Why equality serves all

Peter Gordon says we need to fashion a competition where every game is an adventure of interest and the result unpredictable. Picture: Stuart Walmsley Source: Herald Sun

AN odd part of my past is that, as Footscray's AFL director in the early 1990s, I seconded the AFL board resolution to admit the Adelaide Football Club into the national competition.

(I've been quiet about this since the 1997 Crows-Dogs preliminary final.)

The Crows have been a great success.

They stand alongside the Eagles, Dockers, Power, Giants, Suns, Lions and the Swans as franchises forged, fashioned or remoulded by the AFL as part of a grand and unique Australian-designed premier sporting competition.

Think about that.

Eight clubs - almost half the competition - are the creation in whole or in part of the AFL itself.

By diverting and prioritising financial resources, it has given effect to a national design much greater than the sum of its parts.

The AFL equalisation debate will have some representatives of larger AFL franchises decrying the threat of football socialism. Those clubs will have fans asking "why should we support smaller clubs to get better and be more competitive?" It's the wrong question.

The right question is, "how should the AFL distribute the money the game raises to best build the game?"

The best way is to fashion a competition where every game is an adventure of interest and the result unpredictable. How not to do it is to allow a code to evolve where some clubs are permitted to leverage larger fan bases to trample smaller franchises in predictable 20-goal whitewashes.

Probably, it's just human nature for presidents, CEOs and many fans to want to cannibalise smaller clubs in search of more and more premiership success.

But it's no way to run a billion-dollar corporation. Nor is it any way for the AFL to position itself for the real market competition - against the NRL, soccer and the litany of other sports and entertainment options that AFL consumers will get to choose from in coming years.

Rounds of football in which five out of nine weekly games are over before the first bounce will be played in empty stadiums and with TV cameras that might as well be off because no one will be watching or advertising.

A recurrently even competition is the best way. Recurrent onfield evenness is, like it or not, most significantly influenced by evenness of football spend.

Some of the best evidence comes from the NFL in the US. Its evenness and unpredictability of result mantra is encapsulated in the expression "any given Sunday".

Private owners in the NFL, the world's biggest sporting competition, whose main aim is franchise profit, achieve this by centralising revenues and distributing them to achieve a competition where, on any given Sunday, any team can win. A mind-boggling 70 per cent of NFL revenue is shared.

US TV networks bid billions of dollars for the rights because pretty much every game is a blockbuster.

You'll hear lots of views in the next few weeks from different clubs and their sectional interests.

That's their job. I have mine, too - and they will be obvious to you.

Peter Gordon is the Western Bulldogs' President

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New Dees ready for judgement

Chris Dawes leads out the Demons ahead of their NAB Cup against North Melbourne. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Chris Dawes marks the ball ahead of Luke Delaney. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

CHRIS Dawes has urged Melbourne supporters to judge his team as a collective and not as a bunch of new players cobbled together this off-season.

The Demons squad for matches against North Melbourne and Richmond last night contained five draftees, five recycled players and Jesse Hogan, the club's GWS mini-draft pick unable to play senior footy until next season.

Dawes said it was OK to get excited about the club's new talent throughout the NAB Cup, but how those players come together as a team for the season proper is all that really counts.

"There's probably slightly more new players than a regular intake each year,'' Dawes said.

"But let's also not forget that the majority of the team is who was there 12 months ago.

"At this time of year you focus on what's new, the changes, but once the season gets underway it'll be forgotten about pretty quickly that there are new faces and we'll just be judged on our performances rather than how long we've been at the club.''

Speaking at the club's family day at Luna Park this morning, Dawes said the form of father-son selection Jack Viney and top draft pick Jimmy Toumpas was encouraging.

"I didn't see much of the Richmond match because I only played the North game and was inside recovering, but it sounds like Jimmy Toumpas kicked a goal and was lively,'' he said.

North Melbourne finish the NAB Cup triple-header against Melbourne and Richmond undefeated while the Tigers prove too good for the Demons.

