Life is about weighing the odds, assessing risk against possible outcome. At what point does any rational mind go, "I'm going to risk everything for this night out in Pontefract"?

You didn't KNOW anything - there have been jokes and rumours flying about Hardaker's cocaine use for years. But please don't act like you had facts in your hand.

Cas have a good track record of standing by their guns - if they knew, why wait until 48 hours before the biggest game in their history?

Agree I or any of the hundreds of people did not have hard facts at that time , but what has now been proved is that the information was 100 % correct. My point is that if no marks like me had heard the story then you seriously do not believe that Cas had no knowledge until Thursday. That is just not credible. As for Cas`s record, yea right they came down with a ton of bricks on Chase, Tansey, Moore ..... not.

Ha Ha What a DOPE!!!!

Didn't we suspend Walker after he failed the first test and was waiting on the second test results?

That's what I was asking the other day. We sacked him almost instantly - as far as I'm aware Cas have only suspended Hardaker.

I'm sure the code of practice says that on a first positive result, a suspension should be issued, pending the second result; it seems odd that they only got the result of the first test the day before the GF...?

It's always been thus. A star player will get a better outcome for the same offence. I can understand this: it can be the straw that breaks the camels back for a struggling player as they just don't have as many brownie points to cash in.

I'd find it hard to believe that Cas would sack him, he's still got another 4 years on his contract there. Even if he never pulls on a Cas shirt again, they will want to retain an interest in him so they can attempt to recoup some of the money he has cost them when he's eligible to play again

(Though I'm not too sure how much of a fee the lower league clubs would offer for an untrustworthy liability who hasn't played for a couple of years, I can't see him getting a super league slot again)

They had every right to play him.
Until proven you shouldn't announce anything. It's their choice.

Correct.

So if a player tells his team mates and coaching staff that he going to fail the drug test he has just taken as he was doing Coke do you still wait for authorities to announce it.

I'm with you on this.

The innocent until proven guilty argument doesn't hold water if you've already been dumb enough to admit it to just about every body.

That's just word of mouth isn't it? No actual proof he did say that?

Just like it was word of mouth three weeks ago. Seems the story was correct