Richmond has determined premiership winner Marlion Pickett received’t play this week, however he hasn’t been stood down by the membership after his look in a Perth court docket on Monday.
Tigers chief govt Brendon Gale confirmed the membership made the choice “mindful of his welfare” and along with Pickett, who will proceed to coach and will even be at Saturday’s conflict with St Kilda.
Richmond has a bye the next week however Gale mentioned Pickett, who wished to play this weekend, was prone to return within the spherical 16 conflict with Brisbane.
Gale mentioned the membership would proceed to assist Pickett and “work on the presumption he’s innocent”.
“It came as a bit of a shock,” Gale mentioned.
“These are allegations. We’re going to operate on the presumption he’s innocent and justice will run its course. We think the best thing for him is to be back here, working hard.
“It’s been a big week, he spent one night in remand, he’s been to Perth and back, the emotional burden has been significant.
“He’s a very resilient character but not withstanding we have the bye next week and we felt that one or two weeks, it’s a watch, but we think that’s an appropriate amount of time for things to settle down.
“He’ll prepare with the team, he’ll train, he’ll be turning up and engaging, which we think is really important for him to do that at this stage and we fully expect him to play against Brisbane in two weeks time.”
On Monday, Pickett was granted bail by a Perth Justice of the Peace after being charged over a string of alleged burglaries during which greater than $380,000 was stolen from safes.
The 31-year-old two-time premiership participant is going through 12 fees, together with 4 counts of aggravated housebreaking, three counts of stealing and three counts of legal injury.
Pickett had advised membership officers he wished to play towards St Kilda this week however didn’t seem at coaching on Tuesday, with a media throng confronting gamers as they arrived.
But Gale mentioned Pickett can be again as a result of there was “no better place” for him to be as he handled the problems that might take important time, even years, to resolve.
The Richmond boss lauded Pickett as an “inspiration” for turning his life round after a earlier two-year stint in jail earlier than making it to the AFL.
“Nothing has come easy, but through the force of his will, against all the odds, through the love of his family and the care of football clubs, he’s turned his life around,” Gale mentioned.
“He’s had to overcome a lot of challenges, some many of us could never imagine.
“He’s been an inspiration to me, to many.”
In court docket on Monday, Pickett’s lawyer, David Manera, mentioned the prosecution case rested largely on allegations deposits had been made into the Richmond star’s checking account by his co-offenders and a camper van rented in his title was pushed interstate by the opposite males.
Neither Pickett nor his supervisor, Anthony Van Der Wielen, commented after the listening to, however in a press release it was made clear Pickett was entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“We understand and respect the public’s interest in this matter but we also implore all to respect the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise and to allow the legal proceedings to follow their due course without prejudice,” Van Der Wielen mentioned.
Pickett performed the primary of his 70 video games for the Tigers within the 201 AFL grand closing. He is out of contract on the finish of the 2023 season.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
