High-profile Fremantle recruit Jesse Hogan has been dumped from the Dockers’ AFL season opener after breaking the team’s alcohol policy.
The Dockers also revealed Hogan is battling clinical anxiety, which led to the star forward making “poor decisions around alcohol consumption”.
Fremantle’s football manager Peter Bell revealed Hogan’s drinking session on Saturday night left the star forward in an unfit state to train with the team the next day.
As punishment, Hogan was ruled out of this Sunday’s clash with North Melbourne at Optus Stadium.
No timeline has been set on his return.
Bell said that to his knowledge no other players were involved in Hogan’s drinking session.
But he said the fact Hogan had drunk so much on the eve of an important training session was unacceptable.
“The players are very clear, we would prefer the night before a training session players make responsible decisions about what their consumption is,” Bell said at a hastily-arranged press conference on Monday.
“At the appropriate moment, a glass of wine with your partner or your family might be ok if you’re not injured.
“But Jesse made poor decisions with regards to alcohol, and for that reason he will be unavailable this week.
“His clinical anxiety can lead to him making poor decisions around alcohol consumption and, therefore, impact his health and well-being.”
Bell said the club was supporting Hogan in every way it could.
Hogan has endured a tough few years.
The 24-year-old’s father died in 2017, and he was diagnosed with testicular cancer less than a month later.
Hogan was traded by the Demons to Fremantle during the off-season after drawn-out negotiations.
The 24-year-old kicked 152 goals in 71 games with Melbourne and won the 2015 Rising Star award.
He kicked 47 goals in 20 games in 2018 but missed Melbourne’s drought-breaking finals campaign after suffering a foot stress fracture.
Bell refused to reveal when Fremantle became aware of Hogan’s anxiety problems.
“What is important is we are supporting him 100 per cent,” Bell said.
“Jesse’s a quality player. But what is important for him is he’s in a physical and mental state to be able to play week after week.
Talk of slipping player standards at Fremantle was raised when Lachie Neale defected to Brisbane at the end of last season.
Bell said the culture at the club was strong, adding he was “overwhelmingly impressed with the attitude of the playing group and the application and diligence”.
Hogan’s absence comes at the worst possible time for the Dockers.
Matt Taberner (hamstring) and Brennan Cox (hamstring) are currently injured, meaning Fremantle might need to turn to out-of-favour forward Cam McCarthy during the early rounds.
anon
Roar Pro
So if he went out and committed a crime he could claim the automaton defence?
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Jessie has clearly got anxiety and alcohol problems plus his old school mates are not helping. I am not religious but i am praying that the other evil in society is not involved.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
As this article says, and Bell said Jessie is being stood down because of drinking....... breaking team rules. Lyon then comes out saying ''NO that is not the case it is the doctors saying it is because of his anxiety'' The club needs to get its act together..fast.
Downsey
Roar Pro
Well, yeah, but it's a brain that's misfiring. Even so, your point is fair. People can make chronically poor decisions irrespective of a mental health diagnosis. Kind of like how you’re in control of your brain and limbs but still manage to stuff up your commentary time and time again. :)
anon
Roar Pro
Does he still have control over his brain and his limbs while suffering anxiety?
Downsey
Roar Pro
Not necessarily. Anxiety disorders come in many shapes and forms, and aren't always about social anxiety or being the centre of attention. Speaking from experience, I have clinical anxiety and I lead an active social life. However, it's also medically and psychologically managed, and not self-managed through alcohol. That said, I can understand why eyebrows are being raised.
anon
Roar Pro
Wouldn't pub and nightclubs be the last places an anxious person goes?
Downsey
Roar Pro
One occasion where I can see where you're coming from. I don't think it's the case, but I can understand why people might feel there's 'spin' involved in this situation. The timing to make a mental health announcement is a bit suspect when it comes right after a training incident, despite his drinking being fairly unrestrained for some time beforehand (I acknowledge, unverified at this point). I hate that the thought crossed my mind, but there you go. I hope he makes it back asap.
Downsey
Roar Pro
You misunderstand, Anon. Changing his occupation wouldn't result in minimising his clinical anxiety. Football may have nothing to do with it. Even if it does, simply walking away from football wouldn't resolve it.
anon
Roar Pro
I'm not saying it's the case here, but I hope Hogan and Fremantle aren't merely using a self-diagnosed mental illness symptoms to excuse and absolves themselves of any responsibility for his binge drinking.
anon
Roar Pro
Maybe he should find something else to do in life. Sounds like he's not suited to being a professional footballer. There isn't an AFL conscription where tall, athletic young men are forced to play in the AFL against their will. This is voluntary. If his occupation is having a devastating effect on his life, then find something more suitable.
anon
Roar Pro
It really is that simple. Back in the day they held full time jobs, ran small businesses, still managed to be semi-professional footballers that trained three times per week. AFL clubs needs to sit some of these guys down and encourage them to find something else to do in life when their contracts expire. They're obviously not suited to be professional footballers. There's a price you pay in life. You want to be a professional footballer, then you can't indulge in alcohol and drugs like your mates on the weekend. If he wants to do those things -- there's the door.
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
Anon It is that, quite simple......
Jonboy
Roar Rookie
With all the developments over night this is looking more like alcohol binge drinking since he came home in October than anxiety. Karl Langdon personally approached Bell and Rosich with evidence warning them to look closely before recruiting him. As David Schwartz warned Hogan stop hanging around D....Heads. Hopefully this is not going to get a lot uglier.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It's a strange line of argument you are running here, Rob. In fact, it has changed direction a number of times...not a line at all. One moment you argue that he has not delivered on his footballing promise and, when numbers dismiss that foray, you then try to suggest that anxiety means he doesn't want to play the game. Nup!
Rob
Guest
I dont think yiu know how anxiety works. It most certainly is not a failure in fact hes an out and out champ. But id suggest he feels a lot more expectation than what is actually being put on him that he may not feel with the same output at a club like Hawthorn or WCE.
Rob
Guest
Ask him if he thinks that.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Over 2 goals a game is hardly a failure.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Hands? Who did that?
anon
Roar Pro
He can always quit footy and get a job. No-one has a gun to his head saying he has to play football. With the money he's earned he'd have quite a bit of money put away. Certainly enough to take some time off and find a new career where he's not in the limelight.