A trio of challenges in the of-season will galvanise Melbourne’s premiership campaign

Amid accusations of a drug-taking culture and a shock medical retirement Melbourne’s players have to start their AFL season in under two weeks.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 18: Max Gawn of the Demons takes to the field ahead of an AFL practice match between Melbourne Demons and Richmond Tigers at Casey Fields on February 18, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson has dismissed concerns over the impacts of a challenging off-season including drugs claims , Clayton Oliver’s absence and the medical retirement of Angus Brayshaw on their premiership pursuit.

Instead he said the litany of issues would “galvanise” a playing group which he conceded could have been “embarrassed” by some of the recent issues.

This week alone Oliver, who had taken leave form the club to deal with personal issues,played a practice match before just over 24 hours later provisionally suspended forward Joel Smith was hit with allegations of trafficking cocaine by Sports Integrity Australia as they investigated his positive test from October last year.

That included claims Smith invited at least three teammates to share some cocaine with him leading captain Max Gawn to deny suggestions of a drug-taking culture at the club.

Max Gawn answers questions this week. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Then on Thursday, revelations that Brayshaw’s most recent brain tests had shown enough levels of degeneration forced him in to medical retirement.

That all comes amid an ongoing court battle with former club president Glenn Bartlett.

But Richardson, who admitted everyone at Melbourne was “shocked” by the Brayshaw news, said there was enough resilience in the playing group to be able to refocus on the opening round clash with Sydney in two weeks.

“What yesterday does is put some perspective on what we are doing on how we are going about our footy and where our footy club is at and what would Gussy want us to do ?” Richardson said

“We have incredible people driving our standards and driving our values and they are incredibly resilient.

“While it has intensified given the Joel situation and the work we have done with Clayton over the summer, we’ve had a bit thrown our way for a while now and the club has continued to perform.

“I am pretty confident this group is still very driven, wanting to do something from a footy perspective. Probably a little bit embarrassed about what has been said about them too.

“I think that, coupled with what has just happened to Gus, there’s a real chance that might galvanise the group.”

Brayshaw was forced to medically retire so he could live a “normal and healthy life” despite having a brain injury with doctors that helped him make the shock decision confident of no lingering effects, in the short term at least.

“When I talk about the fact he’s got an injury to his brain, that sounds incredibly sinister and a bit nasty,” Richardson told SEN.
“But the reality is these amazing people have been able to detect some damage that says, ‘righto Gus, we’ve got it now, you’re going to be able to live a normal healthy life, albeit without contact sport being a part of that. But if you are to keep playing, you are putting yourself at risk of jeopardising what that quality of life looks like.

Angus Brayshaw has been forced to retire. Photo by Michael Klein.

“The hard thing from everyone is to pull yourself away from that sense of purpose and connection and belonging that everyone feels, no one more than Gus given his personality for his teammates and footy club.”

Brayshaw had five years remaining on his contract and it’s likely to be paid out in full.

But whether that money can fall outside the salary cap remains an ongoing question and one Richardson hopes is answered without too much angst in discussions between the club, the AFL, and the players association.

“We’re working through that now with the AFL,” Richardson said.

“It was all a bit new but I’m sure common sense will prevail and we’ll get a good result for everyone.”

Melbourne and Brayshaw will also work on creating a role for the retiree to stay involved this year.

Originally published as A trio of challenges in the of-season will galvanise Melbourne’s premiership campaign