I’m always happier when we sign West Yorkshire based players.

It takes a certain kind of player to travel large distances to train as it does to work, it’s not for many. If he was happy travelling to Fev then the journey to BV is pretty similar.

It’s also financially draining so as you say there is more flexibility in wages although I wouldn’t go as far as cheap.

As Jonh states he’s got Trinity player written all over him but although we generally do well with these types of players there are no guarantees. He’s clearly had issues and sometimes they never really go.

We will see but fingers crossed.

Quite like the look of him at kr, saw him play twice for fev didn’t really stand out , but don’t know if he was full or part time there

Makes me wonder how confident the club is with bill as we now seem to have two first choice centres , 3 reserve centres and one that can play in the centre ,

If you google him, you'll see that he does a lot of work on mental health, either as part of his own organisation or others, gaining a public profile on that aspect of his life.

That's good for two reasons. It suggests he has a handle on his own issues and is less likely to repeat them. Secondly, it suggests he will be a positive force in the dressing room, particularly with younger players, rather than a risk of negative.

Provided he proves his worth as a player, I think the off-field signs are positive.

Thank you

I've watched plenty of Minnsie playing academy footy at the Rhinos and also when he went over to Hull KR on tv and I really rate the kid
Wakey could have made a really good signing here IMO

Funny this, so where are the high and mighty brigade?

A month ago I was roundly criticised for making the very obvious statement that in my early twenties had the drugs been available then as they are today ‘I might have been tempted’.

I was young (24), had a high pressure job, just married and my dad died the year after.

So are RL players different? Are they a separate species or something? Nobody told me that.

The sheer judgemental nonsense that continually gets spouted about drugs on here needs to stop, especially when talking about so-called recreational drug use.

I’ll say it again and research backs me up, a very large percentage of young people have dabbled, for heaven's sake it’s clear someone’s buying the stuff! That doesn’t instantly make them Keith Richards it just shows how attainable these drugs now are and how tempting they must be. Especially at moments in your life where you might feel you need something to ease you through. It’s no different to going out on the lash other than the legality of it, although Drunk and Disorderly is an offence. I've seen drunk people do far worse than anyone on drugs, although I accept I'm now a bit out of touch.

I’ll forgive Minns, as I would Ogden?? but not because they are RL players but because they are young men who exercised the poor judgement typical of young men.

As far as I can see, whatever the mitigation, this lad just dabbled. And as is the way with human society he seems to have paid a far higher price than the real criminals ever will.

We have a really stupid idea of what to expect from sportsmen, especially young ones. A beard, some muscles and a tribal tattoo don't make a man, that's a never-ending process. We put so much expectation on what in many cases are very immature shoulders, is it any wonder some break and let's remember many don't actually get caught.

People really are strange when it comes to the truth.

I'm not sure who you are having a go at. No one has said they don't forgive him or aren't prepared to give him a second chance.

For me he's served his punishment so no case to discuss anyway.

However I do think drugs are harmful, recreational or otherwise.
And I still don't agree with your 'very large percentage' claim. Haven't seen the evidence you quote either.

Quote: PopTart "I'm not sure who you are having a go at. No one has said they don't forgive him or aren't prepared to give him a second chance. For me he's served his punishment so no case to discuss anyway. However I do think drugs are harmful, recreational or otherwise. And I still don't agree with your 'very large percentage' claim. Haven't seen the evidence you quote either.'" I'm defending myself from another thread. viewtopic.php?f=33&t=636476&start=30 Here is a young man who did exactly what I said I suspected I may have done myself at the same age as him, had the opportunity been there. I was roundly accused of supporting drugs when I wasn't. I'd let it go but this just so proved my point. I'm not condoning or attacking, just pointing out that's it's a social issue, not an RL one. Yes, performance-enhancing is a different issue. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-56001234 That's just teens, so I suspect you could easily double that with people in their 20's maybe more. At a minimum that's 20% and I reckon it's more, it's not something many will admit to. So yes, for a criminal activity I'd say 'very large percentage' is reasonable. I also don't think this is thread drifting, apart from his ability this is clearly the main issue with this particular player.

Quote: PopTart "I'm not sure who you are having a go at. No one has said they don't forgive him or aren't prepared to give him a second chance. For me he's served his punishment so no case to discuss anyway. However I do think drugs are harmful, recreational or otherwise. And I still don't agree with your 'very large percentage' claim. Haven't seen the evidence you quote either.'" I'm defending myself from another thread. viewtopic.php?f=33&t=636476&start=30 Here is a young man who did exactly what I said I suspected I may have done myself at the same age as him, had the opportunity been there. I was roundly accused of supporting drugs when I wasn't. I'd let it go but this just so proved my point. I'm not condoning or attacking, just pointing out that's it's a social issue, not an RL one. Yes, performance-enhancing is a different issue. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-56001234 That's just teens, so I suspect you could easily double that with people in their 20's maybe more. At a minimum that's 20% and I reckon it's more, it's not something many will admit to. So yes, for a criminal activity I'd say 'very large percentage' is reasonable. I also don't think this is thread drifting, apart from his ability this is clearly the main issue with this particular player.

Couple things on this topic , guess vastie is same age group as me and I can assure him that illegal drugs were if anything easier to get hold of than they are now.

Fact is that the law treats different groups and their crimes in entirely different ways , many of those differing treatments are actually enshrined in law. So if you are a professional sportsperson you will be held to a totally different standard to a politician, or any of the other groups.

The report you cite is in itself quite interesting as it clearly draws every negative it can on unfashionable groups yet makes no negative reference whatsoever to any group that has a power base or voice.

Already said on here he looked good and obviously has potential , let’s see what the club and full time environment can do for him

Think the club is doing exactly the right thing ,

Well I don't know what world you lived in but in my early eighties Nirvana drugs weren't just difficult to find but almost impossible, even pot and that was the only one I ever came across, Sure I suppose once you knew a source it was easy enough but the vast majority of us had no idea.

Now, even as a 58-year-old man, I know exactly where to get drugs from and there are numerous sources within a five-minute walk of my house. I don't obviously. Ditto at work where our night shift is like late sixties Saigon. So although it may have been your experience it certainly wasn't mine and I think I'm more typical, to be honest.

The report was simply the first one I Googled but there are literally 1000's and many are far more alarming, I chose this because I still just about trust the BBC.

Lots of us oldies took drugs in 60s and early 70s.Peace and love and flower power man.I never over indulged and quite frankly preferred s few pints.

Yeah right one post. Cocaine was almost impossible to obtain in the sixties and seventies outside of a select group in London. I've read enough histories and biographies to know that. Drugs in provincial Britain up until the mid-eighties is a myth. As I say, pot and amphetamines were about your lot.

Anyway, my point made, back to Thomas Minns.

I've watched his highlights and he looks like a solid and committed player, a real centre.

Well you are wrong there Vasty..More available than you suggest.
Think the difference was that it did not penetrate down to the really young., and you really had to be 'in the know'. Being at university helped a lot.

Why do we have to turn it into a thread about drugs yes TM has had his issue in past but every one makes mistakes and deserves chance to put things right.

Because it's an issue in the game, it is a forum. However, I'm more than happy to see him given a go same as I was with Ogden.