What dissapoints me is that in the run up to the start of what is in recent times the biggest high profile event the sport has ever had we have players who can`t leave the booze alone for a couple of weeks. We then have a league that organises a meeting days before the first game which was always going to be a devisive meeting about the very future of the Sport.



There are many Reporters and Editors out there more than happy to rubbish our sport and we consistantly provide them with material to do so !

Whether his attitude and timekeeping was up to scratch or if the coach is up to the job ( I doubt ) we could argue forever, in a week we should have been projecting the sport and getting excited by the build up we are left , as ever, talking about other cr$p.



I only hope that we beat the Aussies and the tournement takes off and this is all forgot about, perhaps we will have a player next year with a lot to prove..............

so the other players involved have been punished and miss the game this weekend, who would of guessed that hmmm...? hock went a step further and has been punished appropriately point proven.

Perhaps the rumours about him being a RFU plant are correct.He takes over at the London Super League club and immediately they jump into bed with a union club,thereby immediately losing its rugby league identity.He goes to Wigan,a club which provides players,coaches and chief executives to the other code and attempts further links when Joel Tomkins leaves.He supports a salary cap when dubairl wants a club started in Cardiff without the hindrance of a salary cap.I think he is a spy.



Where is the publicity stating that named players breached discipline and are subsequently dropped ?
Correct ! There ain't any.They have hung Gareth Hock out to dry in the most disgraceful fashion.

yeah he didn't pick graham because he is so overrated.

so are you against a team in Cardiff? as the salary cap would be a hinderance to any new franchise.

Look,the guys who were originally rumoured to have been out together have all been excluded from the match day squad.
Effectively the one match ban that had been rumoured.
Imagine how a more competent coach could have scaled down the punishments.
He could have banned Hock for one match,reprimanded the others and thereby retain unity in his overall squad.
The whole thing could then have been kept behind close doors.
I think McNamara is just not very bright.

I agree completely Bonita Red, p*ss poor management from McNamara. Perhaps one match is a little lenient, but the general idea is spot on.

I suggest you contact the governing body with your ideas.Good luck.
Do you have any thoughts on the possibility of Ferres drinking more alcoholic beverages than Gareth Hock on Saturday night,in celebration of a fine England Knights victory ?
Was there an alcohol ban on those players who may have been called into the squad ?
Were the England Knight players swimming and having a medical on the Sunday,back at the camp?
Seems a bit haphazard if the players could do their own thing last Saturday night outside of their camp,if that is what was allowed.
I only ask you,as it seems you have better information.
Am I right in thinking the players 'socialised' in Manchester on the Saturday and the swim and medical was done at Loughborough University ?
I would ask the governing body but I don't think the transparency word applies to them.

Dubairl is very very serious and always right.

Stop winding him up RDP.

So micky mac, graham, hardaker, briscoe & lockers don't make the squad and seeing as hock claims six or severn involved if we go for six and he's one that means the other five must be guilty or if not then somebody who is guilty is going unpunished.
Just hope none of those omitted are injured or we will have even more discontent in the squad.

McNamara next job party organiser at Holts

England squad at Mottram Hall Sat/Sun night so I presume they went "out" Sat night and swim/medical was Sunday am. Coach left Monday about noon for Loughborough.
I would suggest that Mac is unable to build sufficient team spirit for the 6/7 NOT to want a drink. The best coaches generate team spirit/togetherness/will to win then move onto tactics. Mac appears to be a little naive. We shall see on Saturday.

I would have thought the coaches would have ensured the players were either in their rooms by a certain time or be around wherever they are in the hotel. Sounds like a very unprofessional camp.

Are they staying or were they staying at the Marriott?

Wonder where Hock was out on the lash?

Mottram Hall according to another poster, so I would imagine either Wilmslow or Alderley Edge.

To be fair mate, they're grown men.

I fully appreciate that and they're also professionals BUT when you bring a group of rugby players together you need to ensure they obey the rules. I read England football team do a similar thing I.e coaches take it in turn to make sure players are in their rooms when they're suppose to be etc.

With the brain development of 16 year olds!!

So lets get this right.

Professional athlete gets picked for his country in the biggest competition in his career. Said athlete is a tad lucky to be picked on their past seasons form.
Said athlete decides to go and misuse alcohol (a drug extermely detrimental to their health and performance) after representing the national team in their most embarassing result in their history. Said athlete doesn't turn up for training (If you believe he turned up 10 mins late then i can sell you some magic beans as well).
Said athlete is (rightly) dismissed from his job. Said athlete then attempts to drop all his team mates in it too with no regard for the national team or the up coming competition.

This shows the class and intergrity of said athlete. This specimin blames everyone else for their continued anti social behaviuor. Many of his fellow pros would have killed to get the opportunity of playing in the world cup. Not this oaf.

