sporting bodies in WA.
If you are going to accept the big bucks on offer to play elite sport then you have to stick to your contract.
Full marks to Scotty for how he has presented himself and a little disapointing that the media aren't being a little more accurate about the issue. As always they are looking to sell copy however, with 20-20 hindsight perhaps the Force would have been better off releasing the actual reading and contracted agreed level when it was announced to the media.
This is not a drink driving offence or a fight in a night club as has so often happened in other WA codes, the only thing he is guilty of is breaching his contract and the only reason it is public news is because he won't be starting the next match.
And I would suggest look out Canes when he comes on!!!

[Mambo No. 5]

Fava said in his interview that the allowable limit was always going to be kept in house for the sake of any players privacy if a breach occured. Liam really tried to get it out of him but he wouldn't budge except to say that the reading is "well" below the legal driving limit.

But the limit is all about rehydration and not being drunk!!!

[luke_the_pom]

Well done, you never fail to amuse me........are you for real?

i have to admit i knew i wouldnt get on well with a 40yr old Scot and i on here to chat rugby and enjoy it..... as i dont enjoy any conversation we had you can say what you want without a reply from me


i know sportsmen in the afl and nbl and even a college baller in the states

and the amount of booze and alcohol that goes undetetected is HUGE
now unless they are going to test everyone everytime fo every drug it is impossible to whipe it out

there is a lot worst things that could have happened..... he wasnt even affected by it

i feel the Force owes the supporters the best team on the field each week giving us maximum chance of winning..... if they have any problems they can financially punish them or give them some community work but DO NOT take them out of the game

[Mambo No. 5]

Interesting point luke. Aparently the Brumbies are the only other Australian S14 team to have similar rules. However the big differnce is that the Brumbies implement monetary fines on the players not game time.

Fava suggested that with a young squad it would mean more for the players to lose game time over money. That is why the unity council went down the path that they did.

[luke_the_pom]

Interesting point luke. Aparently the Brumbies are the only other Australian S14 team to have similar rules. However the big differnce is that the Brumbies implement monetary fines on the players not game time.

Fava suggested that with a young squad it would mean more for the players to lose game time over money. That is why the unity council went down the path that they did.

im sure missing game time would mean more - i would hate it a lot more
but i feel they are punishing the whole team, supporters, etc
by leaving out fava they are giving us less chance of the slim chance we have of winning already

i know he has done wrong and i do not disagree he should be punished but i feel it is the Force's and Mitchells job to field the strongest team possible

sending him to do some community work benefits the community..... maybe he could visit a few schools or something along those lines
a money fine could go to charity

atleast these ideas are benefitting someone out there! compared to punishing everyone

the other 4 people to vote the same as me on the poll, would like to hear your thoughts as well.

[Darren]

I see a positive to it - it gives Davidson a starting run, and that certainly aint a bad thing!

[luke_the_pom]

yeah thats is a positive but does it out weigh the negatives?

[Mambo No. 5]

As far as positives and negatives. I think the number 8 position is one of our strongest. I am more worried about Mackay missing in the midfield. I think that Davidson will be a great replacement.

[Burgs]

yeah thats is a positive but does it out weigh the negatives?

When coupled with the message that it sends to the rest of the squad then absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.
The rule is there and is agreed on by all players as they have signed off on it, that is not going to change.
Perhaps it wasn't invisaged that a senior player would ever be the one to get caught, especially one of the ones who prepared the agreement, but he has.
It would be incredibly damaging to the team and club if they weakend their ruling because it might cost them a game.

but i feel they are punishing the whole team, supporters, etc

They would be punishing the whole team and supporters much more if they were not strong on making a blanket rule to all players.
The Force are not the ones at fault here, they are simply following through on an agreement that the player concerned actually developed.
It is Fava not the Force that is punishing anyone or letting them down, albiet unintentionally.
When dealing with a group of anything you cannot have double standards, so once the standard is in place and agreed upon there is no argument, and indeed there is no argument coming from Fava.
One thing is pretty certain, there will not be dehydrated players turning up to post match training and blowing over the agreed limit for the rest of the season!

[luke_the_pom]

i know what you are saying and i do agree in a way!

Just not sure if it is the BEST way to go about it

but its done now

[Pontyboy]

i know sportsmen in the afl and nbl and even a college baller in the states

and the amount of booze and alcohol that goes undetetected is HUGE
now unless they are going to test everyone everytime fo every drug it is impossible to whipe it out

So that makes it OK does it? This argument is flawed, because testing cannot pick on everyone we should not bother? The other sport I follow is cycling, look at what happened there because previously a blind eye was turned to testing... The sport was and is still reeling from the findings of just how many people "doped" in the pro peleton something WADA are still trying to combat....

i feel the Force owes the supporters the best team on the field each week giving us maximum chance of winning..... if they have any problems they can financially punish them or give them some community work but DO NOT take them out of the game

I feel the Force supporters deserve a team on the field that act as PROFESSIONALS, a night out on the sauce that could affect training and then subsequent performance (which believe it or not contributes to a WINNING team) is not what I would call professional. I'm not lumping Fava in this group, but these rules have to be set, Rugby is no longer an amateur sport, we pay the players wages, as such they need to repay that faith put in them by supporters and have some responsibility. It's good to see Fava copping this on the chin, especially as he was on the panel that set the rule.

Remember these guys are also role models to younger kids, so the message that you can get p!ssed without consequence is not a good one....

[The InnFORCEr]

Police quiz Brownlow medallist
From: AAP


February 17, 2006



WEST Coast Eagles captain and Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins has spoken to police after his car was found apparently abandoned on a Perth highway not far from a booze bus.

A Mercedes Benz was found stationary and without keys, but still with several passengers inside, on the Canning Highway in the upmarket Perth suburb of Applecross last Saturday night, police said.

Police were forced to call for assistance to remove the car, and further inquiries revealed the vehicle was leased to Cousins.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Cousins attended the police traffic headquarters at East Perth this morning.

It is understood no charges have been laid.

A spokesman for the West Coast Eagles AFL club said the club would not be making any comment on the matter, but Cousins was likely to be spoken to by club officials in the coming days.

Any comment should come from the police, or from Cousins' lawyer, the spokesman said.

[Pontyboy]

Police quiz Brownlow medallist
From: AAP


February 17, 2006



WEST Coast Eagles captain and Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins has spoken to police after his car was found apparently abandoned on a Perth highway not far from a booze bus.

A Mercedes Benz was found stationary and without keys, but still with several passengers inside, on the Canning Highway in the upmarket Perth suburb of Applecross last Saturday night, police said.

Police were forced to call for assistance to remove the car, and further inquiries revealed the vehicle was leased to Cousins.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Cousins attended the police traffic headquarters at East Perth this morning.

It is understood no charges have been laid.

A spokesman for the West Coast Eagles AFL club said the club would not be making any comment on the matter, but Cousins was likely to be spoken to by club officials in the coming days.

Any comment should come from the police, or from Cousins' lawyer, the spokesman said.

Oh well, a few caffeine tabs and I'm sure he was fine at training, no harm done......