How responsible are the Knights as a club for their current situation?

If they knew about this growing problem in their ranks, (and this point is debatable) and chose to turn their backs or ignore it, then they are just as culpable as those who are now charged with drug dealing. But who is to say that they did know? I would argue that it's easy to say .. in hindsight .. that it was obvious that the kind of lifestyle these players are/have been living can only be classified as fitting a drug dealer's lifestyle.

Maybe in this instance it has turned out to be so, but most professional sportsmen and a lot of sportswomen have a better lifestyle than the rest of us as far as their bank balances, living arrangements and 'playtimes' go. But it doesn't always follow that they are breaking the law to maintain this lifestyle. I would think that the police were aware of the activities of these two players because of undercover work, or even informants.

I know that the Clubs have a duty of care in respect of looking after their players, but in the end the players choose to drink too much, or take banned substances, or conduct deals as these two players seem to have done. The Club can only do their tests and carry out the requirements of the Sports Drug Testing Agency, and believe that their players will behave themselves.

In the end, the blame rests with those who commit the crimes.

Dogsoldier : I take your point, if Danny Wicks was openly dealing in Clubs then he deserves to be caught. But where is it written that if someone is apprehended for a criminal activity then he has to bleat about someone else being responsible? They make the decision to openly deal in drugs, so they should cop the punishment when they're caught.

Hey mate

I would imagine the life of an NRL player is pretty sweet. Getting paid up to 10 times what normal people get a year (or more I dont know what sponsorship payments and ORigin and International bonuses are). NO other job or obligation to work outside of training. NO obligation to study and further yourself to secure a future beyond footy.

Sitting around all day getting to cruise the streets and do interviews about how you need to look after yourself cos your career may be over when you are 30 then what? HERES WHAT - GET A JOB!!

Really I dont care they will spend 5-10 years in jail. I care about how the Knights fans feel and how the NRL has to mop up AGAIN. This doesnt just apply to drug dealing at the Knights though - the general attitude of some of these blokes is nauseating. Some REALLY believe they are owed a living.

Drinking and punching on in public (have they found the "thugs" that apparently bashed Watmough and Matai? Or are Sea Eagles happy to keep that out of the media cos those two maybe DID have something to do with the fight starting? Not saying its fact just wondering why we havent heard anything since)

Sexual assaults, drunken bullsh-t, urinating and shtting in public (WTF???), turning up to training (at 8am?) drunk, drug use, glassing people, drink driving, speeding. Clubs need to step in and make a positive move.

I know I support Tigers and Im not saying they are the only club that do this but a lot of the players are studying and also have their own businesses (in fitness) which I would imagine will give them a top career once league is over for them. Plus they are training and learning and not SITTING ON THEIR ARSES!!!!!!

I also acknowledge that any minute the Tigers could have a seriously incident just like any other club ( I hope to god not!!). Its now up to the Knights to step in and start the ball rolling and stop this before it rears its head again.

I believe it's the players who do the crimes fault. Its not the clubs and it's not the captains. Knights have one of the strictest drug testing policies, the club can't follow the players every single move.

Why would ANY club just sit back and let their players take or sell drugs?!! I think if they did know, they would have done something. You can't just speculate that they knew and let it happen that's entirely unfair and damaging.

As for the newcastle drug culture bit, Wicks and Houston came from the dragons, who knows how long they've been doing this. Don't blame newcastle. Every other city has just as many idiots taking drugs as newcastle, maybe not as profiled but you can bet they do.

Every club has players who screw up. What about the wife beaters in the NRL? The ones accused of sexual assault? No one said their team should get kicked out of the comp. Its a few stupid idiots who ruin it for everyone is and it's not the knights fault, its the players. They have everything going for them and they just don't care.

Whether they know or not is speculation but regardless this is a team that has been harbouring guys with drug problems or that have taken illegal substances for a while now. Go back to Andrew Johns, Robbie O'Davis, Adam MacDougall etc.

I think the club lived on the success of having the best halfback in the game and professionalism and good business took a backward step. It makes it worse that Newcastle have some of the most passionate supporters in the game, these players in the scandals at the moment have really let their fans down.

They are not travelling too well. They have had problems at the club, though I think McDougall was hard done by. McDougall taking prescribed medication for a long term illness. Though the Andrew Johns incident was far worse. He admitted taking banned substances, he knew when the testing was to be done and he only owned up to it after he retired. Perhaps these latest two thought they could do the same.

Jsinista - You're not in a very good positiion to talk about the knights, look how terrible the Warriors were last year. I would have to say they were by far the most boring team to watch, I'd go close to saying the Sharks would have played a more attractive brand of football then the Warriors. And i'd doubt Brett Seymour will make much of a difference to your team this year either.

Moving onto the question, the players are held responsible for their actions, not the knights, . Like Knights 10 and Nikkita said, the knights have a very strict drug policy and the players are given regular drug tests. Houston was stood down straight away and looks like his contract will be torn up very shortly , given the news i have heard. The knights are dealing with this very well.

i'm getting so sick of seeing "Knights" in the news for all the bad reasons, i get sick of people always saying bad stuff about them and how they apparently "suck" and are a "sh!t" team.

all i am waiting for now is for the NRL season to start up and cheer for the Knights, whether they have only 4 players on the field or whether they have a full, spirited team that wants to go further than a top 8 finish.

i can't be fuc-ked answering questions about the Knights' drug problems, and to back Knights10 up, show us a link or any bit of news on the net to prove that he was regularly partying with 6-7 other Knights players and how they knew about Wicks' situation, until you show us a link, shut up about it and stop making this bullsh!t up!

Knights are just a bunch of cheaters and deserve all they get as a Club. I have no pity for drug cheats in our game and I fully agree that every club has a duty of responsibility to there players, this isnt about micro managing players, but being aware of your players and activities people are enjoying outside of the club. The Knights admin, coaches and (some) players are just down right cheats, there way to much conversation amoungst teams to not have known. I say kick them out and put the Bears back in!!!! Knights 10, I too have plants in my garden which know your friends up there, Weed, LMAO!!!!

You don't really think this doesn't go on at other clubs.

I know about one player that had a recreational drug problem and they dealt with it in house. In a way it was a good team building exercise for them and he over came it too.

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