West Coast Eagles former star Daniel Chick lifts the lid on toxic drug culture in 2006

A FORMER West Coast premiership star has lifted the lid on the 2006 team’s toxic culture of prescription and illicit drug abuse and cover-ups.

A FORMER West Coast star has lifted the lid on the 2006 team’s toxic culture of prescription and illicit drug abuse and cover-ups.

Chick played for Hawthorn before moving to the Eagles.

Daniel Chick, breaking a decade-long silence on the club’s dark underbelly, says powerful asthma pills, Xanax, Sudafed, Stilnox and Valium were among drugs sometimes provided through the Eagles, that were abused by several players.

Chick claims he and former teammates Daniel Kerr and Ben Cousins took massive doses of asthma drug prednisone in a pattern experts describe as “bizarre and inappropriate”.

“At those levels it’s the same as being a full-on meth addict,” he said.

“The lack of sleep, the depression, it affects your mental health, coping mechanisms, metabolic rates and causes memory loss and sleep issues. It’s not a coincidence the three of us have had issues with substance abuse.”

The ex-Eagle has decided to go public after more than a year of private discussions with the Herald Sun, saying he is fed up that culpable club figures have not been held to account.

Chick, played for West Coast from 2003 to 2007 and had a key role in the one-point defeat of Sydney to win the 2006 Premiership.

To read the full report on the Herald Sun, tap here.

Teammates Ben Cousins and Daniel Chick celebrate.

Originally published as West Coast Eagles former star Daniel Chick lifts the lid on toxic drug culture in 2006