Player named in Bulldog drug scandal: Willie Mason.

[ibeme]

I wish people would stop calling it a Bulldogs cover up. It wasn't as if they had a choice. They went on the front foot about keeping recreational drugs out of the club, and it's turned around and bit them on the arse. They've no room to move on the issue. $25000 is a hell of a lot of money, considering it's out of their net salary, not gross salary.

And we don't know for sure that they didn't suspend him? He was out of first grade a few times last year for 'discipinary' reasons.

 

[simon says]

Firstly,I dont think that they should test for rec drugs.Steroids fair enough,but if they wanna get a little whacked at the disco,well thats their business.I can tell you from personal experience,they certainly dont help your sporting ability,but for talking and dancing you cant beat em ;-) ;-)

Secondly,Id like to know how many employers who test their employees for drugs WOULDNT sack them after a positive result.Every job I have had,made it clear that if i was at work with drugs in my system I would be gooorne.

And third,being a WT fan,I am feeling a little let down about the whole thing.Two careers pretty much destroyed,huge fines,and the end of our year was what it cost us......the dogs cover theirs up.No drama for them,but a sick feeling in my stomach.If they want to retain any credibilty,they must reveal all......

 

[DJ1]

At what point has anyone except the medias "unnamed source" stated a $25K penalty has been imposed.

Please post the link.

 

[Belly in Brisvegas]

I in no way condone the taking of recreational drugs but to all those bagging the Bulldogs over this scandal let me ask you a question. Would you want to see clubs do no internal testing and hope the NRL catches guys who take recreational drugs (which is highly unlikely due to the drug not being in the system for very long). Some clubs are currently taking this option.

Or would you rather see clubs go the way of the Bulldogs and do their own internal testing with a confidentiality agreement that player names won't be released if they are found guilty. That way if they are found guilty they can be punished by the club ($25,000 is a hell of a lot of money even for a footy player and probably more than what they would pay if they were caught by the cops) and rehabilited/educated about the use of drugs ??

All the while the kids who adore these players are being fed lies...sorry not being fed anything at all. Get it out in the open and shame these people, who are that detached from reality, into acknowledging their shortcomings in public.

I'll feel real sorry for the person who wears an afro wig and a bulldogs jersey to the footy from now on.....come to think of it I did already!!

BIG WILLIE IS A BIG SIDESHOW.

 

[The General]

I in no way condone the taking of recreational drugs but to all those bagging the Bulldogs over this scandal let me ask you a question. Would you want to see clubs do no internal testing and hope the NRL catches guys who take recreational drugs (which is highly unlikely due to the drug not being in the system for very long). Some clubs are currently taking this option.

Or would you rather see clubs go the way of the Bulldogs and do their own internal testing with a confidentiality agreement that player names won't be released if they are found guilty. That way if they are found guilty they can be punished by the club ($25,000 is a hell of a lot of money even for a footy player and probably more than what they would pay if they were caught by the cops) and rehabilited/educated about the use of drugs ??

All the while the kids who adore these players are being fed lies...sorry not being fed anything at all. Get it out in the open and shame these people, who are that detached from reality, into acknowledging their shortcomings in public.

I'll feel real sorry for the person who wears an afro wig and a bulldogs jersey to the footy from now on.....come to think of it I did already!!

BIG WILLIE IS A BIG SIDESHOW.

So you're saying that all the clubs that don't hold internal tests are just as bad, or even worse than the Bulldogs because they aren't exposing any possible drug users in their club. At least the Bulldogs are trying to do something positive for their players and the game.

 

[Hurriflatch]

Belly: Petersen's hair has nothing to do with it

On a serious note
As a stand alone issue then yeah many people may have been more open (not really the word I wanted) to this incident but when piled on top of

1) The Salary Cap coverup
2) Fans Rioting on trains and after games
3) Alleged rape in Coff Habour in 2003
4) Alleged rape in Coffs Habour in 2004
5) Allegedly using government funds from the Oasis project to acheive point 1.

It gets very tough for people to take this without being highly critical. The Dogs testing for rec. drugs is problably a good thing but the whole they dug for themselves with the above points have gotten most people to a point where they don't beleive a single word coming out of anyone associated with the Bulldogs.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

The bulldogs = Joke.

 

[Glennb]

I agree players should be contracted by the NRL, but the thing is they currently arn't. Therefore the only other option the Bulldogs have is to scrap internal testing altogether and hope the NRL tests find something. At least this way the player is copping some sort of punishment and getting some education which will hopefully be a deterrant for the future.

I agree with everything you say there General, except maybe the education bit, if it is Willie (can't see News screwing up defamation laws that bad)...can't imagine he has been educated.

As I said, it's the inequity that rubs me badly up the wrong way, and I can't see a way around that in the circumstances you have described. As Bennett, you and I said, the players must be contracted directly to NRL.

