B-Sample is Positive: Hock

[DaveO]

Look at Ryan Hudson did he get any support from anywhere, and what about Martin Pearson, he got found out when he were dropping E's did Halifax bother about him when he was banned, the answer is no

Indeed. The Bulls ripped up Hudson's contract and of course he now plays for Cas so if Hock can sort himself out (by no means a given due to the nature of drugs) we may well see him in another clubs colours in two years. If we do then we should not lose any sleep over it.

Dave

[Kittwazzer]

Some excellent points mad here. I agree it is tragic for the player, the club, the fans and the game in general. But it has happened and it is time to move on. The club must get its priorities right and concentrate on the players who are left. We pay our money hopefully to see some success on the park.

As for what will happen for the duration of the ban, I would leave that to the discretion of the club. My view is that if a well paid sportsman at the pinnacle of his career cannot control the substances he uses, he is unlikely to be motivated by 2 years in oblivion!

[DaveO]

Someone has suggested on rlfans the resulting two year ban is a ban form any contact with the sport of RL whatsoever.

If they are correct then there is no chance the club can employ him in any capacity at all.

With it being Cocaine then they could not sensibly employ him until proven clean anyway so the more I think about this, the more likely I think it will be simply a case of contract ripped up and bye, bye.

Dave

[Sutty]

My understanding is that he is banned from any sport / competition for 2 years. I wonder if that includes training? I think we would be cutting our nose off to spite our face if we let him sign for another top Superleague club when his ban is complete. Obviously he will be able to choose who he signs for (if he keeps himself clean, and still wants to play the game) but IMO we should try our best to retain him.

Granted, drug abuse is not welcome in any sport or in society in general, but I don't see this as a reason to totally cut someone off. It's no different to a player being caught drink driving (in some respects).

My advice would be for him to go away, get clean, train really hard and come back in two years ready to try and resurrect his career. He's still only 25ish afterall.

[DaveO]

My understanding is that he is banned from any sport / competition for 2 years. I wonder if that includes training?

Yes it does in the sense he can't train with he club. He can do what training he likes in his own time of course

I think we would be cutting our nose off to spite our face if we let him sign for another top Superleague club when his ban is complete. Obviously he will be able to choose who he signs for (if he keeps himself clean, and still wants to play the game) but IMO we should try our best to retain him.

The way I see it is the club has no option but to terminate his contract which does not mean they could not offer him a job in two years. It is what happens in the meantime that is debatable and for reasons already stated he has IMO a very slim chance to none of remaining involved with Wigan RL during that time.

What that would mean for the future is anyone's guess.

Granted, drug abuse is not welcome in any sport or in society in general, but I don't see this as a reason to totally cut someone off. It's no different to a player being caught drink driving (in some respects).

If you do not cut him off what do you do with him instead? What does not cutting him off mean?

You can't IMO employ someone associated with Cocaine in a community capacity until proven clean. You can't let him train with the side and if the rlfans poster is correct, he can have no involvement with the sport at all so I can't see how he can not be cut off by Wigan or the club may be in breach of the anti-drugs rules.

My advice would be for him to go away, get clean, train really hard and come back in two years ready to try and resurrect his career. He's still only 25ish afterall.

I think that bit in bold will be his only option and if the rest follows, all well and good.

Dave

[dawbz]

My understanding is that he is banned from any sport / competition for 2 years. I wonder if that includes training? I think we would be cutting our nose off to spite our face if we let him sign for another top Superleague club when his ban is complete. Obviously he will be able to choose who he signs for (if he keeps himself clean, and still wants to play the game) but IMO we should try our best to retain him.

Granted, drug abuse is not welcome in any sport or in society in general, but I don't see this as a reason to totally cut someone off. It's no different to a player being caught drink driving (in some respects).

My advice would be for him to go away, get clean, train really hard and come back in two years ready to try and resurrect his career. He's still only 25ish afterall.

I agree with this post, just think about all the time money and effort that has been put into Hocks career over the years, after all he will only be 27 when the ban will be up, why should another super league club benefit from something we have created.
I agree in taking him off the books and using his money wisley during the banned period but think we should have something in place to ensure he returns to the club once he has learned his lesson.

[old hooker]

If it had been Colbon instead of Hock would anyone want to keep him involved with the club so we could have him back after the ban, i doubt it, the fact is Hock has been a nuaghty boy and been caught, if this had been any random bloke on the street the majority of posters on here and other websites would be calling the guy scum, it takes the wee really, we should have nothing further to do with Hock. Look at Ryan Hudson did he get any support from anywhere, and what about Martin Pearson, he got found out when he were dropping E's did Halifax bother about him when he was banned, the answer is no, and for the naive posters who have no real experience with the drug world, Hock will do it again, it isn't a shame, theres no need to worry about him, fact is he is trouble and every one knows this, he couldn't leave his past behind and he never will, i doubt he will be seen in the world of profesional RL again, you'll probabley have more chance seeing him with a running nose down King stret,

I agree with most of what you say Medlocke,but i do think he will reappear in RL,whether it be SL is doubtful but he has talent and even a half fit Hock would be valuable to some NL clubs

[Sutty]

If it had been Colbon instead of Hock would anyone want to keep him involved with the club so we could have him back after the ban, i doubt it, the fact is Hock has been a nuaghty boy and been caught, if this had been any random bloke on the street the majority of posters on here and other websites would be calling the guy scum, it takes the wee really, we should have nothing further to do with Hock. Look at Ryan Hudson did he get any support from anywhere, and what about Martin Pearson, he got found out when he were dropping E's did Halifax bother about him when he was banned, the answer is no, and for the naive posters who have no real experience with the drug world, Hock will do it again, it isn't a shame, theres no need to worry about him, fact is he is trouble and every one knows this, he couldn't leave his past behind and he never will, i doubt he will be seen in the world of profesional RL again, you'll probabley have more chance seeing him with a running nose down King stret,

I agree with most of what you say Medlocke,but i do think he will reappear in RL,whether it be SL is doubtful but he has talent and even a half fit Hock would be valuable to some NL clubs

I know what you're saying and you're probably right, but on the other hand, would Saints help out Cunningham (again) if he was caught, would Leeds look after Burrow, McGuire etc. I know that it's double standards but if Hock signed for another team in 2 years time and then came back to haunt us a la Long, how many people on here would be calling for Lenegans head because he hadn't re-signed Hock?

Sack him from his role in the club, spend his wages wisely and then reassess the situation in 2 years. If he's kept out of trouble and has trained hard and is willing to come back, I think we should re-sign him then.

[GeoffN]

As I understand it, we can retain his registration, even though he's not playing (as Bradford did with Pryce when he went to Union).

If he can stay clean, and stay fit, I'd want to see him back at the end of his 2 years. In any walk of life, once a sentence is served, it should be a clean slate, the punishment shouldn't go on for ever, otherwise why not make it a lifetime ban from the start?

[Sutty]

As I understand it, we can retain his registration, even though he's not playing (as Bradford did with Pryce when he went to Union).

If he can stay clean, and stay fit, I'd want to see him back at the end of his 2 years. In any walk of life, once a sentence is served, it should be a clean slate, the punishment shouldn't go on for ever, otherwise why not make it a lifetime ban from the start?

I agree entirely Geoff. IMO, not giving Hock a second chance would be like giving someone a lifelong ban on driving, after they've been convicted for drink driving.