ASADA makes secret player calls

David Smith ... 'There are no clubs being considered to have any systemic issues beyond what we already know.' Source: ALAN PORRITT / AAP

The ASADA investigation has moved its focus to individual NRL players, with the drugs agency directly contacting two current NRL players earlier this week to arrange formal interviews.

And it can be revealed one represents Cronulla, the other Canberra.

Both were contacted via their mobile phones, in contrast to how NRL boss Dave Smith and ARLC chairman John Grant outlined ASADA interviews would be requested at Wednesday's press conference.

A total of 31 current players will be issued with interview notices from early next week, and about 10 former players - who could still be involved in other competitions - are also wanted for questioning. The process will take up to six weeks, Smith said.

The interviews

ASADA has spent this week compiling interview notices for the 31 current players who are of interest, and intend to start delivering them early next week.

They will be initially sent to the NRL's newly-formed integrity unit, headed by former Federal Court judge Tony Whitlam QC and commercial lawyer Michael Eyers.

The integrity unit will then pass on the requests to players and/or their clubs.

"ASADA will tell us the players they want us to contact and through our integrity unit, we will issue the notices," Smith said.

ASADA has elected to go through the NRL because players and clubs are compelled to co-operate under the game's code of conduct. Those who don't co-operate face automatic suspensions, with clubs vulnerable to a four-year ban.

Club officials have already been made aware of these obligations.

Interestingly, players contacted directly can't be forced to undergo an interview.

The Focus

Apart from Cronulla, all clubs - including the five others implicated in the Australian Crime Commission report - are in the clear.

And with the exception of those who played at Cronulla in 2011, the investigation is concentrating on individuals or groups of players suspected of buying, possessing or taking banned peptides via their own means.

Although ASADA has no positive tests, it's understood phone taps and internet or credit card records have been used to build a strong case.

Sports scientist Stephen Dank, who worked at the Sharks during the period in question, is believed to be the central figure.

There's a concern that certain players maintained contact with Dank or his supplier, Darren Hibbert (aka The Gazelle), to source treatments beyond the walls of their club.

Hibbert has revealed 20 players from Manly, Cronulla and North Queensland bought supplements from the boot of his car at training venues. And Dank also privately treated players at a now-defunct medical clinic in Bankstown.

Dank has denied ever using performance-enhancing substances in the NRL.

"Other than the well-reported issues at Cronulla, they're now moving to the players," Smith said.

"There are no clubs being considered to have any systemic issues beyond what we already know."

Smith has vowed not to identify the players of interest, however it's already known that 14 are currently at Cronulla, while three are with Manly.

There are another eight former Sharks, either retired or playing elsewhere, in the sights of investigators.

Suspensions

Smith on Wednesday promised that all players interviewed would continue to take the field until ASADA issues infraction notices.

He does not expect that scenario to unfold for another eight weeks at least, meaning that one of the biggest dramas in the game's history could damage its showpiece - State of Origin.

Any players who receive infraction notices will be stood down, but still presumed innocent, until they front the NRL's tribunal.

Plea bargains can also be negotiated between the players and ASADA.

Two weeks ago, Cronulla - through former ASADA senior counsel Richard Redman - offered 14 players a six-month ban with financial incentives to stand down immediately. The offer was rejected, with players now armed with independent legal advice as they prepare to be interviewed.

Internal draft

After suggesting an internal draft would be convened to distribute players to decimated clubs, Smith backed away from endorsing the proposal.

But should the ARLC rubber-stamp it, there would be significant opposition from clubs who believe their rosters should not suffer for the wrongdoing or mismanagement of others.

"To go into detailed discussions about which players are going where, or whether it's fair or unfair, it's certainly too early to do that," Smith said.

However, he and Grant both conceded "contingency plans" had already being entertained.

Sponsors

Smith has been in contact with game's major backer, Telstra, over the past 24 hours. He's confident the establishment of the integrity unit and impending introduction of blood passports will maintain confidence among corporate backers.

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Archie reveals secret to Rojas duo

Dream team ... Archie explains the secrets to his success. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Archie Thompson revealed Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou's structure and discipline is the reason he and Marco Rojas have flourished this season.

Rojas has been the biggest benefactor of the Postecoglou regime, with Sunday's brace against Newcastle Jets taking his tally to 14 for the season - 14 more than his barren 2011-2012 campaign.

Thompson has already reached last season's seven goals and exceeded his assist tally, setting up his fifth of the season and Rojas' opener on Sunday.

It's foolish to say Rojas struggles without Thompson, but Fox Sports Stats prove how much the Socceroo helps the Kiwi when he's on the park.

Thompson said Postecoglou has given him a new lease of life at 34 but Rojas is the one who's realty grown under the new boss.

"He's one player that's really flourished under Ange, who has installed so much confidence in him,'' Thompson said.

"You don't even have to know football to see what the kid's got, he's confident, scores goals, it's exciting.

"Ange has instilled discipline and structure which has been good for me and the reason we've improved so drastically.

"At A-League level I've usually had that freedom to be able to float around the park where in the Socceroos I've always played within a structure.

"I'm 34 and if anything I'm still learning and that's why I enjoy playing so much and becoming a better player.''

Thompson's influence is evident - Victory has won just one of six without him while it concedes 3.2 goals per game without Thompson (19 in six games) and just 1.1 when he plays.