In the circumstances, the bulldogs can't be accused of covering up (although they have) but on the end of their other indiscretions the inequity sticks out a long way. That and the Bulldogs holier than thou attitude in the past, espousing that oter clubs should follow their lead.

It smells like the Bulldogs have a rotten core.

Glenn B

 

[AuckMel]

What if the player tested positive before the Kangaroos tour? If he was fined in Novermber, there's a very good chance the test was taken before the tour.

 

[Dogaholic]

Check out Page 96 of todays Telegraph.

there is a quiz on the bottom right hand corner of the page, the first question being:-

Which Bulldogs player was identifies as tesing positive to cocaine late last year?

The answer also being posted as follows:-

Willie Mason

 

[JoeD]

I see your point ozbash but the thing is the internal testing by clubs is only approved by players because the results are guaranteed to remain confidential.

Other employers can force their employees to take drug tests without it remaining confidential, why can't the Dogs do the same?

 

[Dogaholic]

They already had a privacy policy in place.

If the Bulldogs name the player, the player can sue the club

 

[ibeme]

I see your point ozbash but the thing is the internal testing by clubs is only approved by players because the results are guaranteed to remain confidential.

Other employers can force their employees to take drug tests without it remaining confidential, why can't the Dogs do the same?

No they can't. Not unless there's some kind of agreement in place. The agreement in the dog's case was that they could test as long as it was confidential.

 

[Generalissimo Stalin]

I wish people would stop calling it a Bulldogs cover up. It wasn't as if they had a choice. They went on the front foot about keeping recreational drugs out of the club, and it's turned around and bit them on the arse. They've no room to move on the issue. $25000 is a hell of a lot of money, considering it's out of their net salary, not gross salary.

And we don't know for sure that they didn't suspend him? He was out of first grade a few times last year for 'discipinary' reasons.

If it's a high profile player they would have outside ensorsements so it would be a drop in the ocean compared to people who earn this or not much more in a real job.

the nrl should demand the player be named so action can be taken as it sends a bad message to kids and the generic public that its okay to take drugs as long as your a high profile sports person.

one has to acknowledge the issue is players with loads of money with too much time on their hands and no other interests or direction in their lives - all players should have either full time jobs or be studying for life after football and this should be mandatory.

 

[DJ1]

the nrl should demand the player be named so action can be taken as it sends a bad message to kids and the generic public that its okay to take drugs as long as your a high profile sports person.

The NRL should demand that the journalist provide the evidence to back up the allegation. Oh hang on. Doesn't the CEO of the NRL report to the board which is 50% owned by the organisation which owns the media outlet in question?

Why aren't we seeing the same pressure for players names, questions to sponsors regarding the Storm allegations? Who owns the Storm? Hmmmm.

 

[JoeD]

No they can't. Not unless there's some kind of agreement in place. The agreement in the dog's case was that they could test as long as it was confidential.

My point is, why would the bulldogs ever write a confidentiality agreement into a contract? They have said "the players would never agree to take the tests otherwise" Thats BS to me. The NRL can force the players to take drug tests without it being confidential, why can't the clubs as well? It should be like this:

Bulldogs CEO: you want to play for us and earn $250, 000/year?
Player: Yup
Bulldogs CEO: well you wouldn't mind signing an agreement that allows us to drug test you and make public those results.
Player: No of course I wouldn't mind because I don't take drugs.

 

[sretsoor]

Think about it. It's quite an ingenous set up just like the Salary Cap rort. The internal drug test helps the club catch the players who test positive before the NRL. The player is then taken out of the squad, whether it be they are injured etc, is dealt with internally by the club, no one else is involved and they can have their player back on the paddock within a week or two, as soon as their system is cleared of any traces espeically if it turns out to be a key player. If the NRL caught them they'd cop at lest 12 weeks. Add to that then a Privacy agreement so no one can find out about it. Failsafe. Amazing no other club has thought about it.

 

[Dogaholic]

Bulldogs arn't the only team with in house testing

 

[sretsoor]

Bulldogs arn't the only team with in house testing

Im not just referring to the dogs. I was saying it's the perfect loop whole in the system isnt it. The NRL has been shown up.

 

[ibeme]

Think about it. It's quite an ingenous set up just like the Salary Cap rort. The internal drug test helps the club catch the players who test positive before the NRL. The player is then taken out of the squad, whether it be they are injured etc, is dealt with internally by the club, no one else is involved and they can have their player back on the paddock within a week or two, as soon as their system is cleared of any traces espeically if it turns out to be a key player. If the NRL caught them they'd cop at lest 12 weeks. Add to that then a Privacy agreement so no one can find out about it. Failsafe. Amazing no other club has thought about it.

You should think about it. If that was the ploy, then they'd test for performance enhancing drugs too. They only test for recreational drugs. And they wouldn't give $25000 fines and increase testing for that player.