Surprised no one has mentioned this .....-------------------------------------------
Collingwood's Heath Shaw free to play despite drink driving charge
August 04, 2008
COLLINGWOOD star Heath Shaw has admitted he wasn't thinking when he drove home drunk from a Hawthorn pub on Sunday night.
And he has confirmed he was drinking with trouble-prone team-mate Alan Didak before he crashed into parked cars, but insists Didak was not in his black Holden ute when he crashed.
Shaw hit a stationary vehicle in Wrixon St Hawthorn before blowing almost three times above the legal limit.
Despite the charge, Shaw has escaped suspension from the club and will play this weekend in the crucial clash against St Kilda.
“I’m pretty embarrassed, I’m pretty empty," he said at team training a short time ago.
"I let a lot of people down.
"I didn’t think about the repercussions."
Shaw said he had been drinking with his brother, Didak, and other friends at the Geebung club in Hawthorn East.
When questioned, he confirmed he and Didak had been drinking beer.
Shaw said he left at around 11.30pm with a friend, who he did not wish to name, and clipped a stationary car.
"I was in a bit of shock when I pulled over," said Shaw. "I was not thinking when police came."
He claims he called Didak after the collision, saying “I need your help”. He said Didak later came to the scene but quickly left.
"I rang Alan and saw him walking down," said Shaw. "I told him to go."
Collingwood captain Scott Burns refused to mince words, saying Shaw had let everyone down and he was "not at all happy".
“Bugger him,” Burns said, “We’re going to make sure he cops it.”
Club president Eddie McGuire was red-faced with rage when he spoke to the media about the incident.
''(The Collingwood Football Club) is embarrassed and absolutely furious,'' McGuire said.
''There is no excuse and we're sick and tired of this behaviour.''
McGuire said the club had lost over $4 million in sponsorship deals over the years because of players behaving badly.
He said Shaw would not be suspended but would take full responsibility and be fined the maximum amount.
“He’s not a five-year-old, he is a grown man and must take responsibility,” said McGuire.
“(Coach) Mick (Malthouse) breaks his neck week in and out and is dragged down by clowns.
"Enough is enough.”
McGuire said Shaw would be fined the maximum amount under club rules - around $10,000.
Shaw will however, take the field against St Kilda, a game the club must win to keep its fading finals hopes alive.
Shaw's alleged recklessness behind the wheel will strike close to home for his family, as his sister, Laine, was lucky to survive a 2005 car crash.
The then-20-year-old spent almost two months in hospital, and was left with two broken ankles, a shattered pelvis and knee, broken collarbone and arm, broken ribs and a head wound requiring 25 staples.
Shaw and his older brother Rhyce took turns travelling back to the family home to help with Laine's rehab after she was discharged from the Epworth Rehabilitation Unit.
Coach Mick Malthouse said it was up to Shaw to take responsibility for his actions and said the club couldn’t “chaperone” their players everywhere they went.
“He chose not to be responsible on Sunday … we will make him responsible,” Malthouse said.
Earlier, AFL chief Andrew Demetriou said it was up to the club to determine the best punishment for the star defender.
Asked whether the league would take action on Shaw, Mr Demetriou said it was better for clubs to determine penalties.
"We prefer the clubs to deal with these instances themselves,'' Mr Demetriou said.
''I'm pretty sure Collingwood has taken this matter very seriously," Mr Demetriou said today.
Shaw's car allegedly car slid out of control about 11.30pm in Wrixon Street, Kew last night.
The Herald Sun understands Shaw registered a blood alcohol reading of .144.
Penalty notices are served to drivers who record a blood alcohol level of up to .15 - with penalties dependent on the exact amount of alcohol found in the driver's system.
The maximum penalty is a 14-month loss of licence.
Shaw was one of the best players for the Collingwood in the side's big loss to Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday night.
He kicked two goals and played a pivotal role in the centre as the Hawks cruised to a 54-point win.
It's not the first time the Collingwood Football Club has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.
In January, Magpie rookie Sharrod Wellingham, was arrested on a drink driving charge after blowing 0.13 at Lorne. The club lost a lucrative $500,000 TAC sponsorship, and in turn fined Wellingham $5000.
At the time Magpie President Eddie McGuire denied the club had a culture of excessive drinking, despite several other boozy offences taking place since Mick Malthouse took over as coach in 2000.
In June 2007, Collingwood forward Alan Didak admitted to a wild seven-hour drinking session with Christopher Wayne Hudson, the man accused of killing lawyer Brendan Keilor in the CBD shootings.
In May 2006 Chad Morrison blew .093, costing the Pies a $200,000 fine from sponsor TAC and Morrison a $20,000 fine imposed by the club.
Three months later, Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson were interviewed by police after a 4am bashing in Port Melbourne. The pair were fined $5000 for breaking curfew.
Previously, Tarrant was involved in a 4am nightclub fight with Essendon's Mark Johnson in 2004.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24124765-5016215,00.html
