Have just listened to Martin Sadler from League Express on the radio and wonder if I am the only person who thinks taking drugs is not good. He seemed to be saying that because they were not performance hancing they were ok, and he should not have been banned for as long as he was. Also Stevo and Eddie said it was just a bit of nonsense and should be forgotten. Sorry but this sends the message to youngster that its ok to take recreational drugs and you can carry on playing. Maybe its just me but I think its wrong.

Just say no.

speak to Frank

Got to agree with you, thought Sadler was a disgrace.

i think taking recreational drugs as a professional sports person is wrong but this does not enhance performance like steriods which is worse in my opinion for obvious reasons.

hock has served his ban, if it was a steroid or a peformance enhancing drug then it should have been a lifetime ban, the only thing i found annoying was eddie and stevo treating him like a god on friday night!

He served his ban, Everyone deserve's a second chance.

Quite, but for those idiots on Sky to treat what he did as inconsequential is not on. Perhaps Hock is lucky he also doesn't have a criminal record too.

All drugs in sport are wrong , and it gives the wrong message to the younger generation .. As for a 2nd chance , well we all deserve them , but when I hear of standing ovations ... Hmmmm

I agree,he still was a major mug though for doing it in the first place.

It is and i do agree with you but, as a recreational drug, it is really no different to alcohol or tobacco... The difference is the legalities and 'social acceptance', this is why they ban players for cocaine etc as it is against the law. Drinking/Smoking isn't illegal but it can be more dangerous.

For the record, I drink but have never taken illiegal drugs and don't smoke!!

He has served his ban and should be left along to get on with playing again. He's a top player who made a mistake.

I agree!!!

Good point - how good would some of our players have been if they left the ale alone whilst they were playing ? As i said we all deserve a 2nd chance and I'm sure this bloke will make the best of it .

A two-year ban is anything but inconsequential. As some of the more sensible posters have said, the lad kept his mouth shut, head down and did his time. If Hemmings, Stephenson, Sadler or any other buggar in the media want to have their say then they're entitled to it, but Gareth will be concentrating on more important things like playing the game we all love.

How was it a mistake? He deliberately took the drug, and it's not like he didn't know the consequences of getting caught.

If he drove a bus for a living he would still be out of work

If he drove a bus for a living he wouldn't have had to have taken a drugs test.

Yes he would the big bus Companies have Drink/Drugs Procedure ..Hull Stagecoah was part of a test with Stagecoach Manchester over ten years ago that started the Procedure and the lads have told me it's still in force

To say I dislike drug users would be an understatement. What I can say though is that Hock has served a ban. We can argue till we are blue in the face about the length of that ban. Some say it should be longer others say it was harsh. The facts are he has served his ban and Wigan have stuck by him. I hope he repays their faith.

What has got my back up though is the way in which he has been lorded as a returning prodigal son. The bottom line is that he was classed by the RFL judiciary as a drugs cheat hence his ban. It should not be a celebrated thing that he has returned to the top side in the country the minute his ban is up. It sends out totally the wrong message and the RFL press have been wrong imo to treat it as a thing to celebrate.

I hope I don't see any kids with Wigan shirts on with Hock on the back (unless they are actually called Hock)

Don't think Paul was suggesting that it was an accident, rather that it was a mistake to make the decisions that he did.

Get off your high horses! Recreational drug use is a big part of society these days and just because its legal it doesnt mean its ok. There are many recreational drugs that are not as harmful as say Tobacco or Alcohol but these are legal so must be ok yeah?



Recreational drug use is much more rife in professional sport than you would also imagaine too though its fairly easy to avoid being caught if your careful about when you do it and Garerth Hock was just unlucky in getting caught when many others get away with it every week in rugby and professional football ala Johns, Merson etc

Anyway he's served his time and is now free to play rugby and i have no problem with him doing so and please remember this is recreational drugs he took and NOT performancing enhancing. BIG DIFFERENCE for all you 'just say no-ers' out there!

I mean he made a mistake, took the wrong decision. I know he deliberately took the drug, i'm not stupid.

He got caught and served imo an overly long ban and is now back playing and should be left to get on with it.

How the media or Sky deal with his return is out of his control, he can only get on with training and playing games.

Looks like he's been doing plenty of gym work alright.



He looked some size unit the bit I saw of him on SL Show last night.

Aye, always been a big guy but I guess with little else to do than work off your anger/furstration in the gym for 2 years he was always going to come back a bit bigger. Could be a big player for England in the 4 nations.