Endemic drug use in rugby league?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

It'd be depressing if PEDs are widespread in SL/Championship

Not sure myself of the likelihood of it

Anyone know what the testing schedules are? I.e. how many times would the average player get tested a year?

[RigbyLuger]

I question how, when a player gets a second drugs ban, we welcome them back with open arms are great them as if they were a hero.

 

Players can be taught about them, but they have to take responsibility at some point as well, and not cry foul when caught.

[graveyard johnny]

4 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

There's a certain amount of this which is related to the culture around the towns/cities of many RL clubs. Young men in Gyms etc. I feel like that topic has been done before.

barbells were raised and  biceps were praised

[graveyard johnny]

4 hours ago, gingerjon said:

It may have been and I should say that I don't think RL is in any way different to any other sport.

i agree, its obvious some of the top players in the crown green bowls league are "roided off their tiny  teats"

[latchford albion]

5 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

i agree, its obvious some of the top players in the crown green bowls league are "roided off their tiny  teats"

Not the older ones, it's the ones under 30 that I don't trust.

[Templegreen]

22 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

It'd be depressing if PEDs are widespread in SL/Championship

Not sure myself of the likelihood of it

Anyone know what the testing schedules are? I.e. how many times would the average player get tested a year?

At academy level where my cousin spent 3 years he said drug testers turned up at one game per season over a 3 year period. Each time a random sample of 2 players tested. He did say each year the academy squad were given a drugs education awareness talk.

[graveyard johnny]

6 minutes ago, latchford albion said:

Not the older ones, it's the ones under 30 that I don't trust.

not sure -if thats the case why has  dorothy parker from the west clitheroe over 65s league got the grip of a bricklayer and a beard like brian blessed?

[DavidM]

2 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

not sure -if thats the case why has  dorothy parker from the west clitheroe over 65s league got the grip of a bricklayer and a beard like brian blessed?

I had teachers like that , usually nuns 

[latchford albion]

11 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

not sure -if thats the case why has  dorothy parker from the west clitheroe over 65s league got the grip of a bricklayer and a beard like brian blessed?

Just walk away John, come on...

[nadera78]

15 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Not all young people though.

I think culture is highly influential. If everyone in your social group, club, etc does something, then you are more likely to. You can quite quickly convince yourself that it is "everyone".

It only takes walking into a new environment where nobody is like that to see the massive contrast.

I get the point, but actually see it from the reverse angle. I've lived in Singapore for 2.5 years now, where drug use happens but is contained to private settings. On my two trips home to London in that time, the smell of weed was ever present; from middle class residential streets to council estates. And you only have to go to a football ground to see loads of men - of all ages - coked up to the eyeballs. Drugs use is open and it is brazen, and everybody seems to simply accept it.

[Tommygilf]

4 hours ago, nadera78 said:

I get the point, but actually see it from the reverse angle. I've lived in Singapore for 2.5 years now, where drug use happens but is contained to private settings. On my two trips home to London in that time, the smell of weed was ever present; from middle class residential streets to council estates. And you only have to go to a football ground to see loads of men - of all ages - coked up to the eyeballs. Drugs use is open and it is brazen, and everybody seems to simply accept it.

I will agree it is largely open in some areas. There was an excellent article on the Athletic about cocaine and football fans. I suspect many RL players affected fall into the same social bracket (Hardaker comes to mind for example). 

Weed is an odd one. It is defacto decriminalised because it is not prosecuted to any great level, but in practical terms it also overinflates its own existence bc of its pungent aroma which hangs around. 

Again though I think culture is important for these and PEDs. If everyone in your circle/club is doing something, particularly closer friends or leading figures, then you are more likely to do something. It takes moving into another group where it isn't common to see it isn't "everyone". To take the football example you cite, it is usually a certain segment of the fanbase, not everyone in the ground.

Psychologically, most people are born followers, or at least will do things to fit in to a group. Often drug/PED use will not be the only sign of a poor culture within a group - money troubles, disciplinary issues, poor leadership etc also can reflect a damaging general toxicity.

