I think Wigan have done the right thing what’s happened has happened hope Zak can get sorted. Time to sit back and wait for the new season and the new look of the team and management taking shape .Heres to 2019!!

Anyone who believes that IDIOT BOY just go drunk and decided to have a white powder chaser as a one off and then unluckily has the drug testers knocking on his door is very much deluded.

I would suggest he has been the best full back but at the moment he's had over a year out the game, clearly not been involved in any keep fit regime for his return, used cocaine, drank regularly and clearly has mental health issues and people expect him to stride back into SL as good as he was before he drifted into drink and powder as a pastime that's a big ask.

Makes you wonder if Joel was forced out and didn’t get paid off if he’s speaking to a solicitor playing the one rule for one and one rule for another card. This decision is quite hypocritical of IL but guessing he didn’t make this decision alone.

Of course he’s taken the best result financially and in terms of sporting success, why would he do anything different? People seem to forget sport is a results business, not a community interest company or charity.

Nobody moaned this much about Ben Barba, who had many many misdemeanours before coming to Super League.

So here is my take.

Wigan have done the correct thing as an employer. They have considered the health and well being of a troubled individual over and above him as an asset and are sending him to rehab under the treatment of a professional service with the sporting chance. clinic. Zak has never been in to rehab and had serious help from one of these organisations. If wigan cut him loose, he would have simply imploded.

In this instance if he self distructs again, absolutely no one in world rugby will ever touch him. This is his last chance.

Dont forget what happened to Terry Newton when he was banned. Zak has an issue and the consequences of the easy option could have been severe.

Well done Wigan, your approach is professional, considered and thoughtful, looking after the individuals health and well being over anything else.

Yes if it works, its a huge benefit to Wigan however there is a long road for ZAK to go before he hits the heights of where he has been before.

Will it pay off, time will tell but Wigan have taken a responsible approach.

couldn’t have been a more thought of response pal top post!

The individuals health and well being over anything else. You sure about that?

‘We have thought long and hard about what the correct thing to do is for Wigan’.

I don’t doubt that’s what they want folk to believe; they just forgot to tell the bloke writing the script!

The correct thing for Wigan has to be looked at in more detail than just what ZH can offer as a player. There’s a significant reputational risk to the club either way. If they sacked him and he imploded and in the worst case scenario followed the Terry Newton path, the club would be heavily criticised for not placing his welfare at the forefront of their decision making. By keeping him on there’s an element of fans from both inside and outside of the club who think he’ll let the club down again and that the club are condoning all his misdemeanours.

By sending him to residential rehab, the club has acted very responsibly. He addresses his issues from a welfare perspective and has the best possible chance of rebuilding his life and his career. He is more inclined to feel a commitment to the club in return for their support and hopefully will deliver on the field.
In addition any player who is considering joining the club will clearly see that welfare is important to the management team.
All in all the club were in a very difficult position and in considering what’s correct for the club, they have managed the situation perfectly. Demonstrated a real focus on welfare, minimised reputational risk and retained a very good player.
Let’s not forget that as well as being rugby players, these are also just people and sometimes, people need to be put first.

Top post.

Ok lets be honest he's already let the club down with the drink driving conviction.

He has had support and chances at both his SL clubs and let them down.

He wasn't at Featherstone long enough to get in trouble clearly a talented player attracting the attention of a number of SL clubs and he opted for Rhinos and Rovers got some brass out of it.


A happy ending would be great for him and the game but the odds are against him, he's really starting from less than zero, unfit, overweight, possible short/long term effects of his drug and drink abuse, mental health issues,will he come back anywhere close to being SL standard? A frighteningly steep hill to climb and his track record, well no one can deny it's p@ss poor

Whilst I agree with pretty much all Bigredwarrior says, nevertheless I am very pessimistic about outcomes. I can't see ZH being a long-term success on the field after all this. As Rick points out above.