Stinks of being a complete set up and the bloke that sold him out to the worst rag in publishing history must be very proud. Can't condone what he's done and with the laws of the game being broken then he must accept his punishment. Made sod all out of a bet that most would have fancied and to throw your RL career with the Dons down the pan in this manner is at least an extremely stupid act. The whole article From Rugby ace to The darkest day in rugby league history is melodramatic nonsense. His quotes have to be taken in the same context IMO, journalistic Hans Christian. For me it's a real real shame that the one bloke to stick with us over the past few troubled years ends up like this. Sad Sad day. He gets my best wishes for the future.

Me too, he's a great guy and a great servant to the club.
To others ... can we not condemn him quite yet?
He's not been found guilty yet.
I think that the thread title should have the word allegedly put on the end ... mods do your business.
.

The Shaun Leaf incident was discussed on tonights rugby league programme on BBC Radio Manchester.
Salford player Rob Parker stated he new a number of players who bet on rugby league games.
If you visit there website you can listen to the whole programme again.

Shaun has always struck me as well-educated and intelligent. Therefore I really struggle with some elements of this. Has he been set-up? By a so-called mate? Why talk about these issues with a complete stranger?

I keep coming back to two things ... (and don't forget I've already said I consider him intelligent) ... If it's a mate, then either that mate is not the person he thought (poor judgement, perhaps) or it's a stranger, then why discuss these things which are dynamite in the world in which Shaun moves, not knowing what the outcome might be (incredibly poor judgement).

I have read somewhere else that it's effectively very naive or very cocky ... I wouldn't have Shaun as either.




Agreed, if confirmed Ban and Fine inevitable.



I really hope that it is ... however in reality, you play with fire there's a good chance you get burned.



I'll wait for the full story to emerge (although we all make mistakes) but it is certainly a sad day for our Club and RL.

Perhaps a statement from Shaun might shed some light on the level of wrong-doing.

Points taken Gary but I will not have much back up in the world of instant judgement and condemnation. The blokes allegedly done wrong and will serve his time if found guilty. If it is to be that we lose his services he goes with my best wishes and thanks for his loyalty to this club when it was on its bloody knees for the past few years. The act hardly warranted the print space given to it, if you compare this to the alleged FIFA bribary scandal, its a sodding joke.

I think pretty much all my thoughts have already been put forward on here.

I am amazed that Shaun has been nieve enough to discuss these things with a stranger and how he was filmed by the stranger without finding it dodgy. I guess he didn't expect a national paper to be after stitching up a NL2 player. It's not like we are on Sky Sports every week is it? Or even Shaun been a well known character outside of the Dons circle.

It's such a shame that we are always one of the first in the press for bad things (i.e. Jamie Bloom being the first professional player banned for steroids). It's not painting a good picture of the club or even Doncaster as a whole.

I am extemely dissappointed in a player who has always been a favourite of mine and who I would never have suggested that he gave anything less than 100%. He has thrown away 9 years service to the club where he has shown great loyalty through some difficult times, what a waste!

I hope he has learned a valuble lesson and that we haven't seen the last of Shaun as player, however, I fear that we have seen the last of him wearing a Don's shirt.

Having just seen the video on the s*ns website, he could have been betting on the 215 at Plumpton!! I think we'll have to wait for more to come out in the wash from either the paper or Shaun.

I just hope its all bull and Shaun pulls on the blue and gold again soon.

ANY player from ANY competition who bets on his team to lose or who remotely puts the integrity of the game into question should be given a LIFE ban. NO exceptions.

The RFL have to protect the credibility of the game if we are to ever attract major sponsors/TV deals and banishing this fool from the game making a huge example of him would set the marker for any future potential offenders.

I feel so sorry for your club/fans/players.

Well if that was the case ...why is Sean Long still playing?

An excellent question. It's quite simple - he shouldn't be. Had Sean Long and Martin Gleeson been banned for life (or given a much longer ban/fine) then I dare say that this bloke would not have made a bet for a few hundred quid when if he got caught his career was on the line.

Sorry but why have this title for the thread, we appear to already be branding Shaun a cheat!
'Shaun Leaf you bloody stupid idiot...'

Lets remember its been published in the Scum which has never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Why on earth would a national newspaper deliberately target a semi pro in National League 1 when they must be lot bigger fish to fry, this smells of an hidden agenda.

I only know Shaun briefly to talk to, and I m surprised he could be so daft.

Lets not get hung up on this folks we are the Dons and should be used to these tales by now!

Remember when we were in Division 1 and Halifax stuffed us 72 0, it was only later we found out that the team had nt been paid or that Laughton had offered to have Bloem's drug offence covered up if he signed for Leeds or that Goulding warned Bloem to change shirt numbers prior to kick off so as not to be dope tested.

Life goes on I just feel sorry for Shaun who may feel a little daft now!

Its ironic that the RFL once had a bookmaker as there chief executive

Totally Agree

The story is now covered on the back page of todays Racing Post.

I would really love for all this to be proven to be utter tosh (it hasn't been made to look too good).

As I said in an earlier post perhaps a statement from Shaun might be appropriate (although I suspect he will be quite rightly taking advice before doing so).

According to todays Yorkshire Post Shaun will be interviewed by the RFL today.