The only drawback being the loss of £75K off the cap, assuming Zak on £150K.

There's every chance that it was, cocaine works as a topical anesthetic but isn't one for injection, injectable drugs like Novocaine and Lidocaine replaced cocaine use in dentistry. In the 60s it's likely Lidocaine was injected. The Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920 made cocaine illegal.

Total RL are running a story saying his signing will be accounted imminently and that "The Warriors have now signed the England international, whose legal team was able to successfully argue that his ban should be reduced due to “exceptional circumstances.”"

Says on the Castleford forum with it being only a fourteen month ban that he is trying to get out of the contract and go back to Cas.
And a Leeds fan says he hates Wigan, all bull sh-t I suspect.

he can't "go back" to Cas just like that - they sacked him. he also can't walk out of a contract he hasn't officially signed yet either! farcical.

I'm beginning to think Wigan may have signed him just to flog him a year or two later to make some coin though!

Be very surprised if Cas would have him back. Sacking a player for having done this so apparently taking the moral high ground but then reinstating him just because the ban wasn't as long as you thought totally undermines any moral kudos the club got for getting rid. Remember they sacked him before they knew the punishment and if they really wanted him back even the full two years was not prohibitive to a player of his age. So I'd have expected them to stand by him from the outset, not opportunistically suddenly want him back.

Don't forget Steve Gill is stepping down at Cas allegedly for sacking Hardaker too quickly.

That sounds a bit odd especially as I thought Hardaker admitted the offence. OK you could still argue he was rash but to resign orbe given the elbow for sacking a player testing positive for drugs is being punished for reacting in a way many would agree with. Getting rid of the bloke who sacked the player caught using drugs would make it look as if Cas players can do what they like and the club will put them before those running the club.

If he had signed a contract with us and wanted to get out of it all he would have to do is go out and get drunk and thump somebody ( sounds like a regular night out for Zak ) and we would then probably terminate the contract. In all seriousness, if he had signed and has changed his mind I couldn't see Wigan keeping a player who didn't want to be here.

Maybe not but then you'd have to ask what other decisions had been made on the assumption he was signing, such as letting other players leave and where that left the clubs recruitment and squad for 2019

Wishful thinking from both of those posters.

Agreed. shouldn't be too long before all the rumors are put to bed and his 2019 club will be sorted.

Does that mean League Express are right?

Just seen the Leeds fans talking about this, there is a documentary on Amazon Prime "As good as it gets" and among other things Zak recollects how he would have a few too many on a night and get it at 4am and be up for training a few hours later. Nothing new I know, but it's an interesting doc to watch if you have prime.

My understanding is that Hardaker has been given quite an ultimatum by Cas - sign for us or we’ll be starting legal proceedings to recoup the £150k transfer fee and the cost of your replacement.
If he’s already signed for Wigan (which I believe he has) he’s now in a difficult position. Whilst signing for Wigan might have looked like a good idea at the time, it’s potentially going to cost him a lot of money.