Look,I get the point made by WAMF and others about the press conference which has been discussed ad nauseum in the media and has polarised fans.I dont necessarily agree but I do get that point of view totally and there is no doubt things could have been done better.Annesely said ACC did it to shake the tree to see what happens and warn these guys off.Plenty will agree with that.plenty wont.It has happened and we need to move on.
Now the real issue.What I dont get in all this is that we heard last night from a senior Lib polly with a long record in rugby league who described the situation a scary and extremely serious.He was the ONLY PERSON ON THAT SHOW last night who has been briefed at a higher level than CEO'S yet he was howled down by our cab driver friend.Kent and co. As was a similarly briefed ASADA person who said they would be looking at 150 and possibly more people as the hotlines have been providing information.
On the other hand Hadley,Kent,and plenty of similarly unbriefed fans who have absolutely and utterly no insight into the evidence held by authorities have declared it a hoax.Whether the public should have more information is a point for debate but the simple fact is we haven't.I will run with the fully briefed experienced league mans assessment at this stage.
The very presence of Lockyer on that show and commenting on drugs in sport simply highlights the fact that league always buried its head in the sand and I dont want to see that happen here.
I have spent a lot of time with past and present footballers,both at NRL and junior level through coaching and one thing I can tell you is that illicit drugs are absolutely rife in our game and have been for a long time.I could give you a list of names you would not believe and this is not third hand information.It comes from personal experience.It is getting more and more prevalent every year and was always going to attract the organised criminal element because its usage is through the roof.The problem is already endemic and the performance enhancing stuff,although not endemic yet, is a natural progression.
Lets hope it hasnt progessed at the same rate as illicit drugs or we do have a problem.
Now the real issue.What I dont get in all this is that we heard last night from a senior Lib polly with a long record in rugby league who described the situation a scary and extremely serious.He was the ONLY PERSON ON THAT SHOW last night who has been briefed at a higher level than CEO'S yet he was howled down by our cab driver friend.Kent and co. As was a similarly briefed ASADA person who said they would be looking at 150 and possibly more people as the hotlines have been providing information.
On the other hand Hadley,Kent,and plenty of similarly unbriefed fans who have absolutely and utterly no insight into the evidence held by authorities have declared it a hoax.Whether the public should have more information is a point for debate but the simple fact is we haven't.I will run with the fully briefed experienced league mans assessment at this stage.
The very presence of Lockyer on that show and commenting on drugs in sport simply highlights the fact that league always buried its head in the sand and I dont want to see that happen here.
I have spent a lot of time with past and present footballers,both at NRL and junior level through coaching and one thing I can tell you is that illicit drugs are absolutely rife in our game and have been for a long time.I could give you a list of names you would not believe and this is not third hand information.It comes from personal experience.It is getting more and more prevalent every year and was always going to attract the organised criminal element because its usage is through the roof.The problem is already endemic and the performance enhancing stuff,although not endemic yet, is a natural progression.
Lets hope it hasnt progessed at the same rate as illicit drugs or we do have a problem.