Agree with all that too.

But didn`t McMeekin already come out with his support for Zak and I think was echoing what some of the other players thought?

Considering he was out with a fair few of them at the time

. Remember he is caught as he had to give a sample. Could have easily been one of a few more.

Oh I'm sure he'll have the support of his best mates in the squad but therein lays a problem unless it's the full squad as it could then cause a split. As for that last line you make it sound like pure bad luck on him.

Gotcha raises an interesting and pertinent point - there's plenty of them at it and he's just the unlucky one to get caught is how many of his teammates feel.



Coke use is rife in all forms of the game, to the point it's normal, it's not even a taboo subject, it just openly happens. The clubs have nutritionalists who teach the players how to cleanse their system (which makes him even more stupid that he got caught).



I seriously doubt there would be many players who'd not welcome a coke offender into their team, because they know there's at least another dozen in the team who regularly do coke anyway.

I have not said bad luck, not in the slightest. Stupid boys doing stupid things, their own problem. I am just saying somebody else picked for sample, and somebody elses problem.

If he plays for another club, the reception when he goes back to The Jungle will be something to behold. It'll make the days of The SouthStand -v- Shaun Edwards seem like a lover's spat.

He's not unlucky to get caught as you point out they know how to get it out of their systems in time and he obviously didn't.



And most players would allow a coke offender into their club but this isn't a case of a guy getting caught at some other club in regards to the Cas team. It's like the Ferres and Carney teammates wife's situation, yes another club will be fine having them but they've burnt their bridges at that particular club.

Another player will have given a sample that night, maybe they weren't lazy enough to not get it out of their system.

I guarantee if most professional rugby and football players were tested on Monday morning instead of a Friday or Saturday night after a game, a fair chunk of them wouldn't pass the test.

I think they are tested by SL, but if you are caught you only get a caution for your first offence, I wonder how many Leeds players have been given a caution?

I've seen a few Leeds players take it in Space in the past. It's as common now as boozing was in the 80s and 90s

And the thing is, a night on the gear has a much less detrimental effect on a players physical fitness levels and ability to train/play in the days following a session, hence the clubs having a fairly tolerant approach to it. Whilst they'd clearly prefer tea total, anti-drug players, in reality, the clubs would rather their players have a night on the gear (provided they don't get caught) than on the drink.