Carlisle may avoid strike
JAKE Carlisle is likely to dodge an official drug strike under the AFL’s illicit drugs code because he was on his annual holiday period.
The league has forecast a hard-line stance under its new two-strikes drugs policy, which will be released when players return from their annual break.
St Kilda chief executive Matt Finnis yesterday indicat- ed Carlisle could be handed a strike, given he had conceded drug use.
But AFL sources indicated last night he would escape a first strike because the incident was not in a testing period.
He will instead be subjected to repeated drug target-testing and an intensive counselling and education program.
Players including Tom Liberatore and Harley Bennell – who confessed to drug use inseason or during pre-season training – were automatically handed a drug strike. Those on their end-of-season leave period are hair-tested on their return but are unlikely to be handed drug strikes.
Carlisle conceded “clearly inappropriate behaviour” over drug use in a Las Vegas hotel room.
The Bulletin understands the new illicit drugs policy will see the identity of players testing positive to off-season hair tests revealed to their clubs in some circumstances.
Under the new two-strikes drugs policy, a player will be handed a suspended $5000 fine for a first strike and suspended for four weeks and fined again for a second strike.
A third strike will see a $10,000 fine and a ban of up to 12 weeks.
But a player who carries two strikes into the new policy will need another strike before he is suspended from football.
It is understood the AFL will not stand in the way of St Kilda’s leadership group penalising Carlisle, despite him being contracted to Essendon until October 31.
He said yesterday he would cut short his American trip after speaking to St Kilda coach Alan Richardson.
“I apologise for my behaviour and stress that when I join my new club I will do everything I can to live up to the standards and values they are building at St Kilda,” he said.
“I have made a very poor decision and let people down, and for that I am embarrassed and truly sorry.”
The AFL’s belief is that despite Carlisle being officially an Essendon player when the incident occurred, St Kilda could still punish him to set an example for the future.
Essendon are adamant they had no knowledge of Carlisle’s drug use, and by their own drawn-out negotiations clearly had no hurry to move him on.
St Kilda are investigating the chain of events after his manager Anthony McConville was told on Tuesday about the video but did not alert the club.