Read a quote from the club, specifically Rads, stating that we would be standing by him and are currently putting together a rehabilitation schedule for him over the course of his ban.

I think most are being a bit harsh. Yes it was dumb but he is an 18 year old kid. Most of us have done many stupid things when we were 18. I won't pretend to understand the pressure and desperation to play involved at academy level and his reasons for doing what he did. Hopefully he'll learn from it and get his chance in a few years time.

That is the right way to go in my opinion.

I kind of assumed most players would be on something anyway. The testing isn't exactly rigorous in rugby league. Puglsey was probably as guilty of failing an IQ test as he was a dope test given how relatively easy it would be to circumvent what little testing there is.

Can't tell is this is just very ignorant or an attempt to get a bite.

Players get tested during and out of season and are fully aware of the supplements they can take!
The RFL educate young players throughout the season.

Really? It's a sport where physical fitness plays an enormous part and where testing is pretty easy to avoid. Do you think the clubs in the NRL are outliers here?



There were around 530 tests done last year, which equates to just under 1 test per player per year. It's hardly rigorous is it?

Obviously you're in the know Adi on these matters.
Don't you think getting tested once is good!
I mean the testers don't exactly give you an appointment hence the word random.
Players train extremely hard all year round to achieve their fitness levels.

I follow cycling a lot so sadly a knowledge of doping kinda comes with the territory. I mean Lance Armstrong was said to have been tested 70 times per year on average, yet never failed one (well, kind of). It's fairly easy to get round these things if you're of such a disposition. That's why the sport has things like the biopassport now so that irregularities in an athletes readings can stand out more.

I believe microdosing is common now as it's quicker to flush out of the system, and what remains can be diluted by drinking a lot of water.

Of course, we all hope that the sport is as clean as a whistle, but given how big and fit the players are, the financial rewards for success and the relatively lassez faire testing it wouldn't surprise me at all if more weren't doing things.

I found the rehab quote pretty funny. Dbol isn't addictive and for that matter no PED is addictive so god knows what he's going to rehab.

I'm pretty clued up on PEDs and Dbol (Methandrostenolone) and I know 100% it's not addictive.

Perhaps he means psychologically addictive rather than physically addictive?

I've never known of it. I think it's a PR thing. I'm glad Wigan are sticking by him and I think more education towards young players about PEDs should be done at all clubs. I'm sure if they knew what the side effects and what sort of damage can be done might put a end to it.

Very sad to hear this. How stupid was it to do that with such a bright career ahead? It really does baffle me when you are gifted with such talent and waste it like he's done.

Even at 18 you are fully aware of what is right and wrong and he would have known that PEDs are wrong.
So that's no excuse. The pressure excuse is wrong too as it should never be an excuse.

I'm glad your club is sticking by him though. He seems remorseful and the last thing he needs is for Wigan to ditch him.

Silly boy tho.

Don't be daft !

When I was 18, I was serving 'Queen and Country', and in action in Ulster, during the early 1970's - the bad times. There were many like me at that time. With the yanks in Viet Nam, apparently, the average age of the combat soldier was 19.

In this year, the centenary of WW1, where they went into action even younger.

An 18 year old ought to know.

Unfortunately, and I have seen them. We have 'men' planking about on skateboards these days. What is that all about ?