Sacked podcast: Denis Pagan backed Carlton’s controversial drug tests, says Laurence Angwin ‘could have been anything’
Former Carlton coach Denis Pagan has opened up on the controversial decision to drug test two players at training in 2004, which resulted in the sacking of “super talent” Laurence Angwin. Where is Angwin now?
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Denis Pagan says he approved of Carlton’s controversial decision to drug test Karl Norman and Laurence Angwin at a 2004 recovery session, adamant Angwin could have been a star of the game.
Carlton chief executive Ian Collins circumvented AFL procedures after the pair turned up under the influence of ecstasy at a Monday session.
The incident led to Angwin being sacked.
Angwin said in 2005 he and Norman took drugs with three high-profile players the previous night before they turned up for recovery still affected.
Collins didn’t use the AFL’s sanctioned drug-testing agency in a move that ruffled feathers, but Pagan told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast it was an important line-in-the-sand moment.
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He said Angwin, previously moved on by Adelaide despite his incredible talent as a No.7 draft pick, could have set himself up for life had he worked harder.
“I would have been at the session. I don’t think it was a big hullabaloo (for the Blues to use their own testing). I couldn’t disagree with him (Collins),” Pagan said.
“If you are on gear, I don’t want to be involved with you.
“I am a zero-tolerance man to that stuff and I know we live in a different age with (being) politically correct, but it didn’t worry me in the slightest.
“I didn’t want people on the gear trying to play AFL football.”
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Angwin turned his life around after his abbreviated four-match AFL career, telling News Corp in 2018 he had been “young and dumb” and not mature enough to cope with the requirements of being an AFL player.
Based in Mildura with a wife and son, he works as an irrigation officer and plays for Ouyen United’s reserves team.
“It took a little country town that accepted all of my mistakes and didn’t judge me on any of that to make me feel like it was a place I sort of belonged,” Angwin said.
“I fell in love with the town and the people, and they’ve shown me the respect back.
“I regret a lot, I’ve moved on … and I’ve accepted everything that’s happened, and now I can look in the mirror and go, ‘You’re not a bad bloke’.
The Blues secured Angwin in the rookie draft after he moved on from Adelaide, aware of his history but also desperate for talent after being ravaged by draft penalties for salary-cap infractions.
“You look at all the decisions made at Carlton. You have to look at the alternatives. And they weren’t special. You know Laurence Angwin, you have heard all the stories and live in hope,” Pagan said.
“When you are desperate, you could have taken someone late in the draft. If you look at a pick 90 and see what the record is for playing games, it’s not too high.
“You know Laurence Angwin was a ratbag, but you also know he is a super talent.”
Did Pagan see that special talent on show?
“Did we ever. For a glimpse in a practice game for 15 minutes, I thought, ‘Gee, this guy could be anything’. He couldn’t put it together.
“Laurie played a couple of practice games and he had some special talent but, gee, he was a special mucker-upperer.
“It just didn’t work out. I often wonder what happened to Laurie and Karl.
“Do they have any regrets? Just think how their lives could have been if they had made a commitment.
“It’s not a hard thing to do to make a commitment and set your whole life up.
“Laurie had the ability to set his life up forever and a day.
“He wouldn’t have had to work again if he had just given himself 10 years of doing everything right.”
CAREY’S SECRET NOTE TO LAIDLEY
Dual premiership coach Denis Pagan has revealed North Melbourne’s greatest player Wayne Carey has reached out to Dean Laidley with the touching message: “We still love you, Dean.”
A group of Kangaroos past players that includes some of the biggest stars of the game continues to work behind the scenes to help 1996 premiership defender Laidley with his recovery.
The 53-year-old former North Melbourne coach was bailed on stalking and drugs charges and will face court on December 14.
Last month it was revealed 13 police officers had been suspended or transferred after photos of Laidley in a blonde wig and dress in a police interview were unlawfully leaked.
Pagan was one of the football luminaries who wrote personal references for Laidley in a recent court appearance.
Many North Melbourne players were rocked to find out about Laidley’s issues and have worked to reconnect with him and give him friendship and any guidance needed.
The AFL Players Association has also stepped in with its hardship fund and effectively financed his stay in a Geelong rehab facility before he moved into transitional housing.
And while Pagan has always been from footy’s old school, he told the Herald Sun’s Sacked podcast the only thing that mattered was helping Laidley get better.
“A committee has been formed (to help) and that’s one thing the Kangaroos do really well, they look after their own,” Pagan said.
“I know that Wayne got a message to him and his message was along the line of, ‘Forget about it, we still love you Dean’.
“And I thought to myself, ‘Gee, that was touching’.
“Different strokes for different blokes. It doesn’t make any difference to me, I know what Dean Laidley was to the Kangaroos when I coached him, and that’s what I remember him by.
“I hope he gets well and hopefully he can be productive. He had a good job and was coaching Maribyrnong Park, and one thing with Dean Laidley — has had a lot of personal troubles, but he was a very good football coach.”
Laidley was found with methamphetamine in his possession in an adhesive bra he was wearing.
Pagan has long had a no-tolerance attitude towards drugs because of the savage toll they take on society.
“We live in a society now and it has become more prevalent and people are blaming mental health issues,” Pagan said.
“I feel for Dean and drugs are the scourge of our society. I don’t know what Dean was taking or administering, but it just wrecks so many lives and so many people. All I remember is Dean Laidley playing for us and how tough he was.
“Sure, he was quietly spoken but he never caused a ripple. And he was running in front of Tony Lockett in the 1996 Grand Final and putting his scrawny skinny little body in the way, and he was getting knocked around and getting up.
“It is just so sad. I hope he gets better and he can lead a normal life.”
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Originally published as Sacked podcast: Denis Pagan backed Carlton’s controversial drug tests, says Laurence Angwin ‘could have been anything’