"He's a really classy ball user and a good decision maker. It sounds like he went OK and will be a good player.

"Viney, has that burst speed out of packs and is a pretty tough player too. There's a lot to get excited about and it was a good hit out for those two young boys.

"As well as preparing for Round 1 you hope that individuals can find some form and I was impressed with a number of our new players - older guys like (Shannon) Byrnes and (David) Rodan as well as young Jesse Hogan, Dean Kemp who I thought impressed as well."

Dawes, playing his first game for the Dees since making the off-season switch from Collingwood, said he was happy with his form.

Dees v Roos v Tigers: How it happened

But the forward conceded a calf niggle was still causing him some grief.

"The calf is OK. I probably would have played a little bit more game time ideally, but it was just one of those things, it was starting to tighten up.

"Had it been a normal season game I would have kept playing, but it was NAB (game) one, there was no need to push it at all.''

Melbourne plays Port Adelaide in Renmark next Sunday, a trip Dawes doesn't expect to make.

"I'm not even sure how many players we'll take there,'' he said.

"But I think the plan will probably be that I'll rest up next week and play the final two NAB Cup games.''

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Atley re-signs with North Melbourne

Shaun Atley is staying a Roo. Source: Herald Sun

THE good news keeps coming at North Melbourne with Shaun Atley re-signing until the end of 2015.

The 20-year-old was contracted to the end of this season, but the Kangaroos were quick to tie the defender to the club by signing him to a two-year contract extension.

It comes after yesterday's announcement that North had re-signed coach Brad Scott, co-vice-captain Jack Ziebell and star midfielder Daniel Wells until the end of 2016.

"We hope to always be improving and things are definitely going in the direction for us, it's really exciting with what we are trying to build," Atley told the AFL website.

"I think the fact the majority of the boys are around the 22-26 age bracket and are starting to play some good footy means we'll end up where we want to be and that's playing in the finals regularly and hopefully winning a premiership in the not too distant future."

Atley said he was thrilled with the re-appointment of Scott.

"Brad knows exactly where we want to go as a club and what we need to do to get there," Atley said.

"We're all doing what we can to try and get to a premiership as soon as possible and what he's done so far has been amazing.

"With Brad as coach, the younger guys and all the guys want to sign up."

Atley played all 23 games for North Melbourne last year.
 

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Former Collingwood captain dies

Former Collingwood captain and coach Neil Mann has passed away. Source: HWT Image Library

COLLINGWOOD has lost one of its favourite sons - champion big man Neil Mann.

The player and one-time coach of the Magpies died early today, aged 88, after battling ill health in recent years.

Few men have given as much as Mann gave to Collingwood over many decades.

Universally liked and loved by Magpies fans and respected by opposition players and supporters, Mann was a man with big hands and a big heart.

In one famous photograph taken for the Herald, Mann held 24 eggs in one hand.

Former Collingwood captain and coach Neil Mann in 2002 with a photo of an article featuring him that featured in the Herald. Picture: Peter Ward Source: Herald Sun

His 12 seasons with Collingwood as a player yielded 179 games from 1945-1956, and he was the ruckman in the 1953 Magpies premiership side.

He won the Copeland Trophy in 1954, took over as captain after Lou Richards' retirement and finished second (1954) and third (1953) in the Brownlow Medal.

Mann was also coach of the club from 1972 to 1974 after serving as reserves coach for 14 years.

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Judd to miss NAB Cup opener

Carlton forward Andrew Walker runs laps with Chris Judd, Andrew Collins and Dennis Armfield. Picture: Norm Oorloff Source: Herald Sun

CARLTON veteran Chris Judd has been ruled out for the Blues' NAB Cup mission north to face Sydney and the GWS Giants.

The dual Brownlow medallist is one of a number of senior players expected to miss games during the pre-season competition as new coach Mick Malthouse primes his troops for Round 1.

The Blues take on reigning premiers Sydney and the AFL's newest franchise, Greater Western Sydney, on Sunday at Skoda Stadium in Blacktown.

