Lachie Hunter smash the mistake the AFL was dreading
When news that an allegedly drunk Western Bulldogs vice-captain Lachie Hunter had crashed into four parked cars, it was the time bomb AFL chief Gillon McLachlan and his staff had feared was ticking.
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It was the AFL’s ticking time bomb that finally went off at 8.45 in a Middle Park street on Thursday night.
An allegedly drunk Western Bulldogs vice-captain Lachie Hunter crashing into four parked cars and then leaving the scene was the type of scenario that would have been played out at league headquarters in the past month.
During the dozens of whiteboard sessions AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and his staff had as they planned a way through the coronavirus crisis, the potential of a player meltdown would have been highlighted in red.
There were too many dangerous factors coming together at the same time.
Footballers crave routine and AFL clubs crave control. Take both of those away and something was always going to give.
“We’ve all been holding our breath in a way,” one club boss said. “It was always a ticking time bomb, you just hoped that it wasn’t your players who dropped the ball.”
Young wealthy men with time on their hands, no-one watching over them and a need for stimulation. There are only so many PlayStation games and trick videos that can fill that void.
Throw in alcohol, which is normally off limits during the season but so easily accessible during self-isolation, and the chances of trouble increase.
In other circumstances, Hunter would have been at home enjoying a bowl of pasta two days out from the Bulldogs’ scheduled Saturday night Marvel Stadium showdown with Brisbane.
He certainly wouldn’t have been looking for a buzz, a way to be entertained or distracted from his state of mind.
The AFL bubble works for so many players.
They love having a schedule on their mobile phone to tell them exactly what they will be doing for the next seven days.
And then there are instructions on what to eat, when to eat, how often to eat, when to sleep, the right amount of sleep. It’s a constant spinning wheel that each week comes to a stop on game day.
And then it starts again.
Clubs also love knowing exactly where their players are and what they’re doing at all times. The coronavirus has forced them to let go and that’s been difficult. Individual exercise programs have been set up but there is no way for them to monitor if a player is doing what they’re supposed to. Regular Zoom meetings can only reveal so much.
There are plenty of positive stories out there about AFL players in isolation, some going back home to help out in the family business or taking on a second job to keep themselves busy.
Some are even asking clubs how they can help and are getting on the phone to members, thanking them for their support.
But sadly most knew there was going to be a Hunter.
The Bulldogs are devastated that it was one of theirs who cracked first.
Hunter, a premiership wingman in 2016 and senior figure at Whitten Oval, had been praised for straightening out a few off-field ways and turning himself into one of the most proficient midfielders.
After being smashed by Collingwood in the opening round, this was the last thing Dogs coach Luke Beveridge and new captain Marcus Bontempelli needed.
And it was a headache McLachlan was hoping to avoid. “People make mistakes … he’s clearly made a significant mistake,” the AFL CEO said yesterday. “He is vice-captain of the club, he’s a leader and he’s clearly made a mistake here.”
A mistake that was forecast in big red letters on a whiteboard weeks ago.
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