Wade Derksen has given Carlton more blues after drink-driving earned him a nomination for The Frownlow Medal.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while AFL player Noah Balta is the most recent recipient.
Derksen is the third Carlton AFL player to be nominated for Frownlow honours in the space of a week after Will Hayward and Lachie Cowan made headlines for the wrong reasons.
Derksen was charged with high-range drink-driving in Jabiru, after allegedly returning a reading of 0.174 in a roadside breath test in September. This is considered three times the legal limit in the Northern Territory. His licence was suspended and he will face court in November.
Driving once earned Derksen respect among Blues fans. When he was first offered a contract with Carlton, he drove from Darwin to Melbourne in 4 days to make it to pre-season training. Now it has earned him punishment.
After a horrid start to the off-season, Carlton is one of many professional sporting organisations wondering whether a year-round competition would keep their players out of trouble. At least they will have a strong presence at the awards night for The Frownlow Medal, to be held at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne later this year.
Image: NuNa
