Were they due to play that night? Are they likely to be paid any amount to play ABL?

Yeah they played that night but are both unpaid aba players so you would think 1-2 beers on a sat arvo is there choice and if it affected them I believe they wouldn't have done it?

Perhaps they were suspended for going to a footy match.

Are there requirements from the coach or an expectation that they wouldn't drink at all on the day of a game?

The players I know stick to a pretty professional schedule, even for ABL level. Pre-game routine, resting at certain times, eating at certain times. You'd be hard-pressed to get them to stray much from that.

(Can anyone remember that time Darren Ng copped some criticism for having been at an event or family BBQ in the lead-up to a game? I can faintly recall something like that.)

Perhaps less so if they're unpaid, but even at ABL level, I'd say that there is an expectation that you are picked to perform and set yourself up for your best chance to be at your peak on game night. Clubs spend on players, coaches, venues and they all take the competition seriously - with that comes the expectation I mentioned.

If the coach wanted to send a clear message, I don't think some sort of suspension is out of the question.

Don't blame them!
If you are playing that night why the hell would you be drinking that day???

No it wasn't for attending the footy match.. and yes I understand that but if these players have done this often throughout there abl playing years (and there both most certainly not first or second yr players), why is it suddenly a problem now?

One - two beers? Honestly what is that going to do to grown men 6 hours before a basketball match....

If it part of team rules and they broke it then fair call.

Even local league football teams have the same rules and even rules about going out the night before so why shouldn't it be applied to ABL teams.

If it had no impact at all, wouldn't NBL, NBA and AFL players be doing it? Pretty sure they don't.

Having done it before says more about them, not that there should be some leniency.

I checked the box and Reeves went 4/15 FG and the Warriors were drilled on their home court. Wonder if that hurt his case?

But there was no such team rule? so....

Oh no doubt losing the match didn't help their cause at all!! But all I'm trying to say is I think its a bit harsh seeing there was no team rule and the players had 1-2 beers each and there has been no punishment in the past... Give the boys a warning, tell them it's not on no more and stop punishing the whole team by taking away two of their better players for 2 weeks?

Maybe some expectation of personal responsibility?

Interesting discussion either way, in the absence of a team rule or warning. If there was a rule or warning, it'd be an easy call.

I make sure I have drunk beer and smoked pot before I partake in ANY sport!

1 or 2 beers. Could it have been 3?

sounds like al green is trying to look for something else to why his team hasn't played well the last few games... Don't take it out on those two players! Also i hear the playing group is not very happy with the suspension, as in they didnt believe it was warranted at all?!?

Come on seriously, how can you even debate this?
All players will know that drinking game day is stupid.
When I was playing in Mt Gambier and we went on road trips we were forbidden to go out on the Saturday night if we had a Sunday game. Our coach would basically go around to each room and check on us.
Another the point is, these guys unfortunately, are role models to kids. What if a junior player saw them at the football and now thinks, oh well it's ok to drink alcohol before a game. WRONG message to be sent to kids.
From memory Isaac, wasn't Darren criticised for having a glass of wine at a family function prior to a South game? ;)

Anon you say they have had beers on game day before? That doesn't make it right. I'm guessing this is the first time the coach has found out about it?

Every player in the league would think drinking game day or the night before is not on. I think it says a little bit about the culture at Woodville, that the whole team doesn't think the guys did anything wrong. They have a team that is pushing for finals .. they should be having a pre game shoot around in the afternoon, not drinking beers.

Panther, that could be the incident I was thinking about. Wasn't he accused of being drunk before the game? Or after the game? Something ridiculous like that? Can't find the post. I might've cleaned it out because it was pretty questionable and could've had a real impact given Darren's line of work.

Actually, those refs were out at 3am in the morngin drunk. And BA already had a no drinking policy that the refs had agreed to in writing. But ha.

Agreed that they had late games the next day, but I was one of the friends of the coach who had a photo with them and it was 3am and they were drunk!

Very interesting discussion! I just don't like the fact the whole team must suffer now..

As opposed to them suffering last game when players turned up and played after having a couple of pregame beers?

