Nathan Bock Biography

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority has reopened its investigation into Nathan Bock and Gold Coast.

The announcement follows a News Corp Australia report quoting sports scientist Stephen Dank in which he claimed to have provided banned substance CJC-1295 to Gold Coast's then high-performance manager Dean Robinson.

ASADA said it contacted Dank on Wednesday, but he had refused to comment further.

Bock was cleared last week of doping by ASADA and allowed to continue coaching NEAFL team Southport Sharks.

Nathan Bock announces his retirement from football, effective immediately.

"Late last week I knew in my own mind it was time, but it's something that's been on the cards over the past month," Bock said.

"When I played my last game in the NEAFL and struggled to walk for a about a month, that's when it came to light that I'd probably struggle to play any AFL footy this year.

"That was the biggest reality check of it all."

Injuries cruelled Bock's time with the Suns, in particular a fractured leg sustained early in 2012.

Following a long rehabilitation, Bock returned in round 19, 2013, playing two matches before undergoing surgery once more to remove a rod initially inserted to stabilise his leg.

"When I initially did it, I probably didn't realise the extent of the rehabilitation," Bock said.

"I didn't realise it would be as long and tough a road as it would be. There was some down times, no doubt about it, but I'm truly grateful for the opportunities I've had.

"We thought having the rod removed from the leg … would definitely help to get back to full fitness. Unfortunately that created a whole new dimension of problems."

Nathan Bock suffers a setback in his return from a broken leg but Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna is confident the key defender will be able to resurrect his AFL career.

Bock played successive NEAFL games for the Suns a month ago, but after having a bye to recover, was too sore to play for the reserves at the weekend.

It is more than two years since the 31-year-old shattered his right leg against Fremantle, and aside from two games late last season, Bock has not been sighted at senior level.

"He's disappointed, I'm disappointed for him not being able to get up after the bye," McKenna said.

"He did it (played) for two weeks and we were all excited … he's seeking alternative medicine, he's doing everything he possibly can to get himself right.

"There's 14 weeks to go, so it's a long time to get himself right to have an impact in the second half of the season."

Gary Ablett will remain Gold Coast's captain for a fourth straight season, while the Suns have elevated youngsters David Swallow, Dion Prestia and Tom Lynch into their leadership group.

Swallow, Prestia and Lynch will join Nathan Bock and Michael Rischitelli as vice captains.

"We have been really pleased with the way our playing group has evolved," Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna said.

"Our experienced guys, like Gary, Nathan and Michael, have had a huge task in not just establishing and growing our club but also our players, and for us now to be in a position to elevate some of our inaugural season debutants can be attributed to their great work."

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna says Suns veterans have all been offered contracts for 2014.

"Michael Rischitelli is a wanted player, he has a contract before him, like Campbell Brown and Nathan Bock," McKenna said.

"[From] what we understand, they're all very comfortable with those contracts and we're very confident they're all going to stay."

Nathan Bock will see his surgeon later this week to discuss the process of having the steel rod removed from his broken right leg.

Bock was subbed out of Gold Coast's 13-point win over Melbourne on Saturday night after having difficulties with the leg.

The 30-year-old vice-captain broke it horribly against Fremantle in round six last season, and had just returned to senior footy.

After a number of weeks in the reserves, Bock resumed the previous week against West Coast, but has now been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Gold Coast development coach Andy Lovell says he expects Nathan Bock to play senior football again this year.

"His development has been really rapid over the last three or four weeks. He's thereabouts, no doubt," Lovell said.

"We want to set him up to succeed, not fail. We're just really mindful he's 100 per cent right to go. We're really confident and really hopeful he'll play soon."

Nathan Bock will make his return to football the reserves after 13 months out with a broken leg.

"I've just been focusing on my rehab and getting back to playing some footy and that's what I'm focusing on," Bock said.

"I'm just excited about playing some football on the weekend."

Gold Coast vice-captain Nathan Bock is dragged into the doping scandal engulfing the AFL following a News Limited report that he is being investigated by ASADA for alleged use of banned peptides in late 2010.

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna says Nathan Bock is still weeks away from returning from a broken leg.

"His goal was to play round one everything going well, and everything's gone well, he's just underestimated the work you have to do coming back off a broken leg," McKenna said.

