Titans and Hunt on drugs charges

[DIEHARD]

Henry calls for Gold Coast Titans stood down on drug charges to return after initial court appearances

TITANS coach Neil Henry wants to see the players who have been stood down by the club allowed to return to the field once they have had their initial court appearances.

Beau Falloon, Jamie Dowling, Greg Bird, Dave Taylor and Kalifa Faifai Loa face cocaine charges after being swept up in the Queensland sporting drugs scandal.

Falloon and Dowling face Southport Magistrates Court next Friday, two days before the Titans’ NRL season opener against Wests Tigers.

The remaining three, Faifai Loa and State of Origin stars Bird and, are all set to face court for the first time on March 9.

“Hopefully when the hearing occurs, we’d hate for it to drag on and not have (access to) the players,” Henry said. “There’s a feeling we should be able to have the players with their court case pending.

“It’s going to go on for months so we’re going to be without three key players.

“They’re still in the salary cap, we’re still paying them. I think a decision will have to be made whether they can still train and play football.”

Henry said the five, who have been banned from training with their teammates, continued to prepare individually and as a group away from the club.

While he conceded the spectre of an impending court hearing was far from ideal, being around teammates was better than being in isolation.

“It’ll be a distraction but that’s happened before,” he said.

“There have been players who have had to go to court but they’ve been able play. “And in a variety of codes, not just rugby league.”

Outside back David Mead said he would welcome the five players rejoining the squad.

“I’d love to play with those guys any time of the year,” he said.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans veteran Will Zillman defends club's culture amid drug allegations

Gold Coast veteran Will Zillman has defended the culture at the Titans, declaring: "The club is bigger than a couple of players."

With five players stood down after being caught up in a Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission investigation into a cocaine ring, Zillman was repeatedly asked whether a drug problem existed at the Titans when he represented the club at the launch on the NRL's new advertising campaign in Sydney.

While he dead-batted those questions, Zillman insisted the culture at Gold Coast was strong.

"It is one of those things, we had a lot of older heads when we began and as the years go on they fall out, but then you get leaders who step into those positions and we have got plenty of those coming through," said Zillman, who joined the Titans from Canberra in 2009.

"Our mentality is sticking together and coming out the other side a better club."

The Titans host Wests Tigers in their opening match on Saturday, March 7, and Zillman said the saga would not be used as an excuse by the remaining players.

"It is has been a tough week, but we need to show true grit as a club and come through it on the other side and play good football, and that is what we are looking to do," he said.

"We don't have a game this weekend but in nine days' time we do, and that is something we need to prepare seriously for. We're a football club, we are here to play football, we've got a strong squad this year and we have had an extremely tough pre-season.

"What we're doing is looking forward to round one. We need to move on from this and prepare for a rugby league game. We will be competitive, yes."

Asked about the mental state of the five players, who include Test back-rower Greg Bird and Queensland Origin forward Dave Taylor, Zillman said: "I have spoken to them [and] obviously they are going through a tough time, but I'm just here representing the club and we've got a football game to focus on."

Despite the cloud over the future of Gold Coast, which prompted the NRL to take control of the club this week, Zillman said he expected fans to continue supporting the Titans, and he believes they will survive.

"I think the NRL have proved that this week," he said. "The NRL have shown that they want a rugby league team on the Gold Coast, and for us as players and the staff and the fans that is a good thing. This way we can concentrate on the footy.

"The fans have been great this week, they have really stuck behind us, and we do ask them to turn out in round one, and we want to play some good football for them this year."

Meanwhile, Titans coach Neil Henry said the five players should be allowed to resume training and playing after their upcoming court appearances.

Beau Falloon and Jamie Dowling will face Southport Magistrates Court next Friday. Bird, Taylor and Kalifa Faifai Loa are set to make their initial court appearances on March 9.

"There's been players who've had to go to court, but they've still played, they haven't been stood down, in a variety of codes, not just rugby league," Henry said.

"In fact, playing football and being around their mates will be a real bonus. The isolation at the moment is making it really difficult for our players."

Titans back David Mead, who admitted the initial revelations had been a shock to the squad, said all five players would be welcomed back if their suspensions were lifted. "I'd love to play with those guys any time of the year," Mead said.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/

[5 Year Contract]

Henry calls for Gold Coast Titans stood down on drug charges to return after initial court appearances

TITANS coach Neil Henry wants to see the players who have been stood down by the club allowed to return to the field once they have had their initial court appearances.

