Sources within the AFL say the league has commenced a ‘root and branch’ overhaul of its Cover Up Unit.

The move comes after it was announced Fremantle midfielder Ryan Crowley had tested positive to a banned substance.

A senior AFL executive who spoke on the condition on anonymity said the Crowley story getting out was the final straw.

“The AFL used to have the best Cover Up Unit in Australian sport but now we’re barely on par with the NRL.”

“Just look at the failures; the Essendon saga, Karmichael Hunt’s cocaine charges, the assassination of…no wait, they did stop that one getting out. Are you recording this?”

Former head of the Cover Up Unit and current angry recluse Mick McMickson, said technology had made covering up indiscretions much harder than in the past.

“Everybody’s got a bloody camera these days. Gone are the days you could pay off a couple of cops and a few reporters. You can’t bribe every idiot on BigFooty or Twitter; it’s just too expensive.”

“Recently the AFL tried to bribe someone and the guy asked to be paid in Bitcoin! What the hell is a Bitcoin? The world’s stuffed.”

It’s believed recent budget increases for the Integrity Unit have meant the Cover Up Unit is often playing catch up.

“They’ve gone and spent a whole heap of money on a bunch of do-gooders and they’re surprised a bunch of damaging stuff gets out,” said Mr McMickson.

“That’s the problem with integrity, it’s expensive and no one really thanks you for it.

“If it was up to me you’d start by bribing the Integrity Unit. Maybe tell a few of them you know where they live.”

It’s believed the planned overhaul will correct the budget imbalance between the Cover Up Unit and the Integrity Unit, significantly increase the size of bribes and bring back in house several blackmailer roles.