The Gold Coast board endorse Gary Ablett as captain of the Suns for the third straight season.

Ablett will lead the team ahead of vice-captains Nathan Bock and Michael Rischitelli.

Nathan Bock aims to be back in the side by round one of 2013.

"I saw the surgeon just before Christmas and he was happy with the progress we're making," Bock said.

"I would like to think round one is a realistic possibility but we will just have to play it by ear."

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna, however, believes Nathan Bock's aim to play in round one may be a little on the optimistic side.

"The Saints clash may be ambitious but I like the way he is thinking," McKenna said.

"My reports were that we were going to manage him until Christmas (so) he's probably done more than what we expected prior to the holiday break - that's why I'm optimistic."

Nathan Bock says he wants to put his 2012 season, plagued by suspensions, injuries and off-field dramas, behind him.

"I'm happy to put this year in the back of the mind and concentrate on 2013,'' Bock said.

"It was obviously pretty draining and it was frustrating at the start of the season to miss those two games because of the suspension.

"Then I felt like it took me a few weeks to get into form and the game I really felt the best was the one against Fremantle when I ended up breaking my leg.

"Then obviously the stuff with mum had been dragging on for a little while as well and the year was mentally quite challenging and physically very challenging.

"It was probably the toughest year I've had in footy.''

Nathan Bock's season is likely over due to a fractured tibia after being bumped during a marking contest against Fremantle.

Nathan Bock says he didn't think his leadership role at Gold Coast was in doubt despite his suspension for a betting indiscretion.

It's obviously serious; it's a breach of AFL rules and I understand that," he said.

"The AFL have handed down their penalty and I copped it on the chin and move on from it. The players obviously still see me as a strong leader and that's what I see myself as."

Gold Coast chief executive Travis Auld has backed Travis Bock to retain the Suns' vice-captaincy.

"I can say personally Nathan has my support and he has the support of our Chairman," Auld said.

"What we look for in our leaders is people who act with honesty and integrity, people who are prepared to learn from their mistakes, people who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions and that's what Nathan has done in this instance.

Nathan Bock has been suspended for two matches and fined $10,000 due to a gambling incident where he inadvertantly revealed he would be starting up forward rather than in defence where he is usually played.

"The investigation found that Bock breached the rules recklessly, but importantly that he did not intend that the information be used for betting," AFL's general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson said.

"There was no intentional breach of the AFL rules in this case."

Gary Ablett can add the Gold Coast Suns' inaugural club champion award to his long list of honours, claiming the title by a wide margin on Friday night.

Ablett tallied 196 votes to easily finish well in front of vice captain Nathan Bock (138) and Michael Rischitelli (100).

"It's been a pretty tough year. There's been a lot of ups and downs but I've really enjoyed it," Ablett said.

"I'm really excited about the future. With all these young kids I've been really proud of the way they've gone about their footy this year and the amount of improvement they've had."

The Herald Sun reports a successful betting plunge on Gold Coast defender Nathan Bock to kick the first goal against Hawthorn in the last round of 2011 which is likely to attract the scrutiny of the AFL.

"Obviously somebody knew he was going to play up forward," a TAB bookmaker said.

"The bets came for Bock in the morning and created some interest here."

Adelaide caretaker coach Mark Bickley admits the defection of Phil Davis to Greater Western Sydney has shattered the team, particularly after Nathan Bock had left for Gold Coast the year before.

"Nathan was an All-Australian, best-and-fairest centre half-back and we lose him. Phil was our No.1 draft pick a couple of years ago, pick 10 … and he really made that position his own in a short space of time and we were really rapt that we were able to cover for Nathan," Bickley said on SEN radio.

"And now you lose Phil, so it's devastating for the players because we've got a young group and we were hoping to try and keep that group together. So when one defects it's hard to cop."

Gold Coast full-back Nathan Bock believes he is in better form than 2008, the year he won All Australian selection at Adelaide.

"Back in '08 I think my first half of the year was probably better so it's sort of been a little bit reversed in some sense," Bock said.

"But I'd say at this time of year I'm probably in better form than I was back then. My pre-season was a little bit interrupted so it probably affected the first half of my year.

