Graeme Allan set to be installed as Collingwood football boss despite Lachie Whitfield furore

COLLINGWOOD is backing in embattled football staffer Graeme “Gubby” Allan and is planning to unveil him as the club’s new football boss within days.

Eddie McGuire and Graeme Allan. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

COLLINGWOOD is backing in embattled football staffer Graeme “Gubby” Allan and is planning to unveil him as the club’s new football boss within days.

The Magpies are satisfied the Lachie Whitfield drugs saga is largely a matter for Greater Western Sydney and will install Allan to lead a heavily-revamped Magpies football department.

Current football boss Neil Balme is weighing up his options but is considered unlikely to accept a lesser position as director of coaching.

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Balme has been linked to Richmond but the Tigers could also make a play for former player and highly-respected Fremantle football boss Chris Bond.

Brisbane is circling Balme, Adelaide football boss David Noble and veteran Hawthorn footy chief Chris Fagan to run its football department.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire declined to discuss the furore surrounding Allan, 62, who shifted from GWS to the Holden Centre in May to establish the club’s new netball and women’s football teams.

Graeme Allan in his days at GWS Giants. Picture: Michael Klein

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan confirmed the findings of a 13-month investigation by league integrity officers into Whitfield, Allan and former Giants welfare manager Craig Lambert were set to be passed to the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

Regardless of ASADA’s view of the evidence, the trio could still face fines or suspensions under the AFL’s own misconduct rules.

The AFL investigation focused on Whitfield’s decision to spend several nights at Lambert’s home in May last year after his ex-girlfriend, Sammi Nowland, sent an email to Allan detailing his alleged use of illicit drugs.

Nowland waited until July before emailing Allan again, this time including ASADA in her communications.

Whitfield told investigators he was suffering from a migraine when he stayed at Lambert’s house and an independent investigation conducted by a Queen’s Counsel for the club found no basis to support allegations he had tried to avoid a drugs test.

McLachlan said he was first briefed on the Whitfield investigation on Tuesday.

Gillon McLachlan defended the AFL investigation into Lachie Whitfield. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

“I didn’t have really any visibility of it,” McLachlan said.

“As I understand it, it’s been an incredibly detailed, forensic investigation.

“It’s not been just simple interviews — there’s been forensic orders involved, retrieval of laptops and trying to get to the bottom of it.”

McLachlan defended his investigators for taking time to compile their report.

“They work methodically through it and they don’t do it to rush to an outcome,” he said.

“The work that’s been done to piece together the evidence has been compelling and the level of professionalism, and discipline and process that I expect in my team.”

The AFL boss said he had no problem with the investigation coming to light on the eve of the finals series.

“The process takes how long it takes, it comes to a conclusion when it comes to a conclusion,” he said.

“In an ideal world we wouldn’t be talking about it in the lead up to a finals series — that will play out.”

Originally published as Graeme Allan set to be installed as Collingwood football boss despite Lachie Whitfield furore