They can't see the problem. Former Demons captain Garry Lyon argues that regardless of whether players seek to be role models, it is a fact forced on them by circumstance, like it or not. Western Bulldogs chief executive Mark Patterson says one of the club's backers had sought the right to scrap their link in the event of serious misdemeanors reflecting badly on the club and sponsor. The Transport Accident Commission has a similar arrangement with the Tigers. Richmond's TAC sponsorship highlights the fine line the sport has always walked, with brewers sponsoring both the competition and individual clubs, alongside the historical links between alcohol and sport.
Players have to be careful about where they choose to socialise.
They have to manage their social environment and be responsible for their own actions. Her surveys of rugby league players suggest that young men are permitted to display only a stunted range of emotional responses, and alcohol provides a release for others. If we are angry or upset about something, we think it's OK to let off steam at the pub. If we are sad, it's OK to drown our sorrows at the pub. I totally support sport in this country for our young men and women.