The sad reality is the more money you have the better you are able to hide/cope with these factors. Most RL players and communities do not fall into that bracket.

Edit: I will add for example how Hardaker was clearly given a chance by Leeds, but ultimately it was decided it wasn't worth the hassle. I heavily doubt that anyone at Leeds (and probably even those at Cas) were unaware of Hardaker's proclivities when he moved. The fact he was moved suggests that he was the exception rather than the rule (as Acton seems to be suggesting).

[glossop saint]

1 hour ago, Tommygilf said:

I will agree it is largely open in some areas. There was an excellent article on the Athletic about cocaine and football fans. I suspect many RL players affected fall into the same social bracket (Hardaker comes to mind for example). 

Weed is an odd one. It is defacto decriminalised because it is not prosecuted to any great level, but in practical terms it also overinflates its own existence bc of its pungent aroma which hangs around. 

Again though I think culture is important for these and PEDs. If everyone in your circle/club is doing something, particularly closer friends or leading figures, then you are more likely to do something. It takes moving into another group where it isn't common to see it isn't "everyone". To take the football example you cite, it is usually a certain segment of the fanbase, not everyone in the ground.

Psychologically, most people are born followers, or at least will do things to fit in to a group. Often drug/PED use will not be the only sign of a poor culture within a group - money troubles, disciplinary issues, poor leadership etc also can reflect a damaging general toxicity.

The sad reality is the more money you have the better you are able to hide/cope with these factors. Most RL players and communities do not fall into that bracket.

Edit: I will add for example how Hardaker was clearly given a chance by Leeds, but ultimately it was decided it wasn't worth the hassle. I heavily doubt that anyone at Leeds (and probably even those at Cas) were unaware of Hardaker's proclivities when he moved. The fact he was moved suggests that he was the exception rather than the rule (as Acton seems to be suggesting).

Careful Tommy, we don't want this shunted to the political forum!

[Harry Stottle]

21 hours ago, gingerjon said:

It may have been and I should say that I don't think RL is in any way different to any other sport.

It's been going on ever since both PED and Recreational drugs became "the thing to do in sport" in the early 80's and maybe a tad before, as you say it goes on in all sports, not by all but a very good number.

I think for me the first realisation in the 80's was a forward from Australia who played for Oldham then went back home (who for obvious reasons shall remain nameless), a short while later he toured with Australia and the transformation in his body and mass was like seeing David Banner morph into the Incredible Hulk it was that dramatic a change.

These PED will always be there as fast as the testing authorities are finding ways of Identifying them, those who manufacture them in what is a multi million dollar industry will bring out new one's that are underneath the radar, and so the cycle will continue.  

[sweaty craiq]

21 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

He’s spent most of his career at Leigh, a season at Workington and only played a handful of games for a few other clubs. I don’t see how he can speak for the whole game, he can only speak for the clubs he’s played at.

I’m not saying he’s telling lies, I’m sure say in the 5 years he spent at Leigh he’s seen and experienced a lot of drug use, he just has no experience at any top Super League clubs, he’s not in a position to comment on drug use at Super League or other clubs, which I believe does happen but is rare rather than the norm.

His formative years were at Wigan, a highly competitive environment for young sportsmen - especially those learning the game from the South and moving into the pack.

When he arrived at Leigh he seemed bigger than he became.

Keeping one ahead of the tester was a game being played for many years - some did it very well imo.

[Harry Stottle]

21 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

He’s spent most of his career at Leigh, a season at Workington and only played a handful of games for a few other clubs. I don’t see how he can speak for the whole game, he can only speak for the clubs he’s played at.

I’m not saying he’s telling lies, I’m sure say in the 5 years he spent at Leigh he’s seen and experienced a lot of drug use, he just has no experience at any top Super League clubs, he’s not in a position to comment on drug use at Super League or other clubs, which I believe does happen but is rare rather than the norm.

