Coleman-Jones and Sydney Stack to return to Punt Road in early DecemberBy Peter Ryan
The Age
November 29, 2020 Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones will return to training at Richmond in early December with the club set to embrace the pair as they attempt to put the hub indiscretion that led to them being sent home from Queensland in September behind them.
The Tigers confirmed that both players would begin their pre-season when most first and fourth year players from other clubs return, with the pair understood to be keen to work hard on the track as they take their first steps towards earning a spot in the reigning premiers' line-up.
Stack and Coleman-Jones made headlines in September when they were involved in a late-night scuffle outside the Kebab Zone situated in Surfer's Paradise's night club district after leaving the club's Gold Coast hub in breach of the AFL's strict protocols.
They were suspended for 10 matches but with the Tigers playing two home and away and four finals matches since on their way to back-to-back premierships they will be available for selection in the AFL team by round five 2021.
The club also declared at the time that the players would pay the $75,000 fine imposed however after push-back from the players' managers and the AFL Players' Association and with the emotion receding, the club acknowledged that a solution was likely to be reached between the player and the club although any agreement has been kept under wraps.
Neither player was in the team at the time the incident occurred however Richmond ruckman Ivan Soldo suffered an ACL injury in round 17 that ruled him out for the season so the Tigers were forced to play just one ruckman, Toby Nankervis, for the finals in Coleman-Jones' absence.
After their initial anger subsided the Tigers hierarchy firmly committed to the two players with three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick publicly backing the pair on the eve of the club's preliminary final clash with Port Adelaide to learn from their mistake.
"We're supportive of them as a club. We are incredibly disappointed in their actions but the fact of the matter it's a learning opportunity for both of those boys," Hardwick said.
"They can either sit there and think about what they have done and dwell on it or grow from it. We will continue to support those boys. They are Richmond men. We love what they bring when they are at their very best. They made a mistake and we will continue to invest in those boys."
Stack returned to Western Australia and Coleman-Jones to South Australia after the incident.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/coleman-jones-and-sydney-stack-to-return-to-punt-road-in-early-december-20201128-p56is3.html
