Jack Steven suspended for failing breath test

[Ice Wolf]

What the hell was he doing drinking during the season, let alone drinking enough to be over the limit the next morning?

[Buckets]

Less than a week after Dustin Martin and Connors get done for missing training, one of ours screws up. This club just cannot catch a break.

Those two used sleeping tablets mixed with alcohol to get high.

Ummm....

Well....

Nevermind.

Whats wrong K?

Did I miss something? Last time I checked from what has been reported he had a drink after the game, went to sleep woke up and went to training. Yes we would love all of our players to be non drinking however they are human, I don't think that there is any rule that says that you cannot drink after a game. Yes he stuffed up but you would be surprised at the amount of people who drive the day after drinking not realising that they are still over the limit. He will learn from the mistake and the club has been on the front foot and hard on him too.

Is there anything to suggest that Jack did the same thing as Connors and Martin?

[Saintersss]

What the hell was he doing drinking during the season, let alone drinking enough to be over the limit the next morning?

If you don't think players drink during the season... well... there is a lot you don't know.

These are young adults and generally go out and drink most weeks.

[saintspremiers]

Listen up all you pissheads that have clearly driven MANY times drunk, this is an AFL footballer who by definition has stricter rules imposed than most of us.

This is his second strike. One more booze related issue in the next few years and is it curtains for him is the biggie?

Anyway, I wasn't impressed with his game on Saturday. Not sure what gave him the right to drink too much.

Pull your head in d**khead and enjoy the driving suspension. You deserve it.

And finally. Cut the BS you lot that he was unlucky to get caught. We have no idea how many times he's driven pissed.

It could've been plenty for all we know.

[HardSaint]

Steady on, he's hardly Fevola - yet

[SainterK]

Whats wrong K?

Did I miss something? Last time I checked from what has been reported he had a drink after the game, went to sleep woke up and went to training. Yes we would love all of our players to be non drinking however they are human, I don't think that there is any rule that says that you cannot drink after a game. Yes he stuffed up but you would be surprised at the amount of people who drive the day after drinking not realising that they are still over the limit. He will learn from the mistake and the club has been on the front foot and hard on him too.

Is there anything to suggest that Jack did the same thing as Connors and Martin?

Not this time, but certainly within the last 18 months he has.

[Buckets]

Whats wrong K?

Did I miss something? Last time I checked from what has been reported he had a drink after the game, went to sleep woke up and went to training. Yes we would love all of our players to be non drinking however they are human, I don't think that there is any rule that says that you cannot drink after a game. Yes he stuffed up but you would be surprised at the amount of people who drive the day after drinking not realising that they are still over the limit. He will learn from the mistake and the club has been on the front foot and hard on him too.

Is there anything to suggest that Jack did the same thing as Connors and Martin?

Not this time, but certainly within the last 18 months he has.

But we are not talking about 18 months ago are we?

[Con Gorozidis]

Seriously - if you cant go out when ur 22 after a 71 point win over the bummers and try and pick up when can you? thats when ur at ur peak. These are young men who probably want to unwind and hopefully occasionally get laid. The only dumb thing he did was drive. Should have just got a lift with one of the other lads .

[WellardSaint]

Well said, Con! He's 22, what's he gonna do, go home and have a Milo?
We've all had a drink when we've had a bloody good reason to celebrate.
Some ppl here think AFL players are like characters in an on-line game.
They get hit, then "aarghh get up and chase, you weakling!"
Game over, turn off the power.
Nothing happens until we hit the "on" switch next week.

[mad saint guy]

What the hell was he doing drinking during the season, let alone drinking enough to be over the limit the next morning?

I worked at a hotel where several interstate teams stay when playing in Melbourne, and I assure you that it is not at all uncommon for AFL players to have a few beers after games. In fact they are encouraged to consume calories any way they can because it is notoriously difficult to get players to eat after matches; before games everything is extremely healthy, dull-tasting and considered 'fuel' for the body, but afterwards they are given pizza, sweets, garlic bread and anything that will appeal to them.

It is not uncommon at all for players to be drinking at the hotel bar for a couple of hours after recovery - teams just want to ensure that it is at the hotel bar and not at some club where a bunch of morons will see AFL players and try to pick a fight.

With all that said, Steven must have had a fairly big night to still be over the limit while driving to recovery. He needs to limit himself and ensure that nothing like this happens again.

[meher baba]

.08 used to be the drink driving limit when I was growing up in Sydney. It isn't what I would describe as "drunk".

The nanny state seems to be growing in power, and yet young people today seem to be consuming more drugs, booze, porn than ever before.

I don't see why Steven needs to be suspended by our club: I dont suspend my staff when they experience the same problem. Being without your car for months on end seems to be punishment enough.

But then I still don't understand why the AFL tests players for recreational drugs that aren't performance-enhancing (and then doesn't do anything to them when they fail the tests).

