COLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGuire has rubbishedsuggestions there might be a culture problem at his club.
OnWednesday Magpie Sharrod Wellingham fronted the football media after it hademerged the youngster had been charged with drink-driving while in theVictorian coastal town of Lorne at the weekend.
McGuire,who did the majority of the talking throughout the 20-minute press conference,said the 19-year-old had recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.13 after beingarrested on Saturday night.
Previoustraffic trangressions by former Magpies Cameron Cloke and Chad Morrison almostcertainly contributed to Wednesday’s announcement that the club would resignfrom its $500,000 a season sponsorship deal with the Transport AccidentCommission.
Wellingham’sindiscretion is not the first time a Collingwood player has made headlines offthe field in recent seasons.
Lastyear small forward Alan Didak was embroiled in an off-field scandal, while in2006 Ben Johnson and then-Magpie Chris Tarrant were both involved in anightclub brawl.
However,when asked if there was a cultural problem at the Magpies, McGuire was firm inhis response.
“No,no there’s not,” the Collingwood boss said.
“Thereis a situation out there since time immemorial of people drinking too much,” hesaid.
“Ithink there’s far bigger cultural problem with alcohol and journalists thanthere are with footballers. And I know because I’m adopting both sides of theledger there.”
McGuiresaid his club and the AFL were taking steps to ensure players acted responsibly– especially when it came to alcohol.
“Sharrodhimself has given up drinking,” he said, before pointing out that he had “goodpeople around him”.
NickMaxwell is Wellingham’s mentor, with the young rookie living with the playersome believe is in the running to take over from Nathan Buckley as Collingwoodcaptain.