AFL to wait until Jobe Watson officially appeals drug ban before making decision on Brownlow Medal

THE AFL says it will wait until Jobe Watson appeals his drug ban before considering a postponement of a ruling on his Brownlow Medal.

Essendon training at Tullamarine. Jobe Watson Picture:Wayne Ludbey

THE AFL says it will wait until Jobe Watson appeals his drug ban before considering a postponement of a ruling on his Brownlow Medal.

The AFL Commission was expected to decide whether to strip his Brownlow Medal on Monday, February 15.

But Watson is understood to be one of the Essendon players who will join the Bomber-funded appeal at the Swiss Federal Court.

The AFL cannot rule on the Brownlow Medal until all rights of appeal are exhausted.

As the Herald Sun revealed on Friday, players will appeal but not seek an injunction against suspensions, meaning they will not risk fresh two-year bans.

It means they have conceded they cannot play in 2016 but could still overturn their status as drug cheats.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said the AFL had not been informed about Watson joining an appeal.

“We are waiting to hear. The appeal date is February 10. (A postponement) would seem likely but we have to wait until we hear definitively rather than people telling us what might happen,” he said.

Essendon coach John Worsfold said yesterday the AFL Commission could only use the rules of the game when it did consider Watson’s medal.

“That really depends on what the rules say and how they are interpreted,” he said.

“If the rule says you are suspended because of what you have done in a season and it rules you ineligible, that’s living within those rules.”

Worsfold defended Essendon against claims it should not have recruited former Fremantle midfielder Ryan Crowley as a top-up player after he served his own ban for taking the banned drug methadone.

“We ban players and accept they get banned,” Worsfold said.

“When they serve the ban they are free to play. We don’t argue a player serves a ban for a high tackle in the season and they should sit out any longer. He has served his time.”

It is not known what affect the mooted Swiss appeal would have on the Essendon 34’s compensation claim against Essendon.

Essendon has confirmed it has the standard insurance coverage plan of many AFL clubs, with that insurance to fund the Swiss appeal.

The Dons continue to incur significant costs from the supplements program, including a recent $200,000 WorkCover fine and December’s final $800,000 instalment of its $2 million AFL fine.

The club is expected to pay at least half of the wages of its five ex-players at other clubs this year in addition to its own 12 players.