Sheedy expects fired up Malthouse

"You need to have your players in good form by Round 1, so the NAB Cup is very important. We're looking for winning form," Malthouse said today.

"Chris Judd won't play this week."

Malthouse said the Blues would implement a defensive game-plan honing in on the player's strengths.

"We've got certain strengths and we want them to come to the fore, so they'll be heavily promoted."

Meanwhile, Blues forward Andrew Walker expects plenty of improvement out of supremely talented teammate Bryce Gibbs.

The pair were partnered together during the pre-season to learn from each other's skill sets.

The high-flying forward is looking to improve on his delivery by foot while Gibbs is hoping to work on his endurance.

"He's (Gibbs) bulked right up but he is running better than I have ever seen him," Walker told SEN radio this morning.

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Gibbs ($509,800 def/mid) mixed his form during the Blues' ill-fated 2012 campaign which came to a crushing end at the hands of Gold Coast in the penultimate round of the home and away season.

"I think he may be 2-3kgs heavier than what he was last year but his running power has changed so much over the past 3-4 months."

Walker said training under Malthouse had helped him get his body right for the season.

"I've got a huge benefit out of Mick coming this year… I actually feel my body is 100 per cent and I'm ready for the first game.

"One of his (Malthouse) strengths is he sees things from a player's perspective, he understands that you can't be flogged 100 per cent of the time.

"He recognises that and if the time comes where he can see we need a rest or we need a freshen up – mentally – he's willing to give us some time.

"The boys might have been a little flat or blokes just starting to get sore and he just takes the initiative to maybe give the boys 24-hours off to recover so we come in feeling fresh mentally and physically two days later."

Walker endorsed Nick Duigan as a knockout chance of winning the Blues' captaincy race ahead of frontrunners Marc Murphy, Andrew Carrazzo and Kade Simpson.

"Everyone looks up to him, he speaks very well and trains the house down so he's a great leader."

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Sheedy expects fired up Malthouse

GWS coach Kevin Sheedy with No. 1 draft pick Lachie Whitfield, who is set to make his debut this weekend. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: Herald Sun

THE reigning premiers and a power club revitalised by an old adversary - Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy couldn't have hoped for a better start to his 29th AFL season in charge.

GWS will test themselves against Carlton, now under the tutelage of Sheedy's old foe Mick Malthouse, and Sydney in Blacktown on Sunday.

The 65-year-old, who has squared off against Malthouse a staggering 46 times, has warned his young charges what to expect when their second season starts.

"I know Mick and he'll be really wired up and ready to go. That's him,'' Sheedy said.

"I explained that to my players - don't think he's going to come up here and not take the first round of the NAB Cup seriously.

"Because if you know Mick Malthouse, he's serious about everything he ever does.

"It's a great opportunity to find out where we are.''

 
Malthouse and Sheedy, counterparts who came to represent Essendon and Collingwood's Anzac Day rivalry, have been swapping barbs for over 20 years.

The VFL/AFL's two most experienced coaches outside Jock McHale will again square off on the weekend, with John Longmire, coach of reigning premiers Sydney, the man in the middle of Sunday's triple-header.

"Two of the most experienced and successful coaches that have ever been part of the game. So I'm very much the new kid on the block, and hopefully I learn a few things this weekend,'' Longmire said.

Sheedy, who took four seasons off between his storied stint at Essendon and new beginning at the Giants, said Malthouse would be a force in 2013 after his one-year break from coaching.

"He's a very good coach. His coaching record will tell you that, he'll be ready after 12 months off,'' Sheedy said of the man who has coached three premiership sides, one less than him.

"That (one year) is a lot shorter than what I had off , and he'll be ready to fire.''

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Crows focus on footy: McLeod

Adelaide legend Andrew McLeod talks footy with indigenous footballers Dellick Nelson,15, Gerard Watson,15, and Kingsley Nelson,15, from the Pipalyatjara community. Picture: Dean Martin Source: The Advertiser

CROWS legend Andrew McLeod says Adelaide's premiership hopes have not been dented by the off-season scandals which have rocked the club.