"Having that responsibility as a senior player and being part of the leadership group, we really take that responsibility to lead from the front and set the standard with our performances."

Nathan Bock will captain Gold Coast in his debut game this week as the Suns take on Sydney in a practice match in Southport.

"I'm desperate to get out there and providing all goes well tomorrow I'll be right," he said.

"I have been in full training now for a few weeks so I'm right to go."

Gary Ablett has been named as the Suns' inaugural skipper, with Nathan Bock as his vice-captain.

"It's an honour and a privilege to be voted as the first captain of the Gold Coast Football Club," Ablett said.

"It's something that I am very excited about, getting into the challenges ahead."

Adelaide won't seek a grievance tribunal over its Nathan Bock compensation after failing in its appeal to improve Bock's band three rating.

"We wrote a letter to the AFL and they wrote a letter back to us ... we can take it to a grievance tribunal, but we're not prepared to do that," Crows football manager Phil Harper said.

"We've said our piece. We don't think the compensation is fair but we'll play by the umpire's rules and a late first-round draft pick was their decision."

Adelaide plans to appeal the decision to award only a band three first-round draft pick as compensation for losing Nathan Bock.

"He was an All-Australian two years ago when he also won our club champion award , is only 27 and if he was still on our list right now he would be rated right near the top," Crows football operations manager Phil Harper said.

"We believe that compensation for a player of Nathan's ilk would be a minimum of band two. Because of all this, the club owes it to its members and supporters to strongly appeal this decision to the AFL."

Adelaide coach Neil Craig says declining to select Nathan Bock after he decided to join Gold Coast was the right decision.

"Our side is better with Nathan Bock in it, but we can't make the finals, which is a critical one for me, so why would I play Nathan Bock knowing that he's not going to be here next year?" Craig said.

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock has admitted he is considering an offer to join the Gold Coast Suns for $600,000 a year.

"There's interest there, I won't deny that," Bock said.

"I haven't made a decision yet and I'm not close to signing or anything like that, but it's going to be a very tough decision. Adelaide's been great to me and there would have to be a significant difference in money for me to leave, but, at 27, you've got to consider your options."

Crows centre half-back Nathan Bock's manager Ricky Olarenshaw confirms that the defender will quit the club to join the new Gold Coast franchise despite there being two rounds remaining in the 2010 home & away season.

"Once the Crows were out of the finals race there had been speculation he was going to the Gold Coast so he had a deep and meaningful with the club yesterday," Olarenshaw said.

"He said he was most likely to take the offer and they were happy he was honest and said, 'If you're going to take up the offer, there's probably no point in playing the last two games, give them to a young player'. He agreed to that and he'll stand down today."

Adelaide will not play Nathan Bock in either of its remaining two games after the defender signalled his intentions to join Gold Coast next season.

"It's a significant offer and something that I found to hard to refuse. I'm 27-years-old and I've had a few issues with my body this year, so this is something that's going to help me set myself up after footy," Bock said of his decision.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig says the AFL should brace itself for the impact of the culture it had created with concessions for Gold Coast and GWS following the departure of Nathan Bock to the Suns.

"Nathan has the right to negotiate, but I guess I was backing in our culture to stay here and where our playing group is. I thought what we were able to offer would be great enough, but anyway that's the culture that the AFL has created," Craig said.

"We need to operate within that culture and the AFL need to take responsibility for that and I'm sure they will. This is going to be life in the AFL from now on."

Nathan Bock says he has never spoken to Gold Coast and will definitely re-sign with the Crows.

"Adelaide gave me the opportunity to play AFL, coming off the rookie list, so it would be nice," Bock said about being a one-club player.

"The media have been talking about that sort of stuff for most of the year now. I'm not sure where they get a lot of their information from and [me going to Gold Coast] is news to me.

"My manager has been in contact with the club and I'm confident with where it's at. It will look after itself in due time, but there's no reason not to [stay at Adelaide]."

Patrick Dangerfield suffers a serious neck injury after being gang-tackled by three Melbourne Demons players.

Scans clear Dangerfield of neck fractures but he will remain in hospital for further scans to determine the extent of his injury.

