Gareth Hock

[ultimate warrior]

All I can say is gutted. One of our best players, and one of the top players in the SL.

I agree with many people on here, Gaz knows hes done wrong, and doesn't need it ramming down his thorught.

I hope the club, the fans and the wider game all show Gareth the support he needs to over come this.

What ever teh future holds for you Gareth, good luck, and thank you for playing your heart out for our club.

[highland convert]

Anyone has only to look at the stats on this thread to see the impact of this news. viewed ove 5000 tomes in less than 24 hours. I must agree with the shock. If you put up a poll of players in the team who are a must for the next season rebuild GH would lead it by a widw margin. A cornerstone of our building collapsed yesterday and the foundations are shaky. Even if the B is clear the taint will now always be carried through GH's future. Drugs have that effect and sorry but should always have. We are well aware of the effect drugs have on society but we look on with sympathy for the user. The RFL has a good policy and it should not be changed regarding rec drugs. However GH should have been suspended for internal disciplinary reasons until the B test is confirmed. The tar is now stuck to him win or lose on the 30th.

If B confirmed sorry to lose him but no sympathy re drug use. Inexcusable in my opinion. Too many dreams shattered for a selfish act
Jim

[Mike]

Gaz knows hes done wrong, and doesn't need it ramming down his thorught.

If he knows he done wrong - why did he do it. He has dragged our club through the mud just so he could act like an arse for an evening. Why didn't he just get hammered?

Based on all the other rumours, surely this has been coming for a while and we are going to be better off in the long run without his disruptive influence in the dressing rooms. He has shown no signs of learning how to behave during his time at the club, so I imagine it would have only continued.

[cherrywarrior]

I still say he is an idiot, but then he has never been the brightest bulb in the box, I think what some people are trying to say Robjoenz is the rest of the club and players need our support now (or at least that is my opinion anyway)!

He knew full well what he was doing and he got caught, simple as!

You have to feel for the lad a bit because he has messed his life up completely, but I dont have any sympathy for him (more like pity), anyone who goes down that road knows full well what the consequences are. For me personally, drug use is just a world that I will never understand, and quite frankly am quite happy living in ignorant bliss of that part of our society.

Sorry, rant over!

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Gaz knows hes done wrong, and doesn't need it ramming down his thorught.

If he knows he done wrong - why did he do it. He has dragged our club through the mud just so he could act like an arse for an evening. Why didn't he just get hammered?

Based on all the other rumours, surely this has been coming for a while and we are going to be better off in the long run without his disruptive influence in the dressing rooms. He has shown no signs of learning how to behave during his time at the club, so I imagine it would have only continued.

Mike - I think that you make a very pertinent point. Gaz has had more chances than any other player in the club, in fact the club has moved players on for less serious demeanors. Gaz's talent is immense but that should not influence the way we view this episode, if his B sample is positive (and I hope that it is not because I am a big Hock fan) on Tuesday week then that should be the last we see of him in Wigan colours.

The club is far bigger than any one individual and we need to turn a negative episode into a positive outcome. Wigan should stand for all that is good and great in the game of rugby league, we need to succeed where others have failed, we need to take action that sets us out from the rest (not like Saints with Leon Pryce), action that sends a message to all the youngsters playing and supporting the game.

When one door closes another door of opportunity opens. Mossop will hopefully be recalled and start to make his mark on the team. The money freed up under the salary cap will hopefully allow us to acquire the services of the likes of Myler etc. The players within the club (the minority) will hopefully realise that they are not attending a social club but are privileged to represent our town and club.

We have suffered bigger disasters and returned to stronger and better as a club and team. What we need is decisive action from the chairman. We need to put this sorry mess behind us and return the greatest club in the world to its rightful position - the top of the pile. This incident should not detract from what the club is trying to acheive it should galvanise us all into making our dream into reality.

[cpwigan]

Unfortunately, Gareth Hock is prone to disaster. So I cannot argue with what Mike or SEFC say.

[BriH]

Every RL player knows the Rules re. drugs. Drug taking is a blight in all sports. GH should know better.
Innocent until proven guilty of course. Fingers crossed but I'm not optimistic.
And of course he deserves a second chance.
Very sad for GH, Wigan RL, England RL and last but not least the poor long suffering Speckies.
Just when you thought this Season couldn't get any worse this happens.
Ah well "Always look on the bright side of life, De Dum, De Dum ......" as the song says.

[weststand-rich]

It's interesting how peoples views have swung since the first page of this thread. Initial reaction was "what an idiot" then it swung to "he needs to support of the fans and club".

My personal opinion; there are thousands of kids who would love to play professional rugby league. Some are talented and fortunate enough to get the opportunity. What they do with that opportunity is their choice and anyone who abuses that opportunity deserves no support from anyone. Let's see what the second sample shows.

From the Sun (not really the journalistic high-ground), it seems he's off to rehab. Whether that's a genuine solution to a genuine problem or some cynical crocodile tears to look the penitant remains to be seen.

I can see where you're coming from with the comments about swinging post opinion - I think that comes once people have some chance to reflect on the implications of everything.

I'm of the opinion now that he's done and club will and should have no option but to release him next week. A 2 year ban and no salary from rugby is a severe punishment in it's own right and is not trivial. And if everybody is honest, Gareth Hock isn't a chap with a plethora of alternative career options ahead of him. I don't see a happy ending here.

But the club needs to do this right and strike a balance between the hardline contract termination and maintaining the dignity and humanity of the club. Tricky and I'm glad it's not my decision to be making.

[DaveO]

Mike - I think that you make a very pertinent point. Gaz has had more chances than any other player in the club, in fact the club has moved players on for less serious demeanors. Gaz's talent is immense but that should not influence the way we view this episode, if his B sample is positive (and I hope that it is not because I am a big Hock fan) on Tuesday week then that should be the last we see of him in Wigan colours.

The club is far bigger than any one individual and we need to turn a negative episode into a positive outcome. Wigan should stand for all that is good and great in the game of rugby league, we need to succeed where others have failed, we need to take action that sets us out from the rest (not like Saints with Leon Pryce), action that sends a message to all the youngsters playing and supporting the game.

I think you are right. I think most people have looked for any plausible mitigating circumstances because he is as you say, an immense talent. I think everyone is gutted to lose to such a talented player from the club but I don't think the club has any other option but to let him go permanently.

As someone else said there may well not be a happy ending here for Hock and I think people also realise this is a possibilty so this may be another reason why people may have looked for mitigating circumstances. They do not want him to go down the tubes.

Unfortunately noble (pardon the pun) those these instincts are I can't myself reconcile idea the club not cut him off with what he has actually done. I wish I could make a case for keeping him on (i.e. having him back after two years) but I can't which makes me feel even worse about the issue!

If the B sampler is positive and the club terminates his association with the club then we will just have to move on and so will he.

Should the club do this it will be in stark contrast to how Saints and HKR have behaved recently over players who have behaved as they have. There is little consolation in that but at least the club would gain some respect over its stance.

Dave

[cpwigan]

In the case of Hock as with all other positive tests the end result is set in stone. Every player knows that the 2 year ban that followes then triggers an automatic termination of contract. The only thing that Wigan RLFC have done and I agree with this they publically named the player rather than just say a player. Again it is common sense to do so because his absence at the weekend would have given rise to speculation anyway.

Fait acompli almost. The B sample is clutching at straws.