Brisbane Lions Senior Coach Michael Voss has said that Brendan Fevola’s health and well-being are the first priority for the Club following a well publicised incident involving the full forward on New Year's Day.  

Fevola has since been receiving professional assistance at a clinic for a number of personal and confidential issues.

Speaking on Monday morning from the Club’s first training session since the Christmas break, Voss acknowledged that Fevola, currently on indefinite leave, had a number of personal issues to work through and would have the Club’s support as he underwent professional assistance.

“Brendan is seeking professional assistance at the moment and our first priority right now is his health and welfare," Voss said.

"A serious program has been put in place to help him get through this difficult time."

“Of course we are disappointed in his actions, but we need to get behind him and support him through this initial stage.” 

Contrary to media speculation, the Club has not placed any time frame on when it may discuss the New Year’s Day incident with Brendan, which will only occur when Brendan is well enough to be able to take part in those discussions.

“In due course we will make that decision. It won’t be today and it won’t be tomorrow. At the moment he is in care and his well-being is of the highest importance to us,” Voss said.

“We are obviously disappointed because as a Club, our reputation is something that is extremely important to us. It’s something that we have worked hard to maintain, it’s something that we hold dear and something that we value enormously.”

Voss said that ultimately, Fevola’s future would rest on his own choices.

“It’s got to be Brendan’s choice. The network is around him to try to get him through this. He’s got to make some strong decisions about what he needs to do, and if he does that, I think you’ll see a group of people who are willing to get behind him,” Voss said.

“We hope that in time he’ll be able to make these choices, but while he’s going through these issues, we’ve got another group of players who have got to get on with preparing for 2011. As a Club, that’s where we sit right now.”

As far as the Club, and in particular the team, is concerned, it’s business as usual at the Brisbane Lions as we build towards the start of the 2011 AFL Season.