Wigg'n wrote:
You're entirely correct in everything you say, especially on the culture of drinking for athletes, especially prevalent in Rugby players. The amount of ex-players you see getting absolutely smashed is incredible, but they've been doing it since they were in their 20s. You can go out in Wigan, Warrington, St Helens, Leeds and you will see players of clubs doing or snorting god knows what.
This isn't a club issue though, it is personal/social. Clubs can go to extensive lengths of education, discipline, scheduling etc. and players will still f'up.
Look at the NRL - it's one of the best sports leagues in the world. Massive amount of funding, the clubs do everything to look after their players (especially the stars), incredibly professional with all sorts of training and education at their disposal and there were 66 high-profile scandals in just over 3 years.
Ben Barba beat up his wife. Was that NQ Cowboys fault for not teaching him to not beat up his wife or was it Barba's responsibility to behave like a human being?
When Michael Maguire was at the club (most fans would agree the toughest culture we've had in a long time?), was it the clubs' fault that Martin Gleeson turned up for training vexed?
Taulima Tautai is a 31 year old man who has played professional RL since he was 20 years old, i.e. old enough to know better and experienced enough to know that getting caught drink driving could ruin his career or life.
You're right, players are the ones who have to take ultimate responsibility. There are things you shouldn't really need to educate people on once they reach a certain age. At 31 Tautai should be well aware of how stupid it is to drink and drive.
However, I do think there are questions to be asked when it happens so frequently at one club. The club can't physically be there to stop people doing stupid things, but I do think there are steps that can be taken to limit the chances of such things happening. One of those being an alcohol ban during the season. Another would be more serious punishments for things such as this. It obviously won't work for everyone as some people will just do stupid things no matter what the deterrent, but it might just make players think a bit more, and make the club look like it takes a strong stance against what is a pretty serious offence.
