Retiring Essendon ruckman Tom Bellchambers admits the group of players who were suspended as part of the supplement saga back in 2016 are as tight as a premiership team.
Bellchambers, who today announced he is hanging up the boots, was among the 17 then-current players banned for 12 months by WADA.
Captain Dyson Heppell and key defenders Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley will be the remaining three players from that group on Essendon’s list in 2021 following the ruckman’s decision.
Jake Carlisle, Stewart Crameri, Angus Monfries, Paddy Ryder and Jake Melksham departed the Bombers at the time, Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton, Tayte Pears, David Myers, Heath Hocking and Ben Howlett are out of the league and Travis Colyer (Fremantle) and Michael Hibberd (Melbourne) are at other clubs.
Bellchambers says that group of players have an extremely close bond.
“From a personal point of view, 2012-2013 was probably my more successful years when we had James Hird coaching at the club, we had a pretty successful team around Hirdy and we were quite successful those couple of years,” he told SEN’s Bob and Andy.
“For me it’s more about the bonds that you make and unfortunately we went through a bit of a sh-t time over a couple of year period, but in saying that, the bond from that and the friendships that have come around from that time at the club, I daresay they’re similar to premiership reunion catchups.
“Those 16 boys that were involved in that, we’ve gone through something that not a lot of players have gone through, so although it’s not something I’d wish upon too many people, the bond that has come from that is something that’s going to stick with me for the rest of my career.”
While a few players left Essendon during that period, Bellchambers said he was always going to stay.
“It didn’t (cross my mind to leave Essendon after the supplement saga suspension),” Bellchambers said.
“Loyalty has always been one of the values I’ve tried to live my life by and one of the traits I think that I have displayed over my career.
“A few boys did take that opportunity to leave and I don’t begrudge them whatsoever because they might have needed another opportunity to freshen up and that kind of thing.
“For me it was about trying to get this club and get this organisation back on the right path and moving in the right direction and I do have faith that the decisions that have been made and the people that have been put in place will get the club back to where it needs to get to.”
Bellchambers will officially retire with 136 AFL games to his name after being drafted back in 2007.