Teammates Trent Hentschel, Nathan Bock and Kurt Tippett also suffered knee, hamstring and ankle injuries in the same game leaving the Crows without a bench for the last quarter and a half where the Demons were able to run out the game to a 16-point victory.

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock says he has recovered well from a stress fracture in his heel that plagued him last season.

"It was frustrating to miss the end of last season and to be on a modified program pre-Christmas, but I was always confident that by around this time I was going to be right to start playing again," Bock said.

"I'm just looking forward to getting back out there and having a run around. My fitness base is there...I just want to get that match fitness back, so that come round one I'm ready to take on the season."

Adelaide's Nathan Bock spent the off-season in a moon boot but is now running without pain for the first time since August.

"Bocky's had a few running sessions and he's going really well," Crows physical performance manager Stephen Schwerdt said.

"We're taking it relatively conservatively with him just to make sure. We wanted to make sure he was spot on before we got him into any running and so far, so good."

Nathan Bock, Nathan van Berlo and Ben Rutten will not start full training until after Christmas as they recuperate from injuries.

Adelaide is looking at the possibility of Nathan Bock playing in the SANFL this weekend to prove his fitness after recovering from a microfracture in his heel.

"Nathan's still a day-by-day proposition [to play this weekend] and we're at the stage now where you do have to debate taking someone in who hasn't played [in six weeks] where two weeks ago you would've said he'd be straight back into the team," Crows' football manager John Reid said.

"It may well be a situation where the selectors decide that from a touch and fitness perspective Nathan doesn't make the side."

Nathan Bock got through Crows training okay but still isn't ready to return to action in this week's elimination final against Essendon.

"There's still some pain there and Nathan said he's not in a shape to perform," Adelaide coach Neil Craig said.

"I would expect our guys to make clear decisions on performance. They all want to be part of it [the finals], but they understand that once the ball's bounced all the other stuff goes; the fanfare the music and whatever else goes."

Adelaide coach Neil Craig says he will take a cautious approach towards reinstating Nathan Bock, who is still struggling with a microfracture in his heel, in the side to play finals.

"It can be one of the most difficult decisions to make because there's a sense of urgency in terms of the result and sometimes that can cloud your thinking," Craig said.

"I think we've all been around long enough to know that to play unfit players when the best are playing the best, you do it at your peril ... there may be a situation where you have to do it, but do it at your peril."

Nathan Bock has removed his moonboot and resumed light running but a microfracture in his heel is still troubling him and is too small to be treated with pain-killing injections.

"Nathan would have to be up and running. He'd have to prove on the training track that he can do what he needs to do as far as running, jumping, kicking and not pulling up sore is concerned," Adelaide assistant coach Ben Hart said.

"The whole idea of injecting any sort of injury is to numb it or get so you're able to play a certain amount of the game. If it's not going to work, there's no use doing it and that's why Nathan has to do as much as he can now while resting to make sure he's at the percentage he needs to be to play."

Crow Nathan Bock's ongoing heel complaint could keep him out for the rest of the season.

"Nathan's improving. By about this stage next week we might be able to see how the injury's going and he might be able to have a light run," Crows' football manager John Reid said.

"On the good end, Nathan could be available for the Carlton game, but on the bad end he might play none."

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock says he 'deeply regrets' assault incident earlier this year and is trying to make up for it.

"I undertook a pretty intensive counselling program for six or seven weeks and I missed quite a large period of training," Bock said.

"I was training by myself sometimes to get the work done around the full-time course, which ran for three or four days a week, and then had to get myself up to play on the weekend.

"It was draining mentally, but it was something I had to do and I took a lot of positives out of doing the program. I learned a lot about myself and about ways to manage the issues that occurred.

"I've come out of it a better person. I think I was able to handle it pretty well and still be able to play some good football."

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock has avoided conviction and escaped with a 12-month good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to assaulting his girlfriend outside an Adelaide hotel in April.

The All-Australian admitted slapping his girlfriend twice on the face and breaking her handbag in an argument which broke out after another woman took an interest in Bock.

"I'll have a chat to Nathan and make sure he's clear about his responsibility in terms of playing performance. It does make it easier for him because he's been through it publicly before and knows what to expect," Adelaide coach Neil Craig said.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig has pointed to Hawthorn forwards Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead to justify the swift return of defender Nathan Bock.