But the Rojas and Thompson numbers are intriguing:

* They are responsible for 51 per cent of Victory's goals this season;

* They've directly combined for seven of Victory's goals this season, primarily with their training ground counter attack and cross move;

* The club record 6-0 loss in round 2 was the only time both players have missed the same game.

Thompson said opposition teams were applying more attention to Rojas in recent weeks.

"Obviously he's getting more attention now and it's well deserved because he's done really well this year,'' Thompson said.

"When the likes of myself and Marcos (Flores) don't play, the opposition will tend to focus on one of the other key players and Marco has been one of them.

"Coming in takes some pressure off him and that's my job also.''

Postecoglou said 21-year-old Rojas is a victim of his own sudden rise.

"I still think people judge Rojas far too harshly, Marco has been consistent all year against all opposition,'' Postecoglou said.

"He's scored 14 goals, he's got half a dozen assists, he's 21 and if you have a look at all the other scorers on the charts there's not many that age and he hasn't scored any penalties, others have. And he doesn't play as an out and out striker.

"People say he struggles without Archie, we as a team don't have as many attacking options.

"If he does nothing else this season, scorers all over the world would be happy with that.

"Marco needs to supply, he can't pick up the ball himself.''

Thompson, Gui Finkler and Flores were the three who supplied that and with Flores set to return this week, no one will be happier than Rojas.

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Swans held secret Tippett talks

In focus ... new Sydney Swans forward Kurt Tippett. Source: Bradley Hunter / News Limited

Sydney Swans kick-started secret negotiations with Kurt Tippett's management as early as mid-August last year in a bid to lure the star.

Sydney coach John Longmire revealed that while the club met with Tippett only after the grand final, the initial overtures started much earlier.

In mid-August, as Tippett struggled with concussion, he postponed contract discussions as he tossed up the idea of heading home to Queensland.

It was then that Sydney struck, eventually pulling off a heist that again enhanced their reputation as the best list managers in the business.

"Towards the back end of the year when he had those discussions and put things on hold, (chief executive) Andrew Ireland called and made the inquiry," Longmire said.

"We went up there on the Monday after the grand final and from that, then thought we had a real chance, and things went well for us."

Tippett would choose Sydney on October 7, and Adelaide's salary-cap dramas meant the Swans had to give up only a pre-season pick for the key forward.

Longmire launched a staunch defence of the club's cost-of-living allowance of 9.8 per cent, currently being reviewed by the AFL. And he said talk Tippett was a luxury after the Swans' premiership ignored the club's list profile.

"We are continually looking at our list, and when you look at our key-position stocks, Sam Reid played in a premiership at 20. (Mike) Pyke keeps improving and he has done a really good job, but he is 28. Lewis Roberts Thomson is 29.

"So we looked at the list demographics and thought he was a really good fit.

"We can throw him into the ruck and I think with 80 interchange next year, you will need that flexibility in your team."

Tippett must serve an 11-match suspension, and Longmire admits it will be a challenge to keep him mentally fresh.

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Secret Dank injecting house revealed

Stephen Dank ... used to inject NRL players at a house in Bankstown. Source: James Croucher / News Limited

Tucked away in a quiet Bankstown back street was the building NRL players visited to receive private treatments from Stephen Dank.

Dank - the sports scientist at the centre of ASADA's doping inquiry - met certain players at a room within the recently demolished Eldridge Rd premises to inject them with supplements.

There is no suggestion the supplements were prohibited and Dank has repeatedly denied the use of any substances that contravene the WADA code, such as illicit peptides.

However, his private relationship with certain players away from their clubs is a primary focus of the explosive ACC report and subsequent ASADA investigation.

In one-hour briefings conducted at Sydney clubs this week, ASADA officers have mentioned Dank's name to players after the former Manly and Essendon sports scientist last week revealed he was one of 33 people questioned by the ACC.

They've also been informed about telephone recordings that were collected over the course of the commission's one-year investigation.

For a period of his tenure at Manly, which extended from 2004 to 2010, Dank was living in Bankstown and used the nearby building to treat players off-site.

The building was once the headquarters of Workcare Medical, a workplace injury prevention firm, and has since been demolished.

Only a vacant lot remains. A senior employee - no longer working at the company - gave Dank access to a room within the building to conduct his treatment of players.

It's not clear how many were treated off-site, but The Daily Telegraph has been told Dank attempted to establish private contact with players from another club he briefly consulted for in early 2011.

Dank was studying for his pharmacology PhD at the time.

Dank did not respond to phone or text inquiries on Thursday. His barrister, Gregory Stanton, also didn't respond to a list of questions about Dank's treatment of players inside the Bankstown building.

Workcare Medical also failed to respond to similar inquiries about the company's connection to Dank.

ASADA officers have briefed Penrith, Manly and Canberra players and staff over the past week.

The clubs were strongly reminded about the points discount on offer for confessing or providing information that assists ASADA.

Players were also warned that ASADA would soon begin to interview individuals of interest, with around 150 people across both codes believed to be on the hitlist.

Cronulla players are yet to be briefed, but the club has held internal meetings with those who've been at Sharks Stadium since Dank left in early 2011.

Coach Shane Flanagan this week told Fox Sports News the drama had taken a mental toll.

"Before this ASADA and ACC stuff came out there was great excitement around the Shire and this team," he said. "It's been dampened a little."

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