Victoria police ‘assessing information’ in Joel Smith cocaine probe

Melbourne Demons star Joel Smith’s drug probe has taken another dramatic twist after police revealed they are looking into the matter.

Joel Smith is in hot water. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Victoria Police has revealed it is “assessing information” in regards to Joel Smith’s cocaine probe as the drama takes another twist.

On Tuesday night, it was revealed that Sports Integrity Australia had accused the 27-year-old of a “drug trafficking” anti-doping breach after uncovered text messages sent by Smith referencing cocaine.

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One of the alleged messages sent to teammates last year reportedly involved offering a quantity of the drug.

In October last year, Smith was named by the AFL as the player who had been found to have cocaine and benzoylecgonine – the drug’s major substance – in his system, which is prohibited under the Australian football anti-doping code.

The urine sample was collected after the Demons’ round 23 win over Hawthorn on August 20, 2023.

However, the shock twist dropped when Sports Integrity Australia revealed three Anti-Doping Rule Violations for “Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking” of cocaine to third-parties were asserted against Smith.

This includes a violation on September 9 2022 — the day the Demons were eliminated from the 2022 AFL semi-finals.

It was one day before Smith played in Casey’s VFL preliminary final victory.

It is also nine days before Casey, the Demons’ reserve grade connection, won the VFL grand final.

Smith is not facing any criminal charges, but police revealed on Wednesday they are monitoring the situation.

“Victoria Police is aware of a number of allegations of drug trafficking in relation to a 27-year-old Hillside man,” the statement from Victoria Police read.

“We are currently assessing information provided by Sport Integrity Australia and as such it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Joel Smith in action for the Demons. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Smith has played 42 matches for the Demons since being picked up with the 41st pick of the 2016 rookie draft.

It’s not what the Demons would have wanted to see after an off-season plagued by controversy surrounding Clayton Oliver, while the club’s culture has landed in the spotlight.

It also saw club captain Max Gawn face questions over the club’s culture in a media opportunity on Wednesday.

Gawn said he hadn’t read the details of the SIA allegations as he repeatedly denied there was a culture of illicit drug use at the club.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon also backed Melbourne to continue to manage its own off-field issues as he said the league’s illicit drug policy was “under review”.

Gawn said allegations concerning Smith were “quite shocking” but said the forward would continue to have his support as the SIA investigation continues.

“I think you would respect that there is an investigation. I haven’t read a lot of it to be fair … but it obviously is quite shocking,” Gawn said.

“I haven’t spoken to (Smith) since the 7pm last night – to be fair, 7pm in my household is quite difficult,” Gawn said.

“So I will (speak to him on Wednesday).”

Smith after the Demons were eliminated from the AFL finals. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Gawn was firm that there not widespread illicit drug use at the Demons, as he defended chief executive Gary Pert’s off-season comments that the club had the best culture he had ever seen during his time in football.

“All I can say is for 16 years I’ve been getting drug tested, 10 years I’ve been getting hair tested … in that 10 years I’ve never been told that our club has a drug culture,” Gawn said.

“Yes, the investigation if it proves to be true, there is a player who’s taken illicit drugs, but we’re naive to think that doesn’t happen in society … I get we’re a high level performing industry and we’d love zero, but until I get told that we have an issue or I can see the issue with my own eyes, I can only go off face value.

“I like to think I’ve got a good grasp on our group. I’m incredibly bullish that we’ve got the right culture. We’re always working on it.

“I’m not hiding, there are issues and we have to make sure we get that right.”

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said there was no reason for the league to intervene at the Demons and he backed the club to deal with the issue itself.

Originally published as Victoria police ‘assessing information’ in Joel Smith cocaine probe