Gram given marching ordersOctober 31, 2012
Michael Gleeson Sports Writer for The Age
NO ONE at St Kilda knew when or if Jason Gram would play for the club again after he was quietly exiled from the club last month after running foul of police.
On Tuesday night, that picture became clearer - Jason Gram will never play for St Kilda again after being sacked by the club.
Coincidentally, the club had already decided 12 hours before his police arrest that it would terminate his contract after a series of lapses in his behaviour.
When police knocked on Gram's door on Monday night, as he sat at home with his housemate, and took him away to the Moorabbin police station and put him in the cells for the night, Gram would have suspected his days as a St Kilda player were over.
He had been warned by coach Scott Watters when he was suspended indefinitely in September that he was on his last chance and that, unless certain standards were met and certain behaviours stopped, he would be sacked.
On Tuesday, when he emerged from the cells and after appearing in Moorabbin Magistrates Court, he attended a meeting with club officials, accompanied by his manager Tom Petroro and AFL Players Association representatives Ian Prendergast and Brett Murphy, where he was told his fate.
Gram was understood to be contracted for about $350,000 to play next year. He is likely to nominate for the national and pre-season drafts in an attempt to find a new club.
Watters had already adopted a tough-love approach with Gram when, last pre-season, he sent him back to the VFL for about a month to improve his fitness.
The decision to sack Gram has reinforced the message emanating from St Kilda that certain standards would not be compromised. It is understood that was the essence of the message Watters gave to all players contacted after Gram's sacking.
"Following the breakdown of a personal relationship, Gram failed to honour repeated undertakings to the club concerning his behaviour," a statement from St Kilda said.
''[The club] has been working with Gram for a number of months on this issue in an attempt to ensure his behaviour appropriately reflected the values shared across the club and to assist with the management of his personal welfare.
"The club recognises that Jason's conduct has been of a non-violent nature."
It is understood St Kilda had been offering Gram and his former partner support and counselling over many months and had vowed to continue to do so.
The club said the AFL had been informed of the situation and supported St Kilda's position.
Gram, 28, played 156 games after making his debut in 2003. He played in all three of the Saints' recent grand finals.
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