AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has defended the severity of the ban handed to Greater Western Sydneys Lachie Whitfield.The former No.1 draft pick will miss the first seven games of the 2017 season after accepting a six-month AFL ban on Tuesday.The fallout was more far-reaching for former Giants staffers - football boss Graeme Allan and welfare manager Craig Lambert - who were banned for 12 months.The trio was investigated after Whitfield spent three days at Lamberts house, with the knowledge of Allan, in May last year in an alleged bid to avoid a possible drug test, which is a violation of the anti-doping code.However, in a move ticked off by ASADA, the AFL instead handed bans down for a breach of its own rule 2.3 concerning conduct unbecoming.All three had maintained throughout that Whitfield was simply seeking help as he went through a messy relationship break-up.I think when you get a six-month suspension thats acknowledgement that you have transgressed and you have behaved in a way that wasnt right, McLachlan said.I think six months is a reasonably significant suspension.Hes a ... kid who took advice from his supervisors, the people who were looking after him, so theres a different allocation of responsibility.Whitfield will be barred from using GWS facilities for four months before returning to train for the final two months of his ban while not being allowed to play.He will be cleared to return in the Giants round eight clash against Collingwood at Spotless Stadium.Allan, who was installed as general manager of football at Collingwood in August, quit his post in response to the suspension.Lambert has since moved on to a similar post with Brisbane and will miss the entire 2017 season.In a damning assessment, the AFL investigation found Whitfield sent incriminating text messages to a third party, the contents of which he subsequently denied.In those texts he stated he had taken illicit drugs, was staying at Lamberts house to avoid ASADA drug testers and was doing so under instruction from Allan and Lambert, who feared the drugs may have been laced with performance-enhancing substances.Much harsher bans could have been brought into play if ASADA had pursued the trio for a breach of the anti-doping code.McLachlan said there was no evidence or even allegations Whitfield had anything to do with performance-enhancing drugs, with the league taking into account that all three men had elected to plead guilty and not contest the charges.The league is yet to decide whether GWS will be penalised with a loss of draft picks, with AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon to consider that possibility in the coming days.The Giants, however, believe their club is not at fault over the issue.It has been established that former senior staff acted outside of their authority in managing circumstances and taking matters into their own hands, a club statement read.Their handling of the matter was independent of the club and did not conform with the clearly established club protocols, thus in no way relating to a governance failure on behalf of the club. 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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos have upped their offer to Von Miller by offering to guarantee the Super Bowl MVP a record $70 million of the six-year deal, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to share candid details of the blockbuster offer that also was reported by ESPN and the NFL Network.The sides have until 4 p.m. EDT Friday to get a signed deal into NFL headquarters.Millers agent, Joby Branion, and the Broncos agreed to the parameters of a six-year, $114.5 million deal last month but Millers camp held out for more guaranteed money.The June offer included $38.5 million in guarantees over the first two years, another $1.3 million in workout bonuses, plus the chance to earn another $19.5 million in guaranteed money in 2018.General manager John Elway reignited talks last week when he offered to move up guaranteed money in Year 3 to next March.This week, he upped the overall guaranteed money.Elways offer now far surpasses the $63 million in guarantees that Philadelphias Fletcher Cox received last month and represents the most money ever offered a non-quarterback in the NFL.The latest proposal checks off all the boxes for Miller -- the biggest overall contract for a non-QB in league history, most guaranteed money for an NFL defensive player and a benchmark deal that raises the bar for the next superstar.Franchise players have to sign long-term deals by 4 p.m. EDT Friday. Without a signed contract delivered too NFL headquarters by the deadline, they would only be allowed to play the 2016 season for their tender, $14,129,000 in Millers case.ddddddddddddThats something Miller has insisted he wont do. Last month, he threatened to sit out the season absent a blockbuster deal.The star of Super Bowl 50 skipped the Broncos offseason program, only joining his teammates for their White House visit and ring ceremony. But Miller stayed in tip-top shape, in part by participating in Dancing With The Stars.Miller predicted peaceful contract negotiations 12 hours after spearheading Denvers 24-10 win over Carolina in the Super Bowl when his two sack-strips of Cam Newton led to both of Denvers touchdowns. But things got thorny last month. After details of Denvers June 7 offer became public, Miller cropped Elway from a photo on his Instagram account and then said there was no way hed play this season on the franchise tag.As negotiations reignited, Millers teammates expressed confidence things would work out.I think it will happen because me and Elway went down to the wire last year, said receiver Demaryius Thomas, who signed a $70 million deadline deal (including $43.5 million guaranteed) in 2015 with only about 30 minutes to spare.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton ' ' '
