Collingwood AFL coach Nathan Buckley says midfielder Dane Swan will need to work hard to regain the trust of his teammates after breaking a booze ban and receiving a two-match club suspension.
The third-placed Magpies have taken a hard line on the reigning Brownlow Medallist despite facing tough games against top-eight rivals Sydney and North Melbourne in the next two rounds.
Buckley said Swan was clearly in an unfit state for training when he arrived at the club on Monday morning.
Buckley said on Wednesday that the Magpies accepted Swan was not drinking alcohol at a St Kilda bar he attended on Sunday night, but he was drinking before and after being photographed at the bar.
“We’re a little bit disappointed in his actions,” Buckley said.
“Swannie made a poor decision, a decision that he’s quite remorseful and embarrassed about. He spoke to the playing group this morning about that.
“He understands he needs to earn the trust of the playing group and the rest of the club and probably the members and supporters for his actions and we’re going to give him every chance to do that, given that he’s an important part of the next six to eight weeks for us, as he is in the future.
“It was pretty clear that he was under the weather (on Monday).
“There was probably three or four players, three or four coaches and a couple of support staff that were more than aware of the state that ‘Swannie’ was in.
“It was basically there for all to see, the state that he had come to the club in.”
Buckley said it was a very simple process to suspend Swan.
“Dane has accepted that he was drinking when he shouldn’t have been,” Buckley said.
Buckley said the playing group had decided in the past few weeks to not drink for the rest of the season.
“When the playing group get together and decide … we’re not going to drink, you don’t drink,” Buckley said.