Michael Talia arrested and charged with possession of a prohibited substance

[rb4x]

Agree with the sentiments above. I think it also applies even more so to O'Rourke. He is a number 2 pick who has failed to establish himself in Hawthorns top 22 and would be hoping to hold his place in the team this week and should have been doing everything to retain his place. What was he doing out early on a Sunday morning in Sydney in an alcove with Talia. Buying drugs off Talia, selling to Talia or sharing with Talia. Certainly not preparing professionally for an important game this week. I would expect Hawthorn would have been having a very stern talk with the lad behind closed doors, much more so than appears in the press. His name might well have "omitted" against it later today. I don't give a rats about who Hawthorn picks normally but will check today. Two guys disappearing into an alcove together at that hour is suspicious and the police obviously thought so.

[Ludwig]

Further to my post above, I referred to "star players" because names of star players had been listed earlier as examples of where we might take a different approach (hypocritically I think was being suggested) to that taken for Talia. My attitude outlined above is the club owes its support to those who are proven contributors to the club. This would also apply to the many "servants of the club" who are not amongst our star players. Talia is not one of those.

There are 2 counterarguments to the theory that star players should be treated differently than other players in off field misconduct situations. Or to generalise, that the sanctions administered should depend on the relative contribution the players had made to the club.

1. Every player must have the same contractual terms regarding off field misconduct. The disciplinary action should be related to the misconduct, not the person who does the deed. It's worth noting that we often rail at how Eddie McGuire gets away with so many indiscretions because he's so powerful and 'important' to his employers and that a lesser personage would be sacked on the spot. We don't like a double standard for Eddie, why should there be double standards at the Swans.
2. If anything, those who are the leaders of the club should be the ones to set the standards and represent the club's culture. It would make sense that, as leaders, they have a greater responsibility to uphold the standards than those who have not proven themselves. If a captain of the Swans had been arrested for drug possession it would have a much more harmful effect on the club than for someone like Talia. So perhaps the punishment should be even greater for club leaders.

[AnnieH]

There are 2 counterarguments to the theory that star players should be treated differently than other players in off field misconduct situations. Or to generalise, that the sanctions administered should depend on the relative contribution the players had made to the club.

1. Every player must have the same contractual terms regarding off field misconduct. The disciplinary action should be related to the misconduct, not the person who does the deed. It's worth noting that we often rail at how Eddie McGuire gets away with so many indiscretions because he's so powerful and 'important' to his employers and that a lesser personage would be sacked on the spot. We don't like a double standard for Eddie, why should there be double standards at the Swans.
2. If anything, those who are the leaders of the club should be the ones to set the standards and represent the club's culture. It would make sense that, as leaders, they have a greater responsibility to uphold the standards than those who have not proven themselves. If a captain of the Swans had been arrested for drug possession it would have a much more harmful effect on the club than for someone like Talia. So perhaps the punishment should be even greater for club leaders.

This.

[CureTheSane]

A couple of things:

1. Just wondering how many of those 52,000 have ever done a naughty drug thing.

Just wondering how many of the 502,000 members have played for the Swans. Or any AFL team?
Or who have signed a contract which I'm sure contains many clauses about all kinds of drugs and then gone and done so?

I was thinking about this last week.
What would happen to Olympic athletes if they take illegal drugs?
The answer to this will either soften or confirm my stance on the issue.

[CureTheSane]

Also, looking back at the Barry Hall 'dismissal' one would assume that those who at the time were strong advocates of the action taken, would now be more forgiving.
His anger issues could have been explained as a medical or mental issue and we could have all moved forward.

[ugg]

#BREAKING Swans defender Michael Talia pleads guilty to drug possession. Handed a good behaviour bond after being caught with cocaine.

— Airlie Walsh (@AirlieWalsh) August 3, 2016

[Markus26]

#BREAKING Swans defender Michael Talia pleads guilty to drug possession. Handed a good behaviour bond after being caught with cocaine.

? Airlie Walsh (@AirlieWalsh) August 3, 2016

I wonder how this will sit with the Swans? Let him go? Give Talia another go?

[Primmy]

I can't imagine how it would feel to front the players, the staff, Stuey Maxfield, Kirky, Macca, Horse, and etc. Wouldn't think he'd put his career into this much damage control again. Think the Swans will hang on with him for a bit. But he has a long long way to come back from in terms of behaviour expectations and no dickhead policy. We will see.

[CureTheSane]

Swans statement

Club Statement - Michael Talia - sydneyswans.com.au

Seems they are taking it all more seriously than most here.
Reading between the lines, he either busts his ass and demonstrates some real change and earns some real forgiveness from the players and the club, or he's gone.

[KTigers]

I think the club is entitled to feel a bit pissed off with Talia. He has been at the club a whole five minutes and has gone off and done something stupid and selfish. He hasn't exactly racked up any brownie points yet. He is getting paid a bunch of money and part of accepting that money is behaving himself in public. If he doesn't want to do that then he should go. There are plenty of guys lining up to take his spot.

[caj23]

Wow

I'd be highly surprised if at least 50% (and that's conservative) of the senior team hadn't tried cocaine at least once. It would be interesting to see the reaction on here if it had been a player who had been on our list for a few years caught out.

Talia has had his day in court and had his punishment handed out by the legal system, he's been suspended by the club during this time. Presumably he will cop a fine and be back training and playing this week, anything greater than that is complete overkill.

[jono2707]

By the way the club's statement is worded it looks like they are thinking very seriously of cutting him loose at the end of the year. Perhaps it's just to give him a real scare, but they seem to at least be keeping a foot in the 'kick him out' camp.

[KTigers]

Everybody has an opinion about how serious a crime cocaine possession is, and another opinion about the ratio of his teammates that may have tried coke at some time in their life. Not really sure that is relevant though. It doesn't make it OK just because some other guys haven't got caught. He signed a contract and accepted a decent pile of money and part of that is behaving himself. And he hasn't done that. I hope the bloke thinks to himself, "Maybe I better get my sh** together, and start doing what I said I'd do when the club signed me".

[Meg]

Michael Talia arrested and charged with possession of a prohibited substance

Everybody has an opinion about how serious a crime cocaine possession is, and another opinion about the ratio of his teammates that may have tried coke at some time in their life. Not really sure that is relevant though. It doesn't make it OK just because some other guys haven't got caught. He signed a contract and accepted a decent pile of money and part of that is behaving himself. And he hasn't done that. I hope the bloke thinks to himself, "Maybe I better get my sh** together, and start doing what I said I'd do when the club signed me".

I agree with all this. I also think the club would be very keen to protect its reputation with its sponsors - we are presently very well supported by some large organisations.

[CureTheSane]

Everybody has an opinion about how serious a crime cocaine possession is, and another opinion about the ratio of his teammates that may have tried coke at some time in their life. Not really sure that is relevant though. It doesn't make it OK just because some other guys haven't got caught. He signed a contract and accepted a decent pile of money and part of that is behaving himself. And he hasn't done that. I hope the bloke thinks to himself, "Maybe I better get my sh** together, and start doing what I said I'd do when the club signed me".

Finally a voice of reason.
Contract. Money. Common sense.
You'd think that the "no dickheads policy" mob here would be calling for his head.
Apparently this doesn't qualify as dickhead behavior....