Apparently AFL footballers are now meant to behave like choirboys. Pretty harsh, to say the least.

But I guess Steven knew the rules and doesn't really have any excuse.

A final comment: I don't get where the posters on this thread who criticise Steven as a player are coming from. He's one of our key guys ATM. If these comments are related to the silly cult of Ledger, then all I can say is grow a brain (but that's probably as unfair an ask as expecting 22 yo AFL players to abstain on the night after a big win).

[defacto]

After reading all this. No wonder our club has a problem with being a professional.

[SMS]

The season on the line the bous go out drinking??? And what at midnight??? Jesus we will neverfwin a flag! Same old culture i feel ripped off as a member. Alcohol is bad for recovery and will hinder health why do it? During season should not be tolrated ar all. You can beat the team who wins flags arent out drinkin at 3am!!

Its a shame we have a real chance with great kpps but wont do any good.

[StPeter]

I am disappointed again. I am a big wrap for Jack as a player.

But I was dismayed when I saw him and Dawson last year behaving erratically, to put it mildly, late one night in the city not long after the New Zealand indiscretion.

When will he learn??...no excuses for him. He must have had more than a couple, as some are suggesting, to be .08 at that time in the morning.

[dragit]

After reading all this. No wonder our club has a problem with being a professional.

After reading all of your posts, it is quite apparent that you aren't in touch with reality.

When would be a good time to have a few beers? Can't have them before the game, nor during the week.

Do we really expect beefed up, celebratized young men to live like monks for 11 months of the year? News flash - young footballers enjoy going to night clubs & bars.

He has made an error in judgment, doesn't seem like he willingly drove over the limit, give him a break, I'm sure he is more disappointed than any of us

[Eastern]

I'm guessing that he would have been picked up at around 9.00am. With a reading of 0.08 it would mean that he was 0.15 at around 2.00am or 0.14 at around 3.00am. That's pretty late with a fair skin full by anyones definition. Secondary thought: Was he out alone or with (team)mates? !!

[plugger66]

Stupid of jack thats for sure but people in glass houses. if he was up drinking till till 2 or 3 am then it wouldnt be hard but it is stupid. i reckon many on here have driven over .05 without knowing. No excuse as these guys are elite sportsmen but it happens. The same thing happened to a club legend a few years ago and he was much older than Jack. Take the week and get a bike. Its a long way from Elsternwick so he will get fit.

[Old Mate]

Nothing wrong with having a few drinks but driving with a few on board is another story. Two silly incidents over the last 18 months. Hopefully he picks up his game.

[jays]

What an idiot

[matrix]

what gets me is these guys (well most of them) are on enough money to be able to afford a f****** cab to and from places/pubs/bars/hotels/brothels/bbq's

sucked in i reckon
got what you deserved

[saintly]

Seriously - if you cant go out when ur 22 after a 71 point win over the bummers and try and pick up when can you? thats when ur at ur peak. These are young men who probably want to unwind and hopefully occasionally get laid. The only dumb thing he did was drive. Should have just got a lift with one of the other lads .

come on, he drunk so much that night that the next day he was still .08.

how many cans would that make 10, 15 ?

binge drinking, stupid really

[dragit]

Seriously - if you cant go out when ur 22 after a 71 point win over the bummers and try and pick up when can you? thats when ur at ur peak. These are young men who probably want to unwind and hopefully occasionally get laid. The only dumb thing he did was drive. Should have just got a lift with one of the other lads .

come on, he drunk so much that night that the next day he was still .08.

how many cans would that make 10, 15 ?

binge drinking, stupid really

22 YO male, binge drinking - the sky is falling.

Anyone surprised by this has their head in the sand, it might not be smart, but would be more common than not for his demographic.

He has made a silly mistake and is now paying a pretty serious price, let's move on.

[jonesy]

Silly and dissapointing from Jack. These boys are on the big bucks,and are proffesionals..show some dilligence at least and buy a breatho for yourself,then get a taxi.

Yesterday at 4pm I witnessed on the Eastern Freeway a guy from a crash 2 minutes earlier,lying in full view of passing traffic,with his head sprayed all over the bitumen like wild road kill...shocking

[markp]

He's supposed to be an elite athlete.

Can't see how getting heavily (for him to be .08 at 10am he was giving it a serious nudge the night before) on the p1ss mid-season is ideal or remotely acceptable when he has (had) a massive game to recover and prepare for.

If he wants to live like every other 22 year old then he can, elsewhere or in another profession.

I'm a bit bemused by the apologists.

[Mrs_Seaford_Saint]

Sadly I think most of us have driven the next day thinking we "were" ok but not so I don't think we can throw stones at that - BUT being 0.08 the next day means he was fairly smashed the night before which I would have thought would be a big no-no especially after a game where he was probably dehydrated and hadn't eaten enough