Cocaine Scandal

[broncos4life]

Charged with supply of cocaine sounds to me like buying some gear and sharing with a mate. Is that the feeling that others are getting?

Yeah that's the feeling I am getting.

Triple M had a criminal lawyer on for an interview this morning and he said that 'supply' can ranch from grand scale operations to offering someone the stuff. So technically calling someone up and offering to give them some coke, could be classed as supply. Obviously though there would have to be some means and/or intent to actually come through with the offer

 

[Bucking Beads]

While this is not a great look and I certainly don't agree with people doing drugs I think having some cocaine with mates at a few parties as not being such a huge deal in general society these days.

 

[Cult]

Wendell Sailor got a two year suspension for cocaine so at the very least, the people involved in this deserve that same punishment. Greg Bird, being a repeat offender should have his contract torn up and be banned from the NRL and whatever other sport he thinks he's good at.

 

[Rally Towel]

While this is not a great look and I certainly don't agree with people doing drugs I think having some cocaine with mates at a few parties as not being such a huge deal in general society these days.

Agreed. It's a bad look for the game though, especially when you have several key offenders from one club.

I wouldn't expect too much in the way of legal repercussions, but the NRL and Titans do have to be firm in their punishment.

 

[Super Freak]

Lawyer claims 'intercepted phone conversations' behind allegations Titans players involved in cocaine supply - 9news.com.au

 

[Alec]

Are drugs worse than physical abuse (Robert Lui etc).

 

[Rally Towel]

Are drugs worse than physical abuse (Robert Lui etc).

Not in my book. No such thing as a victimless crime, but I'd rate it as a lesser evil than physically assaulting a woman.

 

[vertigo]

No and it's a disgrace Lui got the chance to run around again.

I think some people forget exactly what he did.. scaled an apartment after drinking two cases of cruisers so he could kick his pregnant partner in the head multiple times.

 

[Big Pete]

People shouldn't use Lui's punishment as a way to excuse these players. Lui should have copped a harsher punishment, but it shouldn't be used as some sort of measuring stick.

These players were well aware of what they were doing and if they're found guilty, deserve to be held accountable.

End of.

 

[Splinter]

Emphatically, no! Admittedly, it depends on the context. In this context, they aren't supplying anybody but their mates, which is pretty much what most young people do.

Put it this way, the price per unit drops for larger quantities. It's basic economics. Plus, nobody likes dealing with dealers. So one deal for a larger quantity at reduced rates to split up amongst mates is NOT systematic nor detrimental to society as a whole. Yes it's illegal, but how many illegal activities do we all commit on a (potentially) daily basis? Torrents, speeding, not indicating, mp3's not paid for, underage drinking (we've all been there)...

Yes it's a crime, yes they were silly (unlucky) to get caught, no they aren't scum because of this (Bird was always scum), no the sky isn't bloody falling. They are just doing what regular young adults are doing and have done consistently for ages, admittedly with a higher pay packet and opportunity for the 'good/hard stuff'.

Much of the public's reaction seems blown out of proportion to me. The titans players aren't any different to any other team's players except maybe for the increased opportunity the GC affords them. Every team has their stories but most just don't get caught.

For me, they were just unfortunate/stupid to be busted. When I think back to my 20's and the shit I was lucky to get away with in comparison to some of my mates, this just seems to be a basic reflection of society as a whole. Consider the mining industry and the implications of their drug testing policies. It simply means that you can't do the lower grade drugs like weed as it hangs around in your system for longer (up to 3 months), therefore, due to the higher pay packet, they are able to afford the class A's that flush from your system in 2-3 days. There is a systemic problem in society that is much greater than the individuals. This needs to be addressed.

While you make some valid points, most of us were a little bit more responsible by the time we hit our late 20's and certainly when we had children.
At the end of the day they are much like the bali drug mules, they knew they were gambling with their careers or life as with the Bali duo and if caught they would suffer the consequences. They got caught and now we do not need to hear them bleating.
I would assume legally if found guilty they will get nothing more than a slap on the wrist

 

[Renegade]

Personally I don't really care if they do drugs in their own time provided it's not performance enhancing.

Unlike some, i don't hold athletes up to be the embodiment of moral virtue simply because they're a high profile name.

Nor do I consider them role models as I've previously mentioned.

There's a problem with drugs in this country because some of society doesn't want to admit that people like doing drugs, people want to do drugs, and therefore instead of education/harm minimisation, they're demonised and thus, any mention of drugs and any even low range celebrity is huge news.

 

[BRC088]

Have they submitted their applications to become immortals yet?

 

[Super Freak]

Apparently a former cricket player is involved...

League | The Lurker - NRL Rumour File - Monday | SPORTAL

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Seems pretty easy to guess who they are referring to

 

[Porthoz]

Without serving as an excuse or a reason to punish them less than they should be, there is something very wrong with allowing people like Packer, Metcalf, Lui or Bird to play NRL, regardless whether they were punished or not, and throwing the book at these guys for doing a few lines of coke during a couple of parties.

Worse even, is the doping scandal at the Sharks resulting in 3 weeks effective punishment, and these guys facing 4 years.

I don't have any sympathy for any of them, and I know the law is the law, but this all feels like a mountain is being made out of a mole hill, and the QCC is using the players notoriety to make more of this than it really is, more than likely because they can't catch the real bad guys...

P.S. My opinion is probably fundamentally biased, because I firmly believe that illicit recreational substance use shouldn't be criminalised (as opposed to its trafficking and distribution), but controlled. But this is a discussion for another place and another time...

 

[Mr Fourex]

but this all feels like a mountain is being made out of a mole hill, and the QCC is using the players notoriety to make more of this than it really is, more than likely because they can't catch the real bad guys...

Agree with most of what you said and did particularly with your first line

however, with more names coming out and the suggestions that they were all getting it from a chain of supply that was somewhat organised, it starts to resonate more towards being a syndicate rather than a group of mates. Someone is making money in amongst all this stuff. It's not just a bunch of innocent blokes looking to have a good time anymore.....

 

[Dexter]

Agree with most of what you said and did particularly with your first line

however, with more names coming out and the suggestions that they were all getting it from a chain of supply that was somewhat organised, it starts to resonate more towards being a syndicate rather than a group of mates. Someone is making money in amongst all this stuff. It's not just a bunch of innocent blokes looking to have a good time anymore.....

Very good indeed

 

[Nashy]

If the NRL wants to get tough, they should steer well clear of any past precedents. Wipe the slate clean.

It's time the old idiots running this sport took a stand and said enough is enough. Drugs, assaults, bringing the game into disrepute for just being a fucking **** head, like shitting in a hall way, pissing on carpet, cruisers on the roof etc.

Do any of it, you're gone. One chance to show that you want to be a professional athlete, that you want the big wage, that you deserve young people respecting you, and looking up to you.

These players a fucking retarded. I hope the CCC catch the lot of them. Use them as examples, they earn a massive wage, they shouldn't be examples how the more money you earn, the easier you get it in the courts.

I'm so sick of a the fucking **** heads are helping ruin the very establishment that pay their fucking wage.