uries , ▁and ▁played ▁ 1 8 ▁games ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁seasons ▁with ▁the ▁E ag les ▁with ▁Dean ▁C ox ▁becoming ▁the ▁leading ▁r uck man ▁in ▁the ▁A FL ▁competition . ▁ ▁Off - field ▁controvers ies ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Gard iner ▁and ▁then ▁West ▁Coast ▁team ▁mate ▁Ben ▁C ous ins ▁were ▁critic ised ▁for ▁invol vement ▁with ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁alleg ed ▁Per th ▁under world ▁figures . ▁C ous ins ▁and ▁Gard iner ▁alleg edly ▁received ▁phone ▁calls ▁from ▁gang land ▁figures ▁both ▁before ▁and ▁after ▁a ▁st abb ing ▁and ▁shooting ▁at ▁the ▁Metro ▁City ▁night club . ▁Police ▁question ed ▁C ous ins ▁and ▁Gard iner ▁about ▁the ▁incident ▁but ▁they ▁refused ▁to ▁aid ▁the ▁in qui ries . ▁The ▁E ag les ▁told ▁the ▁pair ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁on ▁their ▁" last ▁warning " ▁and ▁that ▁their ▁off ▁field ▁behaviour ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁toler ated . ▁ ▁Gard iner ' s ▁off ▁field ▁l ifest yle ▁was ▁often ▁seen ▁as ▁det r iment al ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁Coast ▁playing ▁group ▁and , ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁the ▁Ben ▁C ous ins ▁bo o ze ▁bus ▁incident , ▁he ▁was ▁dropped ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁Australian ▁Football ▁League ▁side ▁Cla rem ont ▁in def initely ▁on ▁grounds ▁of ▁poor ▁performance ▁and ▁poor ▁off ▁field ▁behaviour . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Gard iner ' s ▁playing