Unbelievable call from Millward that one.

The best thing for Hocks future career is that he grows up and keeps his head down. If he does that and is willing to take regular drug tests at Wigan he may have a future at the club.

All it really said was that Wigan were monitoring Gareth Hock's progress, which in truth is the only thing they can do in these circumstances - they are hardly in a position to make a firm announcement about Gareth Hock's future, one way or the other, at this early stage.

Thankfully, this penny finally seems to be dropping with those who were demanding to know NOW what Wigan were planning to do in 2011.

And about bloody time too...

I wouldn't bet on it.

TBF many people, like myself i may add, just want the whole situation cleared up and put to bed.

This is what the 2nd Hock related thread in this month? How many times do we need it popping up over the coming season? How many times do we need to have rival fans trolling on here over it? How many times do we need the whole drug use in RL bringing up as well? How many times do we need national newspapers dragging a real low point up in our history with nothing more than speculation?

As I posted on another Hock thread at the start of the month it’s not about wanting to know everything but it’s mainly about ending the whole situation with some sort of comment from the club. The last thing we need, especially if we start the season well, is for the whole Hock argument to keep raising it’s head and being used as a stick to beat us with.

If IL and Madge want Hock back at the club then just sign him up with caveats in place saying he will undergo rigorous & regular testing from now until the day he signs and if the Wigan club isn’t 100% satisfied with him then we can cancel the deal at any time.

I'm not sure they're allowed to 'sign him up', as you say.

We'd all like the situaton cleared up, but it won't be until 2011, when Hock has served his ban and presumably (hopefully) stayed clean for the duration and is able to prove that he can still peform at Super League level. Only then will Wigan know whether they can offer him a new deal.

As for a comment from the club, I'd venture a guess that saying they're monitoring his progress is the only one we're going to get unless Hock totally fouls up and they have no option but to say goodbye forever.

Best if we all put it to bed, I reckon. If trolls persist in making an issue of it all we need say is what the club said. We're monitoring his progress.

Find wall... Bang head...

You won't get through to some Cruncher. They just don't seem to realize that there are personal and legal implications with this and that the club have to work within several sets of rules.... Who is "beating us witha stick with it", just ourselves it would seem... Best to just let the matter rest with the club, and more importantly Gareth.

from the sounds of things, it looks like they are awaiting drug test results

Yep... What else can they do?... As far as sport is concerned he is persona non grata untill he has served his ban... The club have to handle things quietly and let the matter be resolved but the testing agencies and Gareth Hock. Whatever we may feel we should know... Its really not our business.

that druggie should not be allowed near a rugby pitch ever again!!

muppet u r

Maybe the governing bodies should change the rules, how about lifetime bans for anybody caught taking Performance enhancing drugs & recreational drugs, unless it can be proved that it was not their fault through a vigorous investigation process, then maybe these privileged sports stars would think twice before consuming such illegal substances.

Many thanks for your eloquent and constructive contribution...

Maybe Little Leigh will sign him

Bottom line is the club cannot say anything apart from 'we are monitoring the situation'. We cannot say we are getting him back in 2011 because between now and then he could take drugs. The club do not want to cut ties with him so they are not going to say 'we don't want him back', therefore the club want him but can't say we will have him as he could cock the whole thing up.

Assuming he stays clean gareth (I imagine) will be a Wigan player in June 2011 assuming he can handle the 2 year lay off.

Interesting if you do keep him after so many wanted rid of him, will take him awhile to get match fit though if he's banned till the end of the 2011 season that will be around 2 and a half seasons out of the game.

he's not banned till the end of the season, he's banned till mid-way through. But obviously it would take a while for him to get back into the swing of things so it's doubtful he'd play much part in the rest of the 2011 season.

There's the other not insignificant issue of where we'll be at in 2011 with regard to signings, youngsters having been promoted, salary cap levels and just how much Gareth and his agent (and more importantly, Wigan) feel he will be worth by then. There really are far too many variables for Wigan to do anything at the moment other than monitor the player's progress and talk to him in private.

I know this will cause those Cheerleaders who can't accept anything other than 100% positivity, to spontaneously combust, but the club could have put this to bed long ago when they said they would. A simple statement of the need to help, monitor etc etc could have put this to bed months ago, without committing themselves one way or the other. Hock has to agree to random testing during the 2 years by UK Sport anyway as part of his ban if he wants to play again.

Like pretty much every other player caught in our game, I'd have sacked Hock on the spot. The fact he then went to sell his story to the Screws of the World before his B sample results were known, directly against the club's initial statement:



Means he's fe[ic[/iked the club over twice now.

i dont think we will be able to get his drugs on the salary cap

So let's get this right - you're a "cheerleader" if you're willing to accept that sorting out the legalities of this situation, both inside and outside of the game, and making all the appropriate medical checks and consultations, might mean the club can only issue a statement 20 months before Hock finishes serving his ban rather than 24 months before?





I only wish I had as little to worry about as some Wigan fans.

Just accept thats its not any of our business. If you accept that you are either a "fan" or a "spectator" you will see that both these roles are for people on the outside. You really do think that if someone does not agree with you, that they are idiots... You leave me speechless.... Save the obvious reply.

Oh the irony....

You don't half love having a pop at your fellow Wigan supporters/forum users every opportunity you get.



You should support Leeds, you might find them less annoying.

Another member of "The Glum Club"....