As on most topic's you have a view of things that are very misguided, do you have any experience of  being actively involved in pro/semipro rugby league circles, do you honestly think that player's are cocooned in their own club's and don't communicate, socialize or still mate about when teammates change club's, give your head a wobble Kev.

[Harry Stottle]

20 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Totally agree.

Fwiw it appears he has had a small sample of mostly second tier RL dressing rooms too.

How much professionalism, or lack of it, affects these things who knows.

As my reply to Kev above.

[Harry Stottle]

17 hours ago, DavidM said:

I had teachers like that , usually nuns 

Was that through being in close proximity to Sellafield?

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

As my reply to Kev above.

I have experience and knowledge of both.

Academy and Semi-Pro Rugby is a tough space to be in, more so than Super League for many in terms of the mental challenges.

There is less support and less oversight. 

As for the rest, Acton has experience of basically 2 clubs directly, as an academy player at Wigan and a senior at Leigh. He's hardly a been there done it all league journeyman.

[Anonymouse]

There are cheats in all sports, this doesn't excuse it, it's just a sad fact.

[DavidM]

27 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Was that through being in close proximity to Sellafield?

Oh Harold …

[Harry Stottle]

6 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

I have experience and knowledge of both.

Academy and Semi-Pro Rugby is a tough space to be in, more so than Super League for many in terms of the mental challenges.

There is less support and less oversight. 

As for the rest, Acton has experience of basically 2 clubs directly, as an academy player at Wigan and a senior at Leigh. He's hardly a been there done it all league journeyman.

Yes and quite obviously he kept himself to himself, none of the player's around him influenced or introduced him to whatever substances?

As you said in previous post on this subject Tommy most things - whatever the subject - are influenced by your peers and environment, I will suggest to you that with the size of the pro/semipro RL community and the movement of people from different club's each person as you put it does not have to be an "All League Journeyman" you can be at one club all your career and it can come and find you, it is not difficult to see how substance use is as rife as Mr Acton claims it to be.

[Guest]

9 hours ago, nadera78 said:

I get the point, but actually see it from the reverse angle. I've lived in Singapore for 2.5 years now, where drug use happens but is contained to private settings. On my two trips home to London in that time, the smell of weed was ever present; from middle class residential streets to council estates. And you only have to go to a football ground to see loads of men - of all ages - coked up to the eyeballs. Drugs use is open and it is brazen, and everybody seems to simply accept it.

I'd agree completely. I used to take a bit of drugs when younger so aren't pointing the finger morally. But you wouldn't have dared brazenly smoke a joint outdoors (unless maybe in a remote field perhaps). Now I see lads strolling past the big police station near me openly smoking a joint. I remember people getting sent down for being caught in possession of a joint!!

And coke? Once the preserve of Eric Clapton or Freddie Mercury is now common as dirt. 

Nobody can convince me it hasn't increased massively because I remember what it used to be like. 

[Josef K]

20 hours ago, latchford albion said:

Just walk away John, come on...

I can’t help singing that when im out and about and i see a Bruiser McHuge wearing a white T-shirt far too small for him. It’s -1 outside and they’re also wearing three quarter length shorts and they have a pair of sandals on even though it’s snowing. 
 

[Harry Stottle]

3 hours ago, Josef K said:

I can’t help singing that when im out and about and i see a Bruiser McHuge wearing a white T-shirt far too small for him. It’s -1 outside and they’re also wearing three quarter length shorts and they have a pair of sandals on even though it’s snowing. 
 

Which reminds me of the Polar Bear Cub, who asked his mother what kind of bear he was, she replied a Polar Bear of course, he said could I not be a Brown bear, a Grizzly bear, a Koala bear or even a Teddy bear? Nope you are definitely a Polar Bear she said why do you ask, because I'm bloody freezing!

Which I suspect are the Bruiser McHuge types.

[Jughead]

Has Acton sought taking his dealer to court under the Trades Description Act?