Pies will emerge stronger, says McGuire - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Pies will emerge stronger, says McGuire

By Guy Hand 09/08/2008 07:39:01 PM Comments (0)

Collingwood will set about establishing a new blueprint for the AFL club's on and off-field future at a seminar on Tuesday.

After a horrendous week for the club with the suspensions of three players in the wake of the Heath Shaw drink-driving incident and the prospect of a multi-million loss being flagged, president Eddie McGuire said the meeting would set about putting together plans to further strengthen the Magpies in all areas.

McGuire said his club had not been humiliated by the events of the past week as many claimed, and would emerge stronger from the fallout.

"We are dismayed by the actions of three players not doing the right things by themselves and their club in preparation for a big match," he told the club's president's dinner ahead of Saturday night's clash with St Kilda at the MCG.

"We are furious that a player would drink and drive. We are disappointed that the players would lie to us. It might be understandable, but it's not acceptable."

Shaw and teammate Alan Didak were suspended by the club for the rest of the season after it emerged they lied over Didak being a passenger in the utility Shaw crashed while drunk in Melbourne last Sunday night.

Shaw's brother Rhyce was also banned for two matches and fined after it emerged he was out drinking with them six days prior to the St Kilda match.

After heavy criticism over how the club handled the disciplinary issues, McGuire defended the Magpies over both their players' behaviour in general and the club's standards.

"Football saves far more than it loses, but we must continue to try to make every player who comes in contact with the Collingwood football club better for the experience.

"I believe we've been able to do that in just about every example I've seen, if not all cases.

"Because the media wants blood doesn't mean we should make decisions based on public relations."

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