Snortathon

[stsae]

I've thought about these arrests quite a bit over the last couple of days.

I feel uncomfortable about a couple of things.

Sure, players like Birdy should know better. God knows he has seen enough trouble in his career. He would be crapping himself and he only has himself to blame. I know the guy personally and I like him. He just likes to party. So do a stack of guys in the NRL and here is my problem. I've seen young guys who weren't into the scene see the older players do it and they get stuck in cause that's what is being done. Prescription pills are rife as well.......it's hardly the professional NFL college type that David Smith is engineering in his out of touch mind. League is going backwards in terms of players being role models......they sign the autographs, pose for photos willingly whilst at the same time become more selfish than ever.

Gen. y , the calibre of boy League attracts........hardly college graduates. I think you will find more Polynesian, indigenous and poor white folk sons dominating the code over the next 10 years. I think it is relevant to point out that a lot of these kids have not focussed on education so there attitudes and perceptions are very very limited.

I also have a problem with the cops spending such huge amount of resources targetting footy players. Go catch some real criminals. How much did the asada witch hunt cost the taxpayer and where did it get us? The cops have a fascination with bringing footy players down. Get a life

Everyone knows who runs shit up here, they ride bikes and wear farking their patches on their backs.

But for some strange reason they are Teflon. It's better PR for the cops to focus on a few sportsmen.

This reminds me of the 60s in the UK when rock stars and entertainers were being targeted and the result a few years later was the cop doing the targeting ended up in the shit himself, for framing people.

ArSeADA are the biggest grandstanders of all time. It's a show.

What I can't cop is the papers are soft on KHunt. He's just a patsy. And that's just because he plays gAyFL and Yawnion.

But the Leaguies, they are facing 4 years out of any code and death row in Bali.

So transparent.

A toot and a snore in 74.

[Guest]

I fink you could be onto somfin..

[The Rooster Oracle]

I hope they pay the former $ouff$ pathetic excuse for a captain $utton a visit sometime soon!

[Guest]

I just don't know why they don't let any of them take anything if they want to get on the roids or the okey or anything else let em, as long as they can turn up & play good footy.

[Matty_C]

I just don't know why they don't let any of them take anything if they want to get on the roids or the okey or anything else let em, as long as they can turn up & play good footy.

Yes because players dying on the pitch is such a great look for the game.

[bondi paul]

Everyone knows who runs shit up here, they ride bikes and wear farking their patches on their backs.

But for some strange reason they are Teflon. It's better PR for the cops to focus on a few sportsmen.

This reminds me of the 60s in the UK when rock stars and entertainers were being targeted and the result a few years later was the cop doing the targeting ended up in the shit himself, for framing people.

ArSeADA are the biggest grandstanders of all time. It's a show.

What I can't cop is the papers are soft on KHunt. He's just a patsy. And that's just because he plays gAyFL and Yawnion.

But the Leaguies, they are facing 4 years out of any code and death row in Bali.

So transparent.

A toot and a snore in 74.

Texan Bobby Keys what a sax player!! RIP

[Johnny Tobin]

Todays paper reported John Tobin has been charged, very disappointed

Don't depair.

The bikies have smuggled a phone in to me.

[Johnny Tobin]

This whole thing is just an ASADA-style publicity stunt. Some more "blackest day" bullshiit.

Nothing will happen to those kids in court. The supply cases will be dropped and they will get a slap on the wrist for possession.

But they will get massive ASADA bans - years. And their careers are over.

The whole thing is a joke and the biggest names are still to come from what I have heard.

[Game Fowl]

Still waiting .

[Matty_C]

The whole thing is a joke and the biggest names are still to come from what I have heard.

These big names have been the subject of rumour and innuendo since Sunday night.

In that time anyone who is worth remembering (and some that are not) have been said on many different sites and social media platforms, to be caught up in this.

Remember all the rumours when Asada broke, Manly were gone as a club, and blah blah blah.

Let's hope this is the last of it, and the dollar spending NRL watching public wake up to the fact that these guys have had heir careers ruined for no good reason.

[Johnny Tobin]

If ASADA were not such a pathetic joke Manly and the Sharks would have been hammered.

I too hope it's the end.

But it's not.

The QCC are loving this.

[SConcierge]

Don't depair.

The bikies have smuggled a phone in to me.

I am shocked what can I say not JT

These big names have been the subject of rumour and innuendo since Sunday night.

In that time anyone who is worth remembering (and some that are not) have been said on many different sites and social media platforms, to be caught up in this.

Remember all the rumours when Asada broke, Manly were gone as a club, and blah blah blah.

Let's hope this is the last of it, and the dollar spending NRL watching public wake up to the fact that these guys have had heir careers ruined for no good reason.

I dont know what to make of it all the biggest issue is that they are role models of kids and ambassadors of the NRL based
on that alone rub them out for life and send a clear message..... Is it a stunt for sure but they have been caught.

