Ross Lyon, Justin Longmuir react to Harley Balic tragedy becoming a focus of SIA investigation into AFL’s drugs policy

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says Harley Balic was a “special young man” after the former Docker and Demon’s tragic story became part of the SIA’s investigation into the AFL’s illicit drugs policy.

New Fremantle Dockers recruit, Harley Balic.

An emotional St Kilda coach Ross Lyon outlined the personal relationship he had with Harley Balic, whom he labelled a “special young man”, as the former Fremantle and Melbourne player’s death has become the focus of an investigation into the AFL’s illicit drugs policy.

Balic, who died aged just 25 after a long battle with drug addiction, played his four AFL games at Fremantle when Lyon was coach of the Dockers and the pair spent a lot of “one-on-one” time together.

Lyon said that experience with Balic ensured he understood the one-time junior star’s battles “deeply” and that he clearly needed “support and medical attention”.

That level of support, as delivered by the illicit drug policy’s “medical model”, has come under close scrutiny, with Balic’s father, Eddie, telling this masthead that the lack of information available to the family at the time prevented their full understanding of their son’s battles.

“The huge disappointment is that the AFL knew a lot and as a family we weren’t told. We may have saved him earlier,” Eddie said.

Harley Balic in one of his four games with the Dockers. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

The AFL has declared that, while being reviewed, the illicit drugs policy, which tests players independently of Sport Integrity Australia and puts players who test positive to substances in the medical model, remained the best practice.

That’s despite worldwide condemnation that it allows players to continue to take drugs without penalty.

Speaking on Wednesday, Lyon was loathe to delve too deeply into whether that policy was best fit but said the Balic situation was a tragic one that he lived with.

“I was Fremantle coach at the time. I was, and I think the Balic family will tell you, particularly his mum, I was very close to Harley, I had a personal relationship,” Lyon said.

“I spent a lot of time one-on-one with Harley. I understand it deeply.

“It’s not for me to dive into it. What I will say, I’m not even sure what I will say, if the AFL illicit policy is really about that medical model. My experience and what Harley shared with me, he clearly sat in where he needed support and medical attention.

“I have no visibility on what occurs behind the scenes but you make that judgment that that occurred. Who wants to lose a son, a daughter, it’s very emotional talking about him. I think I’ll leave it there.

“He was a pretty special young man.”

Lyon said Balic was a special young man. Pic: Michael Klein

Lyon said “I haven’t got the answer” when it came to the best policy for policing and dealing with illicit drug use among players.

But he also said the AFL and clubs should not have to shoulder all the responsibility.

“With my parenting, I’m not looking for any organisation to take care of my kids,” he said.

Revelations in comments released on Wednesday that will form part of the SIA review include an allegation that Balic witnessed footballers using drugs when he joined the Dockers as a teenager, drafted from Victoria.

His playing career stalled amid his personal issues before he moved to Melbourne, where he failed to play a senior game, before retiring in 2018.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir expressed his sympathy for Balic’s family also, but was unaware that the former Dockers player’s death had become the focus of an SIA investigation.

“I’m unaware of that,” Longmuir said of the investigation.

“I’ve seen some of the reports that have come out.

“Clearly sympathise with Harley’s family. I can only imagine what they’re going through.

“I understand that they want answers. My understanding is that the policy is under review and that’s the statement the AFL has made. It’s not really for me to talk about while that review is in progress.”

Asked whether a wider support network was needed for players placed in the AFL’s illicit drug policy than just the club doctors, Longmuir said that was for the league to decide.

“That’s really for the AFL to work out,” Longmuir said.

“I think it starts with what are they trying to achieve with the policy and then off the back, those decisions of who best supports players, who best helps them achieve what they’re trying to achieve out of the policy.

“Whether that’s coaches knowing, whether that’s support staff knowing, I’m unsure but I know the policy has good intent. Maybe the execution needs improving, especially in this situation.

“But I’m talking more holistically, maybe the support of players needs to be more widespread than the docs. The AFL are going through that process of reviewing it and we’ll see what comes out of it.”

Balic died in 2022.

Longmuir said he was hopeful that Balic’s experience was not a fair reflection of the club environment now.

“I hope not,” he said. “I’m not really going to comment on sources in an article. I’d like to think that’s not true.”

AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield is adamant the AFL’s Illicit Drugs Policy has saved lives of footballers.

While the Geelong captain was unaware of the comments made by Eddie Balic, he believes that it has helped drug-affected players.

But he conceded it is far from perfect.

Asked whether he believes the IDP should be changed in light of Eddie Balic’s claim, Dangerfield said: “Without having read any of the dialogue around that it’s hard to make comment. It is something that is in the process at the moment in terms of the IDP and how it can be improved.

“What I will say is I’m confident it has definitely saved players’ and peoples’ lives over its journey. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Will there ever be a perfect structure to it? I doubt. But at its heart it is a medical model and it has been endorsed by people within the industry that know their stuff.

“It is an evolution, it’s been looked at properly obviously and where we can improve things like this I think the league, the players, everyone will always adapt.”