I guess for most teams things like not drinking on game day doesnt need to be a written rule. But for woodvilles sake, here are a few more no-no's:

No murder on game day
No drugs on game day
No running marathons on game day

yeah but say they do it every week... there's no problem when their playing well and the team is winning that week? Looks like both players are above career averages this year, explain that...

They shouldn't be doing it every week. If the coach knew they were doing it every week they wouldn't have played a game yet.

Adam Miller would of been drunk after drinking 2 beers, he is lightweight.

adam miller is a upstanding guy who performs at his best when he is intoxicated, i think give the bloke a beer instead of a gatorade and watch him drop 30 on useless sober bobs, might even get him back to his dunking days

adda bin which way!!!!

this is fair crap if it is over a couple drinks hours before a game... it would be out of their system come game time...

and people getting all uppity like the ABL is a pro league. It isn't the NBL, to be expected to be "role models" is just stupid, i don't know of anyone in any of my junior teams who would go to an ABL game and go shit, when i grow up i want to be just like jason williams or matt illman or maybe even nathan vaughn...

how many footy teams have players drunk and high before a game in top grades across the country and state, and you don't see them get benched, why, because they still perform...

think a few of you would be surprised to find out just how many players are high or had a drink on game day in ABL and Reserves...

regardless... we don't know the facts as to why the suspension happened, so maybe don't make decisions without all or any of the facts?!

Damn , Times have changed since the 80's , I well remember the state that "mean" Al's team mates could often be found in when they visited our town for the first of the weekend's NBL's away games for both westies and the 36ers.

And lets not talk about the Dalton boys or Ian Davies.

Well I was at the Woodville vs Sturt match on the weekend and there were atleast 10 woodville juniors with their hair coloured green. I think its safe to say they do look up to their ABA players - as do all the juniors around the league.

And no Ricey don't try and convince people that drinking before games occurs alot. It does not happen in the SANFL or in ABA - I've been involved in both. Heavy drinking occurs after games in both sports however.

Forget role models - the clubs run these teams, paying (some) players, paying coaches, etc with an expectation that they will do their best and act with some sense of professionalism. e.g., follow a fairly basic game day routine.

It may seem harsh, but team discipline is #1 if you want to win premierships.

Ahhhh it does. I could list about 20 players I've seen have a beer or two during the day at a gathering, event or whatever before a game... We're talking about a couple beers, not a bloody keg...

having a beer is about as detrimental before a game as a wank, or coffee or any other number of things, maybe we should all go off about people who do any of that as being uncommitted and what not... seriously... what will a couple beers do to a persons game? and we are talking hours before a game, not directly before...

Rasheed Wallace smoked weed throughout his career... Mustn't have been too committed i guess

1 or 2 beers? Sounds like more than that if they are not sure how many they had!
Yes I am joking.
Irrespective of what you believe, drinking on the game day can only be seen as disrespectful and lacking in commitment to the team and their team mates.
On the other hand, something to consider. The alcohol drank on the day may have left their bodies and therefore would not affect motor skills etc. however the breaking down of the beers causes dehydration and I don't care who you are, this does effect performance.In fact as a little as 2.5 % loss of body weight in fluid can result in up to 45% loss in performance in high intensity type exercise. You may still play well but not as well as you would have

I think there's a general consensus that they were doing the wrong thing (except Ricey and Anon, who believe they were doing the right thing). Drinking on game day is not on.

Is the penalty too big? Maybe a 1 game ban would've been better considering Woodville are in finals contention.

A one game ban does seem a more balanced punishment.

I think they should publically appologise to all the fans they have dissappointed as a consequence of their actions. Also perhaps they should submit to regular breath alcohol tests prior to every game and training. Seriously.....

2 weeks does = 1 game due to no games this weekend..

Usually in sport when someone is suspended for "2 weeks" it refers to 2 matches.

Sponsors put up the cash for the teams, along with mum n dad whose subs/fees contribute.

ABA is meant to be the SANFL of state basketball. If you think drinking on game day is ok if you play ABA, you can't be focussed on being at 100%.

(sponsors) money talks, bullshit (attitude) walks.

Even if it wasn't a team rule, personal responsibility says check yourself. Error in judgement? Yes. Reasonable expectation you should know better....?