[John Corey]

I've thought about these arrests quite a bit over the last couple of days.

I feel uncomfortable about a couple of things.

Sure, players like Birdy should know better. God knows he has seen enough trouble in his career. He would be crapping himself and he only has himself to blame. I know the guy personally and I like him. He just likes to party. So do a stack of guys in the NRL and here is my problem. I've seen young guys who weren't into the scene see the older players do it and they get stuck in cause that's what is being done. Prescription pills are rife as well.......it's hardly the professional NFL college type that David Smith is engineering in his out of touch mind. League is going backwards in terms of players being role models......they sign the autographs, pose for photos willingly whilst at the same time become more selfish than ever.

Gen. y , the calibre of boy League attracts........hardly college graduates. I think you will find more Polynesian, indigenous and poor white folk sons dominating the code over the next 10 years. I think it is relevant to point out that a lot of these kids have not focussed on education so there attitudes and perceptions are very very limited.

I also have a problem with the cops spending such huge amount of resources targetting footy players. Go catch some real criminals. How much did the asada witch hunt cost the taxpayer and where did it get us? The cops have a fascination with bringing footy players down. Get a life

Sorry mate I usually respect and enjoy what you have to say on here but you lost me at the lame and very immature
' why don't you go catch real criminals'.
You might find this hard to believe but Cops do catch 'real criminals'. It's just that the Daily Telegraph don't tend to put the 'real ones' in the sports pages. They tend to land in the front pages or don't even get a mention because it's not exciting and newsworthy. It's not a known person like your mate Greg Bird.
When your mate was arrested for 'allegedly' glassing his girlfriend in the face, guess who was a part of that team? Me. You don't think that was an alleged criminal act? Or should we have brushed that aside coz it was a footy player and we have great fascination with bringing down footy players? And the only reason it went nowhere is because his gf, now wife I believe, decided against assisting us any further. Now it seems they are going great and I am happy for them.
Police arrest all people in all walks of life. It's just that some make the papers and most don't.

How many people you think I gave tickets to or charged for running red lights, or drink driving, only for them to say, "Why don't you go arrest the real criminals". But in 20 years of policing how many dead body's, including young children, do you think I dragged out of car wrecks due to those very people running red lights and drink driving?

I get your point about party drugs, recreational drugs or those drugs that don't enhance on field performance. My understanding is they don't enhance performance (correct me if I'm wrong) so they don't really directly affect me so if they get charged or not it doesn't really bother me. But at the same time they are role models so they have to put up with consequences. But really, your comment about arresting real criminals is ill informed and tiresome.

[stephenj]

excellent post seargent john, we miss you in the shire!

[trewhella]

Hey mate, appreciate your comments and stance on the issue.
Both our experiences are coloured by our own personal perspective.
I had the same conversation with a very senior officer who is a friend of mine. He disagreed as well and was emphatic that the footy players were merely in the road of other bigger targets. Understand and agree.

Look at things from my perspective for a minute.
I had personal experience in my phones being tapped from a political labor beat up. I'm sure of this. Apparently the guys from the crime commission were tracking links to bikies through league players and told Labor government desperates that rugby league was full of drug cheats and the asada witch hunt began. Do you really understand the personal cost of people's lives because of that whole affair mate?Really close friends who had nothing to do with it sacked and slandered on national TV. Footy players going through depression and their wives and families emotionally smashed for over 18 months........for what?
A debatable supplement program that was borderline on its outcomes and even its illegality.
When the facts came out .....to say there was a disconnect between the 10 million plus spent and the outcomes.......3 week bans, well you be the judge of that.
I would like to think that the original intelligence led to the arrests of the real criminals" coke suppliers"but nobody seems interested in that. Only you know the answer I guess.

So when I see footy players who are stupid and getting charged with drug possession like Greg Bird I roll my eyes wondering if the guys who need to arrested will ever see the back of a cell.
To say there is a cocaine problem in our society at the moment is an understatement. It is destroying the fabric of suburban families and adding to domestic violence and divorce. I have strong beliefs on party drugs because they damage the brain and nervous system in an irreparable manner. That is not debatable. It is a fact, so I'm guessing we both agree that we would like to see more being done from this perspective.

My stance is also filtered by knowing that certain police stations have team posters on the staff wall and a hit list of who from footy teams have been nabbed for something. That is pretty weak.
I also can tell you a story of a police officer who gave Paul Gallen a ticket for peeing in public trying to bait him the next week for a fight in front of his police mates.

The other side of the coin are the actions of spoilt, unprofessional and selfish football players who refuse to understand the important role they play as role models. It is boring and for those that know the inside of footy their is an undercurrent of rebellion cause they are treated like spoilt children most of the time.

I appreciate the fine job you do and the crap that you have to mop up every week on our behalf. I really do. I have many friends who are police officers and I truly admire them for what they do for keeping our society safe.