McLeod - dual Norm Smith Medallist in the club's only two premiership wins in 1997 and 1998 - believes the players will "get on with their business'' and be a major player in the premiership race for the second consecutive year.

"I don't think it will impact the way they play their footy,'' said McLeod, speaking at the launch of Adelaide's Aboriginal Youth Leadership and Governance Program.

"The club hasn't had the best off-season but hopefully all that has been put to bed now and the players can move on and do what they do well.

"They went within a kick of making the (grand) final last year and I see no reason why they can't be back there again and perhaps go a step further."

The Crows are still reeling from having key assistant coach Dean Bailey banned for the first 16 rounds of the premiership season for his role in the Melbourne tanking scandal.

He is the third key Adelaide official to be suspended by the AFL, following those of chief executive Steven Trigg (six months) and football operations manager Phil Harper (two months) for their roles in the Kurt Tippett salary cap affair.

McLeod is convinced the off-field dramas will not affect the Crows players' performances but refuted suggestions from list manager David Noble that they could actually galvanise the group.

"I don't think they need that sort of motivation,'' McLeod said.

"If you are looking for motivation that way you are obviously not playing the game for the right reasons.

"They are highly motivated people, sure they've probably spoken about things, but you see them out there training and they are just worried about improving from last year and going one step further.

"There's no reason why they can't do that.''

McLeod said Bailey could still have a "valuable role'' to play at the club while he serves his ban "because he's too good a person not to''.

McLeod expressed surprise at the drug allegations which have cast a dark cloud over the competition, describing them as "not nice for the game''.

"But I'm sure from what happens now there will be some things put in place which will see the game go to a new level,'' he said.

The Crows Aboriginal Program aims to assist Year 8 to 12 indigenous children gain leadership and governance skills which will help them to take on leadership roles within their communities and gain employment after school.

The program is managed by McLeod and his wife, Rachael.

"For me to be able to help the Adelaide Football Club nurture and grow these young men and women to become future leaders of their communities and champions of their own people is something pretty close to me,'' McLeod said.

"The Adelaide Football Club was my home for 16 years and for me to be able to step away from football and give something back to the community is pretty special.''

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Adcock to lead Lions with Brown

Stepping up: Jed Adcock, seen here in action last year, will lead the Lions with long-time skipper Jonathan Brown. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun

BRISBANE defender Jed Adcock has been appointed Lions co-captain.

The 27-year-old will serve alongside long-time skipper Jonathan Brown in the Brisbane leadership group with young guns Daniel Rich and Tom Rockliff appointed as vice-captains.

Adcock has 141 career games to his name after making his senior debut in 2004.

He has regularly filled in as acting captain when Brown has been injured in recent years and his greater on-field experience gave him the edge over his captaincy rivals.

Adcock is the eighth player in the history of the Brisbane Lions to be appointed captain or co-captain.

"It's a huge honour. Massive,'' Adcock said.

"This club had a great tradition so to be recognised as a co-captain is a huge honour. Very proud.''

Senior coach Michael Voss said the new leadership structure was a good fit for the club.

"Jed has demonstrated outstanding leadership over his time at the Lions, and most specifically in his past four seasons as a vice-captain,'' Voss said.

"As we know, Brownie won't be around forever, and with Jed as co-captain, it will not only ease the load on Brownie but importantly they will both play a critical role in the continued development of Tom's and Daniel's leadership capabilities over the coming years.

"Jed is not only a leader on-field, he is an excellent representative of this footy club, and its culture and values.

"Tom and Daniel, as the deputies, are extremely capable young men who have shown maturity beyond their years in their short times at the club.''

Jed Adcock and Jonathan Brown will co-captain the Brisbane Lions in 2013. Picture: Darren England Source: The Courier-Mail

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Clarko confident Buddy stays

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says players, fans and clubs must get used to free agency. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson remains confident superstar Lance Franklin will stay at the club beyond 2013.

