Essendon ruck Draper breaks silence following controversial Beveridge comments

Essendon ruckman Sam Draper has broken his silence since making some controversial comments surrounding Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.

Speaking on the 200 Plus Podcast, Draper suggested that key Bulldogs would leave the club this off-season if Beveridge remained as coach.

While the comments were tongue-in-cheek, Essendon were miffed that Draper would speak that way about a rival club in public and reached out to the Dogs to apologised.

Draper was even reportedly scolded by club officials, while coach Brad Scott labelled the comments as “disrespectful”.

As Draper missed the club’s game the following week with knee soreness, some pondered whether the ruckman had actually received a club imposed ban behind closed doors.

All of those rumours and queries were put to bed once Draper was actually sent for surgery on his knee.

Now back on the podcast, the 25-year-old spoke for the first time about his comments and the speculation that followed. The ruckman is glad to put the whole situation behind him.

“It was something that annoyed me when this whole thing was going on, that people were speculating that I got dropped internally by the club and my knee wasn't sore,” Draper told the 200 Plus Podcast.

“It was shocking timing the fact that this all happened, and then I got rested that weekend.

“Some comments were quite funny saying I, ‘Had an injured tongue muscle’.

“But the club were good and Scotty (Brad Scott) was good to say that it was definitely a knee.

“Now they can see it's definitely a knee that I've had surgery on and I'm out … unless it's a big six-week ban from the club, but I don't think it was that.”

Draper was sent for surgery early last week and the club suggested he could miss up to eight weeks as he recovers.

The ruckman himself has a different timeframe in mind, targeting Essendon’s Round 15 clash with West Coast at Marvel Stadium following their Round 14 bye, which would be around five weeks post-surgery.

“The first game after the bye, I reckon that's achievable,” Draper said.

“I’m definitely glad to have it done.

“It's one of these injuries that's been hanging around for a few years now and it just sort of got to the point where I was just like, ‘Enough is enough. I need to just get it sorted’.

“The boys are playing well and keeping up their end of the bargain, so I don't feel as guilty for getting it done.”

The Dons will be without Draper when they face Richmond in Saturday’s Dreamtime at the ‘G clash.