Border Mail |THE Ovens and Murray league has covered up the night of shame that contributed to its latest representative setback.
The O and M board yesterday said sanctions had been imposed, but it failed to name who received them and what they entailed as it moved on from events leading up to the 10-point loss to Peninsula a fortnight ago.
Former league coach and player Peter Tossol said last night he was "horrified" at reports about the league-sanctioned Friday night get-together for the representative team.
He had expected a stronger board response to assure followers it took the matter seriously.
The former championships-winning coach said it should have heeded the example shown by the Gold Coast Suns this week in banning two players for a match for drinking a glass of wine the night before a match.
"The thing that worries me most is the message it sends to a prospective coach and players," Tossol said. "As a former coach and league follower I want to know what happened.
"I am hearing all the stories like everyone else, but for the league to turn around and say "trust us, nothing to see here" isn't good enough.
"There would be players questioning their future commitment at a time when the league needs them the most. It needed strong action."
O and M coach Brendan Fevola admitted drinking on the night before the game, but brushed off the relevance of having a "few beers" at a team dinner at the league's major sponsor, the SS&A Club.
League manager Aaron McGlynn said the matter was closed and there would be no further comment.
A league statement hinted that the league had failed to do enough to prevent the match preparation running off the rails.
"The league is reviewing the process generally with the intention of improving the structure to optimise outcomes," McGlynn said.
The league rules state it could have sought an independent investigation if it felt a "coach, player, trainer, official or employee of a club" had been involved in conduct that could bring the game into disrepute or be prejudicial to the interests of the league.
