Gold Coast defender Jarrod Harbrow insists his drink-driving charge was a one-off incident that did not reflect the huge off-field steps taken by the AFL club in recent years.
Harbrow has been suspended for Saturday's clash with Hawthorn and will likely face further sanctions, but says he's seen a vast improvement over the past two years in the Suns' off-field culture.
"The culture at the club is very strong. We've bought into something as a group ... it was just a one-off poor decision from me and that shouldn't impact the progress the club has made," said the 28-year-old Harbrow.
In 2015, the club was mired in controversy after former marquee signing Karmichael Hunt spoke about Gold Coast players taking illicit drugs on an end-of-season trip.
Harbrow has been at the Suns since the club's infancy.
The defender was drinking at home on Sunday night before being charged by Queensland Police on Monday morning when he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.108 - more than double the legal limit.
Harbrow was on his way to the Suns' training facility and said he was unaware he was still under the influence of alcohol at the time.
The defender has been one of Gold Coast's best performers this year and played a key role in their last-start victory over West Coast, where he had 18 disposals, five marks and a goal.
But his influence to the club off the field has been just as important.
While not an official member of the Suns' leadership group, Harbrow is often the first port of call for players needing advice or counsel.
He is a proud indigenous leader in the community and started the Jarrod Harbrow Leadership Academy in partnership with the Suns to provide pathways to AFL clubs.
The weight of the influence Harbrow has on others wasn't lost on him.
"It was pretty tough addressing the group, it's especially hard to explain the types of feelings that I'm going through," he said.
"I'm going to speak to all the boys at my academy, and their parents, about this and tell them that's not the right type of leadership I want them to see.
"I want to explain to them personally as I think it's important they hear it from me."
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