Beau Falloon, Jamie Dowling, Greg Bird, Dave Taylor and Kalifa Faifai Loa face cocaine charges after being swept up in the Queensland sporting drugs scandal.

Falloon and Dowling face Southport Magistrates Court next Friday, two days before the Titans’ NRL season opener against Wests Tigers.

The remaining three, Faifai Loa and State of Origin stars Bird and, are all set to face court for the first time on March 9.

“Hopefully when the hearing occurs, we’d hate for it to drag on and not have (access to) the players,” Henry said. “There’s a feeling we should be able to have the players with their court case pending.

“It’s going to go on for months so we’re going to be without three key players.

“They’re still in the salary cap, we’re still paying them. I think a decision will have to be made whether they can still train and play football.”

Henry said the five, who have been banned from training with their teammates, continued to prepare individually and as a group away from the club.

While he conceded the spectre of an impending court hearing was far from ideal, being around teammates was better than being in isolation.

“It’ll be a distraction but that’s happened before,” he said.

“There have been players who have had to go to court but they’ve been able play. “And in a variety of codes, not just rugby league.”

Outside back David Mead said he would welcome the five players rejoining the squad.

“I’d love to play with those guys any time of the year,” he said.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/

100%!!! This is a complete and utter media beat-up and charges will be dropped against most likely Taylor and possibly Bird from what i have been told (no im not claiming to be an inside word douche haha) but this whole entire trial by media has been absolutely disgusting and pathetic and regardless of the outcome even if charges are dropped the media has tarnished these players names and images for the rest of their careers!

[Titan4Life]

God the media hate the Titans. Now bringing up something from 2007. Pathetic

Gold Coast Titans drug scandal: Club hid five positive doping tests after 2007 Mad Monday celebrations
JAMES HOOPER THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
FEBRUARY 26, 2015 8:00PM

THE Gold Coast are no strangers to players dabbling in illicit drugs on Mad Monday, with the Titans previously netting five positive results the year the club was founded in 2007.

Sport Confidential can reveal Titans management covered-up the results of the in-house testing the day after Mad Monday, which jagged one big-name player and four other members of the club’s NRL roster.

None of the players in question are still employed at the Titans, but all were issued with a written employment warning and fined five per cent of their contracts.

Under the Titans previous management structure, the club decided to covertly target test its entire roster the morning after Mad Monday.

No players were made aware of the impending drug tests, but some became flustered when informed they were about to become subject to a urine test.

Intent on avoiding a public-relations nightmare, the Titans opted to bury the five positive results.

We spoke to one former player who confirmed the results.

None of the players currently charged with drugs supply were at the Titans at the time.

[Titan Crius]

100%!!! This is a complete and utter media beat-up and charges will be dropped against most likely Taylor and possibly Bird from what i have been told (no im not claiming to be an inside word douche haha) but this whole entire trial by media has been absolutely disgusting and pathetic and regardless of the outcome even if charges are dropped the media has tarnished these players names and images for the rest of their careers!

I totally agree with Henry, if all players plead NOT GUILTY then under Presumption of Innocence, they should definitely be allowed to return to their workplace and continue Training & Playing

[Mexican titan]

God the media hate the Titans. Now bringing up something from 2007. Pathetic

Gold Coast Titans drug scandal: Club hid five positive doping tests after 2007 Mad Monday celebrations
JAMES HOOPER THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
FEBRUARY 26, 2015 8:00PM

THE Gold Coast are no strangers to players dabbling in illicit drugs on Mad Monday, with the Titans previously netting five positive results the year the club was founded in 2007.

Sport Confidential can reveal Titans management covered-up the results of the in-house testing the day after Mad Monday, which jagged one big-name player and four other members of the club’s NRL roster.

None of the players in question are still employed at the Titans, but all were issued with a written employment warning and fined five per cent of their contracts.

Under the Titans previous management structure, the club decided to covertly target test its entire roster the morning after Mad Monday.

No players were made aware of the impending drug tests, but some became flustered when informed they were about to become subject to a urine test.

Intent on avoiding a public-relations nightmare, the Titans opted to bury the five positive results.

We spoke to one former player who confirmed the results.

None of the players currently charged with drugs supply were at the Titans at the time.