But Clarkson conceded under free agency players were entitled to assess all options and opportunities put on the table.

Franklin has postponed contract talks with the Hawks until the end of the year.

"At some point in time he'll sit down with all the information that's available to him, and I think he just genuinely wants to see how this footy season unfolds before he makes a decision on where he wants to play his footy in 2014," Clarkson told SEN this morning.

"[There's] a very, very high chance that that's at the Hawthorn footy club."

Clarkson said free agency was a "delicate situation" with high profile players given the option of switching clubs.

"Staying in one place for nine years is a long period of time now, and that's another thing we've just got to get used to," Clarkson said.

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Melbourne found not guilty of tanking

Former Dees coach Dean Bailey (above) and former football manager Chris Connolly have been found guilty of conduct unbecoming and will cop suspensions. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE has been found not guilty of tanking after a forensic seven-month investigation by the AFL.

But key individuals - then-coach Dean Bailey and then-football manager Chris Connolly - have been found guilty of conduct unbecoming, stemming from comments made by Connolly.

The pair have been suspended, Bailey for the first 16 rounds of the coming season, and Connolly until February 1 2014.

Bailey can remain employed by Adelaide - where he is an assistant coach - during his suspension, but cannot deal with players in any capacity.

Connolly is not allowed to perform any function for or on behalf of the Melbourne footy club, where he has held a marketing role for the past 18 months.

The AFL's deputy CEO Gillon McLachlan announced the results of the investigation in a press conference this afternoon.

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He confirmed that  the Demons will be fined $500,000 for being the employers of Connolly and Bailey, which will be paid by the club in instalments.

''The Melbourne football club did not set out to deliberately lose matches in any game in 2009," McLachlan said today.

The Demons will not lose any draft picks because the club was found not guilty of the serious charge of conduct prejudical to the draft. In other words, not guilty of deliberately losing matches at the end of the 2009 season.

Rule 17.1 states in part that "conduct prejudicial to the draft means conduct which has the purpose or has or is likely to have the effect of hindering, prejudicing, interfering with or preventing the natural operation of the draft.

AFL Regulations 19 (A5) says: "A person, being a player, a coach or an assistant coach, must at all times perform on their merits and must not induce, or encourage, any player, coach or assistant coach not to perform on their merits in any match – or in relation to any aspect of the match, for any reason whatsoever". 

No action will be taken against chief executive Cameron Schwab.

More than 50 past and present club staff were interviewed by the AFL and club documents and computers were examined.

In the end, AFL investigators found no evidence to that the club tanked.

It's accepted that clubs can experiment with player positioning on the field.

It's understood a contentious move in the Melbourne-Richmond game in Round 18 of 2009, where Melbourne ruckman Paul Johnson found himself on Richmond's small forward Nathan Brown, has been determined as a brief match-up and not, as has been suggested, a deliberate coaching move.

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Stokes to miss at least a week

West Coast, Fremantle and Geelong all grab wins in NAB Cup triple-header, overcoming hot conditions in Perth.

Matthew Stokes walks off the ground after rolling his ankle. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

GEELONG is hopeful Mathew Stokes' rolled ankle will only keep him out of action for one or two weeks, despite him currently hobbling around in a moon boot.

Stokes turned his ankle in a tackle in the Cats' two-point win over West Coast and was on crutches post-game.

But Geelong football manager Neil Balme said he didn't expect the small forward to be out longer than a fortnight.

"It's hard to put a time on it but maybe a week or two, I think," Balme said on SEN.

"We're not all that worried about it."

"While the docs were concerned about it, he's got a moon boot and all that to take the weight off it but it's not all that bad, they reckon."

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Break confirmed for young Crow

A devastated Brodie Smith with his left arm in a sling after injuring his left shoulder Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE's worst fears with hard-working midfielder-defender Brodie Smith have been confirmed with a break to his left collarbone.

