THE AFL Commission has granted Port Adelaide and four other clubs provisions to replace their players suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport today.
Angus Monfries and Paddy Ryder will miss the entire 2016 AFL season after being found guilty of anti-doping rule violations in 2012 by the Court of Arbitration along with 32 other past and present Essendon players.
AFL chief executive Gillion McLachlan told a media conference on Tuesday afternoon that the league commission had given clubs with former Essendon players affected by the verdict the chance to upgrade rookie players in their place.
“Melbourne, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs, and Port Adelaide with two players, have players on their list that have also been suspended,” McLachlan said.
“It was the commission’s ruling that each club may immediately upgrade a rookie to the senior list as replacement for a suspended player.”
Port Adelaide has committed to assessing the provisions afforded by the commission, but will reserve making a decision on upgrading rookies until its head of football Chris Davies and the club’s football strategic committee have completed that process.
“I’d like to start the season with a full list of players, there’s no doubt about that,” Power coach Ken Hinkley said on Tuesday.
“Chris and the football strategic committee will go to work and make some decisions on what we can and can’t do.
“I think in most circumstances this [situation] is an unusual one, there should be some flexibility in what that [list provisions] looks like.”
Port Adelaide released a statement in response to the CAS verdict today.
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Press conference: Ken Hinkley and Chris Davies
