The AFL Players’ Association denies giving any assurances that former Bomber Angus Monfries, now with Port Adelaide, will escape penalty from Essendon’s supplements scandal.
PA chief executive Matt Finnis says he can’t guarantee that Monfries, or any Essendon player, will be able to play in the AFL finals.
However he said he had been “encouraged” by the interim ASADA report that players would be absolved of culpability.
“We’re not in a position to make any guarantees to anybody,” Finnis said of a newspaper report Monfries had been cleared.
“We represent the players but it will be other authorities who make decisions about it.”
Finnis said he hadn’t read ASADA’s report but had been briefed by the Association’s lawyers and would be meeting with the Essendon players later on Wednesday.
While he emphasised that the report was only interim, he hadn’t heard anything to suggest players would be sanctioned.
“There’s been a recognition amongst the people involved in the investigation that the players through their own testimony have indicated how they were caught up in something where they placed enormous trust and faith in those around them.
“Players come out of high school into footy clubs and it’s their job to put enormous trust and faith into those who have got a responsibility and an expertise to get these things right.
“There’s a recognition that culpability must lie with those that are most responsible.”
He rebuffed rumours that the AFL had already devised its penalties for the Essendon club in the form of draft picks, fines and premiership points.
“I don’t see how that could possibly be construed,” Finnis said.
“I think the AFL Commission takes this matter pretty seriously and I don’t think they’re going to put any risk that this is going to be pre-judged before everyone gets a chance to put their case.
“We haven’t even heard whether charges are going to be laid.”
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