But Smith, 21, may not need surgery to correct the break suffered in the opening five minutes of Sunday's NAB Cup clash with Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, where he landed heavily on his shoulder on the outer wing.

Smith will miss as many as eight weeks of competitive football, effectively putting him out of the first month of the AFL premiership season.

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"It's disappointing. Brodie is such an important young player for us and had a fantastic year in 2012," coach Brenton Sanderson said.

After the match, Sanderson said Smith's injury would "test our depth".

Smith, who has played 36 AFL games since his AFL debut in 2011, was on track to be one of Adelaide's critical players for setting up opportunities to a new-look attack.

Meanwhile Angus Monfries' Port Adelaide debut was soured by a hamstring injury.

Power coach Ken Hinkley said Monfries had suffered a grade one hamstring strain which would sideline him from Port Adelaide's round two NAB Cup clash against Melbourne in Renmark on Sunday, March 3.

But Hinkley said Monfries was to be rested from the clash anyway.

"It's of no major concern for Gus or us," Hinkley said.

Monfries hurt his hamstring late in the loss to Adelaide in which he impressed with 11 disposals and one goal.

In the earlier win over St Kilda, the former Essendon forward had four touches.

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Cats face wait on key players

West Coast, Fremantle and Geelong all grab wins in NAB Cup triple-header, overcoming hot conditions in Perth.

Matthew Stokes walks off the ground after rolling his ankle. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

GEELONG faces a nervous wait on the fitness and availability of two of its key players for the season proper after its opening round of the NAB Cup at Patersons Stadium last night.

Forward Matthew Stokes was carried off the ground early in the second half of the two-point win over West Coast, while Steve Johnson could be looked at for a possible strike on Hayden Ballantyne in the Cats' Game 2 loss to the Dockers.

Initial fears on both incidents were eased slightly as the night wore on, but Geelong coach Chris Scott said Stokes's injury "doesn't look good".

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Scott also denied there was any lingering ill-feeling from last year's Round 1 match, in which Ballantyne was suspended for striking Paul Chapman behind play, before being floored by Matthew Scarlett.

"I would be amazed (if there was still friction), none that I've seen, there tends to not be too much friction in NAB 1," Scott said.

"I didn't see what happened, I know (Ballantyne) was down for a long time.

Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

"I was more concerned with how quickly he got up and set up the next goal; he didn't look too bad did he?

 "(Stokes's injury) doesn't look great at the moment but, with those sort of things, they can blow up and be sore for a few days and then come good really quickly.

"While it's hard to say, certainly if we had a game next week he wouldn't play."

Stokes was on crutches as he watched from the sidelines in Game 2, but appeared in high spirits by the end of the night.

Johnson was running past Ballantyne in the second game of the triple-header, when he appeared to swing his right-arm into the midriff of the diminutive Docker, who fell to the turf.

Replays suggested contact was minimal but, if Johnson was to attract any suspensions, he would have to serve them in the home-and-away rounds.

Fremantle has its own concerns after West Australian Cat Joel Hamling fell on the right ankle of Dockers forward Chris Mayne, who was rolled off the field by trainers and played no further part.

There were plenty of positives for the Cats.

Jackson Thurlow and Jared Rivers performed well in defence on West Coast goalsneak Mark LeCras in the night's opening clash, which the Eagles led by as much as 21 points, before the Cats stormed back to win with seconds left as Jimmy Bartel handballed a set-shot back outside the arc to Joel Selwood for a super goal.

Rivers and Thurlow were rested in the Game 2 loss to Fremantle, as the Dockers posted a strong opening and closing game to outlast the Cats by 18 points.

Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

"Chapman, (Andrew) Mackie and (James) Kelly were the only noteables that were available that we didn't bring with us," Scott said.

"They'll all play next game. We have next week off and then play Adelaide down in Geelong."

Travis Varcoe, restricted to just a single game last year through stress fractures in his foot, was used as a solid rebounding option off half-back and could prove valuable in the position through the regular season.