This pathetic mewing that 'others went out too' etc etc shows the measure of the man never responsible, grossly anti social and un professional. This is no arguement to claim leniancy or justification for his behaviour.

He pi**ed in Wigan's face despite their continued backing of him, he's p**sed in the national team's face.

I wonder what respect and dedication he'll show to the Salford cause.

Don't lower your own or your clubs dignity justifying him. Your starting to sound like the scousers and their favourite 'victim' Suarez.

Good luck!

What a stupid post.

Nobody on here is defending Gareth Hock, infact quite the contary. I think we are all in agreement that what he and the other players involved did was stupid and they all deserved punishing. Obviously Gareth Hock also missed the following mornings warm down session and medical, citing the reason that he overslept. This simply isnt acceptable at international level and no excuses can be made, therefore he deserved a harsher punishment than the others who "just" went out drinking.

The majoritys issue on here is with the manner in which England dealt with the situation. Whilst it is now common knowledge that upto 7 players were involved in breaking the drinking ban, we dont know who these players are and whether or not they too have been disciplined. I personally have no problem with not knowing these facts, however I do have a problem with it when they release a press conference condeming Gareth Hock for "serious breaches of team discipline" with no explanation as to what he did. This lead to wide spread speculation and accusations throughout the media and RL community, with theories stemming from Gareth Hock taking drugs, fighting with his team mates and going out on the p*ss. Because of this pathetic press release, it allowed and forced Gareth Hock to give his side of events (in which he was open and honest admitting he went out drinking and had missed the following morning warm down and medical, as well as admitting what he had done was wrong).

I totally disagree with you that he tried to drop his team mates in it. If he had named other players involved I could understand, but he didnt. All he did was confirm further speculation that other players were involved, something England should have done when they decided to make the whole affair public with their inital statement.

I and nobody else feel Gareth Hock has been persecuted or harshly treatment, we're just dissapointed that days after the most embarrasing defeat in England RL history and days before a World Cup the management of our national team make an easily avoidable mistake in dealing with an in issue that could have been handled internally in a much more effective way. It's going to be tough enough competing and beating either New Zealand and Australia, the last thing we needed was this fiasco. It also surrounds further doubts over Steve McNamara's ability to manage our national team and whether the set-up its self is as professional as it should.

I cant wait to see Gareth Hock in a Salford shirt and I am selfishly happy with the whole situation if I am honest. He avoids running the risk of injury and can link up with our squad for pre-season earlier than anticipated. I have every faith in Brian Noble and his coaches, as well as Marwan Kouask that they can adequately manage Gareth Hock in a much more professional manner than the England set-up can.

I can't disagree but personally I also feel Steve McNamara could have thought through the implications of a press release and realised it would be better to keep the discipline issue private. Announcing the reason for Hock's departure to the media obviously prompted a knee jerk responce from Hock that wasn't in England RL's best interests. I'm sure if Hock had been given the option of a fictious injury or a serious breach of indiscipline I'm sure he would haven taken the former.

Right my post was stupid.

Lets get this right. No one on this thread is defending Hock.

It looks a lot like that from what I've read!

He didn't try and drop his team mates in it..........why the f*ck mention them then, add to the speculation state that he was treat differently therefore suggesting they should get the same punishment. That's not dropping them in it..ok.

What they have released in the press is to try and stop the story getting out of hand. Gareth's helpful contribution to the cause...appears on telly claiming he's been unfairly treated and that his team mates have been up to something too.

Your angry at the management cause your player got sacked from the squad. You wouldn't care if it was Tomkins. The management (who I don't rate) have done nothing wrong and not hung anyone out to dry. Hock did this himself. Instead of taking his chance he considers no consequences of what he does.

He was a f**king embarressment at Craven Park last year. Ignored his teams needs and went after Dale Ferguson all second half and failed. Gave away 5 pens and could have been sent off three times at least. Kept gesturing to the crowd and lost the plot (not that he's ever had it for long).

As for Noble and Koukash's chances with him best of luck. Plenty have tried.

Like I posted scousers and Suarez.

One of us is blinded by their club loyalties. There's a lot of scousers with egg on their faces care of Suarez don't be wearing an omlette this time next year.

I've no doubt this will motivate Hock early in the next season like it did when he returned for Wigan but that didn't last.

He mentioned them because he was given an open and honest assessment to what went on, something England RL should have done when they decided to make the whole fiasco public. If you believe what they released was to try and stop the story getting out of hand then you are grossly deluded and they failed miserably. That pathetic statement caused a mass outbreak of accusations and speculation from many fans, with the majority incorrect in what they were assuming (i.e taking drugs and or fighting). Either release a full detail of events and present such speculation, whilst also giving no need for Gareth Hock to give his television interview or keep it internally and punish him privately thus causing absolutely no disruption to the squad.

