Graeme Allan will fiercely contest claims he helped GWS star Lachie Whitfield hide from drug testers

COLLINGWOOD football boss Graeme “Gubby” Allan has engaged top dispute resolution lawyer Leon Zwier to lead his defence against possible AFL charges.

Lachie Whitfield playing for GWS this year. Picture: Getty Images

COLLINGWOOD football boss Graeme “Gubby” Allan will fiercely contest claims he helped Greater Western Sydney star Lachie Whitfield hide from drug testers.

Allan has engaged top dispute resolution lawyer Leon Zwier to lead his defence against possible AFL charges.

The highly regarded — and costly — Zwier, of law firm Arnold Bloch Liebler, is known in legal circles as “Mr Fix-It”.

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Zwier represented Melbourne in the AFL’s contentious 2012 tanking investigation.

The AFL is investigating Allan and former GWS welfare manager Craig Lambert over allegations they hid Whitfield away out of fear he would fail a drugs test in May last year.

Whitfield also faces heavy sanction, but there is uncertainty over whether any penalties for the trio would come under Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority rules, the league’s illicit drugs policy or a breach of the AFL’s misconduct code.

Graeme Allan will contest claims he helped GWS star Lachie Whitfield hide from drug testers. Picture: Getty Images

The credibility of Whitfield’s former partner, who sounded the alarm to Giants officials about his alleged drug use, will likely form a basis of defence.

Reasons other than drug use could be put to explain why Whitfield stayed at Lambert’s home instead of his own.

Whitfield told investigators last year he had stayed at Lambert’s house because he was suffering a migraine.

Another potential defence would be that there was not a drug test scheduled for Whitfield at the time.

If ASADA or the AFL had sought to test Whitfield, either randomly or as the result of a tip off, the Giants midfielder would have been produced immediately, the defence could argue.

Leading lawyer David Galbally, QC, said the case appeared dependent upon the evidence of one witness, Whitfield’s former partner.

“The credibility of that witness will determine whether or not the case has any substance,” Galbally said.

“But if there are other pieces of evidence, independent of the witness, that may also assist.”

The AFL integrity unit has examined text messages and emails between Whitfield and his former partner and other parties. The reliability of the information in those communications could also be disputed at a future hearing.

Graeme Allan (right) has since joined Collingwood. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

If the AFL deemed the matter to fall under its illicit drugs code or disrepute rules it can conduct its own hearing and impose penalties.

ASADA last month directed the AFL to obtain independent legal advice on whether the trio had breached anti-doping rules.

Anti-doping charges would be heard by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal, as was the case for the Essendon 34.

Allan, 62, defected from the Giants to join Collingwood six months ago and was installed as the Magpies’ football boss over the top of Neil Balme in August.

Within hours of his appointment, details of the AFL’s 12-month investigation into Allan, Lambert and Whitfield were leaked.

The Whitfield saga looms as a major embarrassment for Collingwood, who would be forced to replace Allan if a lengthy suspension was imposed.

Originally published as Graeme Allan will fiercely contest claims he helped GWS star Lachie Whitfield hide from drug testers