[Nick]

God the media hate the Titans. Now bringing up something from 2007. Pathetic

Gold Coast Titans drug scandal: Club hid five positive doping tests after 2007 Mad Monday celebrations
JAMES HOOPER THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
FEBRUARY 26, 2015 8:00PM

THE Gold Coast are no strangers to players dabbling in illicit drugs on Mad Monday, with the Titans previously netting five positive results the year the club was founded in 2007.

Sport Confidential can reveal Titans management covered-up the results of the in-house testing the day after Mad Monday, which jagged one big-name player and four other members of the club’s NRL roster.

None of the players in question are still employed at the Titans, but all were issued with a written employment warning and fined five per cent of their contracts.

Under the Titans previous management structure, the club decided to covertly target test its entire roster the morning after Mad Monday.

No players were made aware of the impending drug tests, but some became flustered when informed they were about to become subject to a urine test.

Intent on avoiding a public-relations nightmare, the Titans opted to bury the five positive results.

We spoke to one former player who confirmed the results.

None of the players currently charged with drugs supply were at the Titans at the time.

Stupid article.. So should all companies go public with positive drug testing results? Drug testing is park of my work, there is numerous positive drug test results every day with many major employers here on the GC and australia wide.
Just stupid reporting scraping the bottom of the barrel.

On another note, good to see KG getting some good media with his "magic carpet ride" video!

[DIEHARD]

Whether they get booked or not they need to face scrutiny and perhaps discipline for breaking the club code of conduct and bringing the club into disrepute. And that can mean tearing up contracts.

[DIEHARD]

n another note, good to see KG getting some good media with his "magic carpet ride" video!

LOL that video totally deserves it's own thread!

[Mexican titan]

Whether they get booked or not they need to face scrutiny and perhaps discipline for breaking the club code of conduct and bringing the club into disrepute. And that can mean tearing up contracts.

I know what you mean DH but if the charges get dropped, what exactly might be the part of the code of conduct they are breaking. For example if the charge gets dropped that they even bought drugs what can the club do. It could be argued then that the CCC brought the club into disrepute but they are untouchable.
I suppose we just have to wait and see what happens. If the players are in any way guilty then I would like to at least see any with previous conduct issues given the chop. Obviously the charges weren't laid for no reason/evidence but I think we just have to see what happens.

[Toads]

Nevermind..

[5 Year Contract]

Unless a player is caught 100% dead to rights then the game into disrepute is a very slippery slop. If you are going to stand them down for talking to an 'undesirable' then hell start standing down alot of the Sydney players for who they might associate with in the cross. Its the media not the players bringing the game into disrepute at the moment.

I really hope the club stands by our guys over this. From what I can see a majority of the charges are going to be dropped and at worst being downgraded to something pretty insignificant as to not leave the CCC red faced. That said im sure Dave Smith is looking for something to beat his chest about to show those who dont find him competent so who knows what will happen to the players even if charges are dismissed.

It amazes me our players get this treatment whereas in the AFL tests have come back positive for Cocaine during the season but because their results are kept private they are issued a warning and that's it.

[ozynorts]

It amazes me our players get this treatment whereas in the AFL tests have come back positive for Cocaine during the season but because their results are kept private they are issued a warning and that's it.

But is condoning, and that is exactly what they are doing, the right way to deal with players that take drugs?????? They get 3 strikes FFS. I would be open to a 1 strike policy where they get a final warning after the first positive and if they reoffend they are gone. It shouldn't be a club warning either. The NRL gets notified of the positive test so they are aware from the start of it. The final part of that idea would be true "random" testing. If you want to clean up the game then test the players the day after games........ I can only imagine how many positive test would have come back if the NSW origin team had been tested the day after the series winning game last year.

[JunctionBlock]

I'd be interested in seeing what the prosecution success rate is on cases like these.

[TitansFan92]

Whether they get booked or not they need to face scrutiny and perhaps discipline for breaking the club code of conduct and bringing the club into disrepute. And that can mean tearing up contracts.

I am in two minds on this subject. I want to see our best team on the field and that means Bird and Taylor but in my mind drugs are 1 of the worst things you can do let alone supplying them so I would like to see the book thrown at them. If proven guilty of the charges then they should never be aloud to play in the NRL again imo and unless the charges are dropped they should not be aloud to play or train with the team.