Hocky

[josie andrews]

What an almighty mess; one which IMO reflects badly on the coach and the RFL. No wonder IL spoke out about wider plans for the game or lack of them.

BTW, it is common knowledge that Hock is prone to over sleeping. Wigan used to arrange a player to 'chaperone' him to training on time.

Think it used to be Mickey Higham who had that job

[cpwigan]

Indeed Josie I know everybody is an adult but if you are as experienced in RL circles as McNamara and his team are then you know every players needs 'handling' differently and that Gaz needs 'chaperoning'

[josie andrews]

This is the interview in full

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24639854

[phild1]

Anyone know what he's done?

==read on sky sport rl;he didn't turn up for training,drink related they think;what a waste of talent.let himself and all parties who have faith down..

[phild1]

Gutted about this. In a team that will lack match winnings and creativity Hock was one of a few who could produce something out of nothing and we need that in this England side with the worst half backs I can remember.

A great talent that will ultimately end up doing nothing in the game and could have done it all with application.

Sad

==all that talent wasted,will he ever regret it in later life;what he could have done you sometimes get more than one chance and he has used all his chances up.will Salford bosses stick with him????/ :exc:

[cpwigan]

Actually the one person to earn anything positive from this is the Dr. He has not sat back and he has supported the player cleverly in the background / orchestrating the TV stuff today which IMO has been a masterstroke.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Indeed Josie I know everybody is an adult but if you are as experienced in RL circles as McNamara and his team are then you know every players needs 'handling' differently and that Gaz needs 'chaperoning'

Completely disagree CP and im surprised you of all people have said that. He is a grown man and a supposed professional. The idea of handling players in different ways is straight out the noble book of coaching when he used to give gleeson extra time etc.

Maguire was the first to abolish that at wigan and look what effect it had when people realised they really had to earn their place and it wouldn't be handed to them and that they had to act like professionals.

Im good at my job does that mean i should be able to have days off or come in late whenever i chose because of it??

Really angers me that anyone would try and excuse this behaviour he has 1 thing to do for his wage which lets face it is probably more than you or i will ever earn and that's get out of bed and he cant even do that?

He says "oh it was only a 10 min swim", ok Gareth well get your lazy arse out of bed and go and do it then if its only 10 minutes surely you can spend that little time out of your busy life to do the one thing that is required for you to stay out of trouble??

Sick of people thinking its acceptable to be a lush! no wonder this country is in the state its in "oh its all someone elses fault"

the rules were clear - he broke them - he was "sacked" - welcome to the real world

[phild1]

just watched gareths interview on bbc sport.i bet steve mc isn't as strict with the other pop artists out with hock also the other offenders wont put up their hands and say fair cop boss. gareth seems to be the easy target because of his record.it would appear Mc has no control.how can players go into big games leaderless????

[Wigan_forever1985]

just watched gareths interview on bbc sport.i bet steve mc isn't as strict with the other pop artists out with hock also the other offenders wont put up their hands and say fair cop boss. gareth seems to be the easy target because of his record.it would appear Mc has no control.how can players go into big games leaderless????

To be fair we are led to believe that the other players made it in for their training the following day so you could argue they don't deserve the same punishment as hock

[i'm spartacus]

He's full of excuses, apologies and somehow it's never down to him is it, poor lad? I've seen many quotes from people around and about saying that he is a wasted talent. I think that is the wrong way around really; I have him more as a talented waster.

Wigan got rid, and he was hard done by. England have now got rid, and again he's been treated unfairly because other were involved. For me, he seems to attract trouble, and cause trouble. It's like having an employee who could be good at his job, but because he's always messing about he doesn't do his job, and he stops others from doing theirs.

Just after he signed for Parra he told the Telegraph when asked if he was going to Australia to party or play rugby;

"I did that back in my day ....I am more mature now. That was the time when I got into trouble....I am 29 now. I have grown up. I've got too much to lose."

He needs to take stock of those words he spoke and take them seriously.

I am on the same page as everyone else with the coach, the man is an idiot, but pulling the jumper on for your country transcends that and you give it 100% no matter what.