Gareth Hock isnt our player yet and if you think I am angry because he has been removed from the squad then you obviously havent read any of my previous post. He deserved his punishment. As I have stated previously to you, I am angry at the way England management handled the whole thing. To suggest I wouldnt care if it was Tomkins is embarrasing on your part, I would be ten times more angry had it been Tomkins because he is our only real hope of beating the Aussies.

I dont understand what his performance at Craven Park has to do with it either. If anything that sounds like particularly poor management, if it was so obvious he was running around the field after Dale Ferguson and nearly got himself sent off 3 times why wasnt he taken off? I also note you refer to probably the most negative Gareth Hock moment you could think of and blatantly disregard all the good things he did on the pitch.

Its nothing like the Suarez incident either, he hasnt even played a game for us. There is also a difference between defending a racist and condeming the management of a national team who we believe handled a situation badly.

It’s incredible how those falsely accusing Salford supporters of defending Hock don’t realise how prejudiced and partisan they appear towards discriminating Hock.

Jesus you've appeared all over these forums supporting Hock veiling it as critisism of the England management.

They made a statement saying he had been dropped for disciplinary reasons. Hock then goes public crying foul.

Why say he has an injury? It would be evident in days he hadn't and the rumors would be worse! Say it was for personal reasons and have the journalists digging around then speculating on that. Makes no sense. The management have nothing to answer for. They picked the oaf against many peoples opinion at the time why would they then scapegoat him. It makes NO sense. He broke the rules he should deal with it. Like i say if you seriously believe he missed a 10 minute warm down session your even more deluded than you appear.

His performance at craven Park was an insight into what he does in public imagine what he does out of the public eye. Why wasn't he taken off ask Denis Betts. I could suggest that the're scared of the coming hissy fit if they did. He certainly didn't seem to care Widnes were getting gubbed by 40 points and carried on his personal agenda.

Good luck with him.

It appears there is a 'grass' in the England camp who reported the matter.This may have been one of those who had been drinking - the motive is unclear.
The rumours started;one of those was started by a Bradford influenced individual.
The press release - on the Tuesday night,shortly after the rumours took hold - was a full 2 days after the incident was dealt with.
The press release should be dealt with by well-paid,responsible adults.What we got was a hatchet job on Gareth Hock.
He went onto television,while still in shock,to defend himself against the drug allegations made by those in the rugby league family,and England rugby league supporters.( These allegations were on the usual places;twitter,forums )
I am angry that the failure by possibly 6 members of a rugby league squad who failed to conform to an instruction have not been named,especially when the squad for the game against Australia has now been named.Their names should have been included in the press release with the addendum of either - they will be punished appropriately,or whatever their punishment will be,if any.
Gareth Hock has been victimised.
Taking your Scouse analogy further - the most senior,in terms of England caps and worldly-wise experience by going off to Australia,was one of the St Helen players in the last World Cup squad.There was the rumour of a split between Saints and Leeds players.His conduct on the pitch caused Leeds fans to chant a 'fatist' slur in his direction which our friends from Castleford wanted to result in a fine,as their club had been fined for a homophobic chant at a player.
I mention this only because his recent on-field misemeanours have included lathering himself in vaseline and biting a players ear yet because of this off-field incident Gareth Hock has had to endure even more reminding of not only an off-field regret but all of his on-field 'heat of the moment' incidents have been recalled by far too many people.
Gareth Hock has not lathered himself with vaseline or bitten a players ear but it seems he is the only transgressor who is never left alone for things which have happened some time ago.
Some of the pleasing comments have come from Dennis Betts with regard to Gareth Hock.
I hope to take some comfort from an Irishman (now deceased ),who played soccer nearby at Old Trafford.Never played in the final stages of a World Cup.Missed more training and more games than anyone cares to remember.He had far too much carnal knowledge.But he will always be remembered by what he did on the field.I am hoping Gareth Hock gives the Salford fans equally good memories by what he does on the field.
He has been badly let down by the brains department on this one.
I am sure he thanks you for your support.

You people can't be helped!

Poor Gareth, in shock , scapegoated, another snitch in the camp. Jesus this is desperate.

Scousers and Suarez.

Why pick him and then scapegoat him......no sense.

Please don't ever compare Hock to George Best. Their relative abilities are universes apart. George was an appaling professional (finished at 26)and terrrible individual (wife beater, drunk driver, terrible father given numerous chances to address his alcoholism including someone elses liver etc etc. I'm a United fan commiting a sin here critisising Best) but an incredible player.
Hock appears a terrible professional but isn't in the same universe regarding ability compared to George Best