"Nathan's done everything he's had to do physically. It's a bit against our policy, but I think in this particular case, and we treat each case individually, he'll come into the side providing he pulls up OK," Crows coach Neil Craig said.

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock is set to resume from a hamstring injury as the Crows prepare to tackle Hawthorn and Lance Franklin.

"'Bocky' trained over the weekend and is looking like being available. That will be a bonus for us in defence against a couple of key forwards for Hawthorn," teammate Ben Rutten said.

"If we get 'Bocky' back, obviously, he'll play a fairly big role in defence. He has played well on Franklin in the past, so it will be good to have him available for that contest."

Nathan Bock will miss a third-straight game as injury concerns linger over other Adelaide players.

All-Australian centre half-back's hamstring strain to see him miss second consecutive match, this time against Brisbane at the Gabba in round 8 of 2009.

Neil Craig has criticised the Melbourne crowd for booing All-Australian defender Nathan Bock at the MCG after the Crows defender was recently charged with assault.

"Poor taste, that's all I'll say about that. If it's the crowd, I'll say it's poor taste," Craig said.

"In the end, Nathan has to wear that. It's part of the price he has to pay. What I will add to that is not one Geelong player made a comment to him last week. I'll say it's good taste."

Persistent booing of Nathan Bock during Sunday's match against Melbourne was unwarranted, Adelaide coach Neil Craig said.

Port Adelaide president Brett Duncanson hopes the team's fans do not mimic some Melbourne supporters and give Adelaide defender Nathan Bock the Bronx cheer.

"It's not my role to tell our supporters what to do, but I'd encourage them to concentrate on our guys and getting them across the line," Duncanson said.

"We believe they're the most passionate supporters in the land and they're very passionate about our superstars.

"I'm sure they'll concentrate on our people and what Adelaide's players are up to is up to them."

Adelaide coach Neil Craig's decision to include Bock back in the Crows line up to face Geelong after a week's suspension brings many uncertainties.

"I have liked what Nathan has done in the past two weeks. He has not tried to hide or not accept responsibility for his behaviour or what he has done," Craig said.

"Now we are concerned with his performance on the field and, in the long term, how he puts things in place so we see a significant change in his behaviour."

Craig also acknowledges that Bock will be targeted by Geelong's players for his recent indiscretions.

"It would be naive to think that is not going to happen," Craig said.

"Whether it be players or supporters, but Nathan understands that. It is part of paying the price."

Nathan Bock is set to play against Geelong on Saturday night after Adelaide lifted his club-imposed suspension.

Exiled Adelaide defender Nathan Bock says he is ready to return to the field a week after being suspended indefinitely by the club.

"The club has given me some criteria to follow in terms of meeting specific expectations with my counselling. I feel that we put a lot of those in place last week and I'll follow on with those this week and throughout the rest of the season," Bock said.

"Mentally, I'm feeling a lot better. I'm looking forward to training tomorrow and being out on the track. In terms of playing this week, it's out of my hands. That decision will be made by the leadership group in conjunction with management and the coaching staff.

"I'm doing everything I can to give myself the best opportunity to resume playing as soon as possible. Hopefully, that will happen sooner rather than later."

Adelaide won't rush back Nathan Bock after injuries to Scott Stevens and Nick Gill in the Crow's win against Fremantle.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig says he does not know how his side will react to the loss of Nathan Bock.

Adelaide has ruled out imposing an alcohol ban on its players, despite Nathan Bock's drink-fuelled night that led to his suspension.

Nathan Bock will spend the week away from West Lakes following his weekend arrest.

Simon Goodwin says suspended defender Nathan Bock has tarnished the image of the club and the AFL and is paying a heavy price.

Adelaide skipper Simon Goodwin believes the Crows have the players to fill the holes left by injury and suspension.

Nathan Bock has been suspended and fined by Adelaide after he was charged with assaulting his girlfriend on Saturday night.

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou reaffirms stance on violence against women in light of Nathan Bock's incident.

Nathan Bock has been reported by police after an incident in an Adelaide hotel on Saturday night for assault and causing property damage.

He was detained by police but later released. The 26-year-old will appear in court later this year.