Double standards for the Pies

Justine McCullagh-Beasy reports, it was two strikes and out with the TAC for Richmond, but what about Collingwood?

The Collingwood football club have, once again, managed to escape with a slap on the wrist and $200,000 fine after drink-driving culprit Chad Morrison was caught last month on his scooter. One suspects the fine failed to dent the budget.

Richmond must be puzzled with the outcome. After all Jay Schulz’s drink-driving charge cost the club a massive sponsorship deal with TAC early last season. Schulz was the second Tiger player to be nabbed over the limited after Royce Vardy’s misdemeanour in 2002.

It was a case of two strikes and your out for the Punt Road club, which begs the question – why wasn’t Collingwood dealt the same brutal blow after Morrison notched up their second offence?

Cameron Cloke lost his licence in 2004 after being caught speeding in excess of 44 kilometres over the limit.

Was it the fact Cloke’s charge was a speeding offence rather than a drinking charge the reason the Magpies escaped losing a one-million dollar partnership, or did their off-field dominance hinder the TAC’s ability to treat their associates equally?

Morrison was suffering a back injury and donned a Williamstown jumper last weekend, but his offence could see him face a long stint on the outer. The 163-game veteran will be eager to impress at Williamstown as he strives to regain the trust of the team after causing the club immense pain.

The AFLPA staunchly condemned Collingwood’s decision to fine Morrison $20,000 for his error of judgment claiming his mistake didn’t warrant a fine of such hefty proportions. Morrison was fined three times the regular amount and the most by any club for an off-field matter.

Brendan Gale may be correct, slightly. Whilst Morrison endangered lives of those on the road he would not have been dealt with such scrutiny if he weren’t playing in the AFL. That said, the fact that he is fortunate enough to be an elite sportsman should encourage him to set an example to the children who look up to him.

The Magpies would be fully aware of their narrow escape, hence why they were forced to make an example of Morrison. They don’t want anymore of their players jeopardising million dollar sponsorship deals, and more importantly they don’t want their players actions to place blight on the clubs appearance.

They’re lucky and they know it. And one must suspect that had it not been Collingwood in the wrong a million dollar sponsorship deal would have been torn up on the spot.

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