NATHAN Buckley denies Collingwood has a drug problem and has labelled Josh Thomas and Lachie Keeffe's positive drug tests 'an isolated event'.
Keeffe and Thomas admitted taking clenbuterol - a substance banned under the WADA code - and accepted a two-year ban on Monday, backdated to March, which would allow them to return in time for the 2017 season.
The duo unwittingly ingested the substance when they took illicit drugs on a day off, just hours before being randomly tested at the club.
Although the Magpies delisted the pair, they have committed to re-recruiting them as rookies, provided they are still available at the time of the club's draft selections.
Buckley said he was confident there was not a drug culture at Collingwood and acknowledged the issue was more widespread.
"What became evident to me is that it's an AFL issue, that it's a societal issue, and we need to have these open discussions to get to the bottom of it – I didn't feel like it was a Collingwood issue at all," Buckley told Fox Footy on Monday night.
"I will be steadfast in supporting Lachie and Josh until the cows come home because I believe this is an isolated event – it's not a pattern of behaviour.
"And if it was, we wouldn't be doing the right thing by every other person in the environment to maintain connection with these boys."
Buckley said he hoped Thomas and Keeffe would learn from their mistakes and "grow" as individuals.
"From day dot, half of me has been angry with the decision that they made and half of me has been shattered for the situation they find themselves in," he said.
"We're looking forward to bringing these two boys back into the fold in 12 months' time if that is what eventuates, (I) hope they have a greater understanding of their place in life, and maybe where football fits, and it may or may not, we'll find that out.
"We'd love to see this story end in a positive note because we don't want this to define them in the end, and they've got the choice on whether it does or it doesn't."
Buckley also took aim at the League's three-strikes illicit drugs policy, which is under review and set to be changed.
Currently, clubs are only told if a player tests positive to an illicit drug for a third time.
"It can't be all carrot - you can't be saying that everything is rosy," Buckley said.
"The stick is what we're talking about.
"There need to be some ramifications for poor decisions.
"It's absolutely showing care if you say `this is not acceptable and this will be the penalty if you make these choices'.
"You can't molly-coddle them."