The Cats' forward line set-up was another positive, with James Podsiadly proving potent, playing a role in Geelong's first three goals of the night and ending the Eagles clash with two, while a bulked-up Tom Hawkins was making a pest of himself in the second half of the opener.

Podsiadly was then trialled in the backline in against Fremantle, restricting Alex Silvagni to just two touches and a goal.

Josh Caddy, much hyped for the Cats throughout the pre-season, took little time to impress, slotting a goal against the Eagles with his first kick for Geelong.

Scott was glowing of the performance of Caddy, who was given a second chance against the Dockers and performed better, spending time in the backline while running through the middle to end with five disposals.

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Dank's plea to stay in the game

Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank. Picture: James Croucher Source: The Daily Telegraph

STEPHEN Dank has been cast as the chief scientific villain in the biggest doping investigation in the history of Australian sport.

But Dank says he has never used performance-enhancing substances in the NRL, including the illegal peptide GHRP-6, and hopes to work in rugby league again.

With the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority under increasing pressure to deliver a scalp in the doping probe, sports-science guru Dank yesterday spoke for the first time about his precise involvement with NRL clubs.

In a candid interview with The Sunday Mail, Dank:

Denied issuing the banned substance Warfarin to Cronulla players;

Said he was not aware of illegal peptides being used in the NRL;

Revealed his supplementation regime at Manly played only a minor role in their 2008 premiership win;

Claimed a lack of knowledge of sports science had fuelled baseless suspicions about doping in the NRL.

Dank's involvement with AFL club Essendon remains under ASADA investigation, but the besieged sports scientist insists he never presided over an NRL doping regime and is keen to return to the sport.

"I have done nothing illegal with any club in the NRL," said Dank, who met with his legal team last night to explore defamation proceedings.

"Not one player under my care has ever tested positive to performance-enhancing drugs.

"The truth is I would love to work in the NRL again. At the end of the day, I love helping athletes and I have ideas, legal ones, which I think can contribute to rugby league.

"All this (doping allegations) upsets me deeply because it is not true. I am not a doping scientist or a cheat.

"People ask me to test the boundaries and to find an edge.

"I try and maximise athletic performance, but I do it legally. I never cross the line. Simple."

Asked if he had an ongoing involvement with individual NRL players, as flagged in the Australian Crime Commission report, Dank said: "No."

Asked if NRL hierarchy had directly flagged doping concerns with him, Dank said: "Never. No club has raised anything against me with the NRL."

The Sunday Mail has obtained the high-performance program issued to NRL clubs detailing Dank's methods. Much of the program relates to the use of hyperbaric chambers, blood-testing, DNA profiling and training technology underpinned by GPS tracking systems.

There is no mention of peptides, the controversial supplement at the centre of the ACC's probe into AFL powerhouse Essendon and illicit drug use in Australian sport.

Dank piqued the interest of ACC investigators over his scientific methods at Manly, Penrith and Cronulla, including the possible use of Warfarin, a blood-thinning agent to promote anaerobic capacity, at the Sharks.

Asked if illegal peptide use exists in the NRL, Dank said: "There are legal peptides in protein shakes used by NRL athletes and footballers around the world.

"But I certainly don't believe there are performance-enhancing drugs in the Australian sporting landscape such as the growth hormones and testosterone stuff being talked about.

"There are peptides in various protein supplements, but many are legal and freely available."

Dank also lifted the lid on his methods at Manly, saying ill-informed critics were confusing the guarding of intellectual property with "something scurrilous".

"Sports scientists like myself aren't proponents of anything illegal," he said.

"It annoys me and hurts me because at the end of the day, Manly were a success story because of their coach, their players and their work ethic.

"We looked at periodisation of players training, how they recovered, the supplement program was only a small cog to be perfectly honest.

"In terms of science, we do barely anything in Australian sport. The way we train, the way we supplement athletes and the way things are done generally borders on mediocrity.

"Rugby league has the greatest untapped potential of any sport in this country and possibly any sport in the world."

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