Former Essendon player Sam Lonergan ‘really unsure’ about supplements impact on healthHerald-Sun
March 18, 2014 FORMER Essendon midfielder Sam Lonergan is “really unsure” if the Bombers supplement scandal will have long term effects on his health.
Speaking about the emotional toll the 12-month long controversy has taken on the former Tasmanian for the first time, Lonergan said it was one of the factors that pushed him out of the AFL system despite being offered another year on Richmond’s list.
He ended his career at the end of last season after one season and two matches with Richmond following seven years and 79 games with the Bombers.
Lonergan said he does not fear an infraction notice, but when asked about fears for his health, said:
“I’m really unsure, to be honest it is a tough one to answer.
“The frustrating part is people are finding out information before I’m finding out.
ASADA has issued controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank with a show cause letter believed to relate to his time at the Essendon football club. Dank is being questioned on 34 Anti-doping violations.
“Obviously there are things being put in place to make sure they are doing the right research to find out but at this stage there is obviously some sort of fear but whether that is really fear or whether that is because you are overthinking it we don’t know.”
The 26-year-old originally from Launceston is now a playing-assistant coach at SANFL club Glenelg having accepted the job partly to escape the AFL system and the surrounding Essendon scandal, only to be drawn in again when he was named alongside 13 former teammates in an ASADA report leaked to the media.
“I moved to Adelaide and got out of the system and to not having to be facing it constantly but how big footy is in Australia it just follows you,” he said.
“I’m OK, I’ve had plenty of time to deal with it now.
“The hard thing is you have to prepare your family again for another blow. You have to make the phone call to your mum and then your dad, your sister and brother, your nieces and nephews to say this is going to be in the paper.”
He did not want to comment on specifics as the investigation continues or on the two key figures of the controversy, former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank and the Bombers ex- strength and conditioning coach Dean Robinson.
But he did say while Essendon tried to provide support through information and updates, it was Richmond who carried him through the swirling controversy during the past year.
“I just understand they (the Bombers) were a different team, they weren’t my team,” Lonergan said.
“The hardest thing for me was they were my team for seven years.
“I still have the passion and love for that club like you would not believe but at the end of the day I wasn’t on their list.
“I can fully understand they have to protect their list first and that’s what Richmond were doing for me.
“Obviously I’m upset with how things have turned out with what’s happened and that it is still being dragged out and going on.
“That’s why Richmond was so good to me because they treated me like I had been there since I was an 18-year-old kid and that’s why my respect for them is so great.”
Lonergan was the only player on Richmond’s list dealing with the daily headlines but the Tigers did not abandon their mature-age rookie.
“I was by myself and they took me in and said, ‘we will do everything we can to support you on and off the field and provide you with every bit of information and help you need’.,” he said.
“I had only been in the door three or four months and it is a credit to that football club.”
Aiding his decision to move to Adelaide, his girlfriend Kirrie Waldon is based at the RAAF base at Elizabeth and he has rediscovered his love for football.
“I couldn’t be happier.”
“I fought tooth and nail for not the most talented person going around and had to fight for every inch. I believe I represented the Essendon Football Club very well and did everything I could for the supporters.”
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/former-essendon-player-sam-lonergan-really-unsure-about-supplements-impact-on-health/story-fndv8gad-1226857406155
