GOLD Coast's season of pain has continued with the club banning Jack Martin and Charlie Dixon for one game after the pair admitted to drinking alcohol prior to the Suns' loss to Hawthorn last Saturday.
Martin and Dixon breached team rules by consuming alcohol in their hotel rooms on the Friday night before the Gold Coast lost heavily to the Hawks in Launceston the next day.
Suns captain Gary Ablett said the club was 'extremely disappointed and embarrassed' with the pair's conduct.
"Our view is that these unacceptable and unprofessional behaviours must end," Ablett said in a club statement.
"We have set new standards this year, and they must be adhered too. We expect our teammates to follow the professional standards that all elite sportspeople live by."
Martin suffered a hamstring injury two minutes into the Hawks game and was subbed out, while Dixon had a quiet game, kicking just the one goal.
Martin's hamstring injury would have sidelined him from the senior side this week, and the club announced he would remain in the NEAFL for an extra week when he is fit.
Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade said the club's leadership group had made their feelings on the incident clear to the two players.
“Everyone at the club is disappointed by the actions of Charlie and Jack, the players know my thoughts, and importantly, the player leadership group have made their views really clear," he said.
It's the second time Dixon has been under a cloud over drinking alcohol this season. In early May, Gold Coast banned Harley Bennell, Brandon Matera, Trent McKenzie and Danny Stanley for breaching team rules around drinking prior to a game.
Dixon had also been drinking with his family, but escaped a club sanction after the players agreed that this didn't represent a breach of team guidelines.
More to come.