Failed drugs test and banned.


Thats his career over and he's completely wasted his rugby career!

was good, could have been a great.

I hope the relevant people help him lest we have another Newton

That is a worry. I did know him pretty well when he was at saints and Warrington and he's a good lad and not what he's made out to be. Fair enough he likes few pints but most players do. I always liked him as a person and player.

IMO he was worldclass at saints. He was big, fast, strong, good hands and most importantly had unbelieveable foot work.

Looking back now, he'll reliase he wasted pure talent.

Was a good servant to Saints apart from the obvious indiscretion, and never wanted to leave.

Had a good career although admittedly could have won more if he had stayed on the straight and narrow - won 2 Grand Finals and a few Cups.

I hope people support him as he really needs it. No reason he can't make a comeback from this if he gets his head together.

Would be unlikely to be a top club that could offer him anything now.

Although you could argue we still need a centre. lol.

But if he is out the game till November. That's practically 2 and a half years covered by about 10 games and unlike Hock he did not look (the last time we saw him) like he had been keeping trim in the gym.

He will be 32 next november with very few matches in 2 years

It seams Mr Long is not far away from this either. Check out the evidence on the pdf. This story may have legs yet? If long was also given this by Cooper there maybe even more players who may have been given it? www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule ... iolations/

It seams Mr Long is not far away from this either. Check out the evidence on the pdf. This story may have legs yet? If long was also given this by Cooper there maybe even more players who may have been given it? www.ukad.org.uk/anti-doping-rule ... iolations/

Why should he have support? He has been in the game long enough, and involved in enough bad press, to know full well that he is responsible for checking what he is taking. The authorities provide a full list of banned substances. He made the decision to take the banned substance all by his grown up self so he has to take the consequences of that decision. If anyone decides to cheat or put other players at risk through the use of banned substances (substances banned in sport for very good reason) then they deserve what they get. Martin Gleeson has had plenty of opportunity to get his life in order and he has chosen not to do so.

As for Sean Long, well, I think we probably said goodbye to him at the right time!

Your right, we do need a centre

A nudge is as good as a wink to a blind man

Was this your attitude towards bronze statued, king Kieron Cunningham in 2003 as well?

Can't wait to see all the excuses and desperate attempts at trying to make up differances between both situations.

Had the same thing happened to him now, but without the fraudulent conditioner, then yes, it would have been. However, back in 2003, the players did not have the education, information or assumption of personal responsibility that is the case now. There simply was not the procedure or regime in place and so the two can't scenarios can't be compared.

That's a sad attitude to have, to be honest.

You've probably noticed by now that he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer and doesn't always make great decisions. But all his indiscretions have been silliness rather than malice and he's never gone out to hurt anyone else.

I think you're within your rights to say he should be banned for X amount of time and I'd agree, I'm not saying he should be let off his punishment, I'm saying that as a naive lad who's never lived in the 'real' world outside the insular universe of professional sport, he now deserves support to help get his life together.

He's served some of our top clubs (including our own) with distinction, as well as his country. To say he doesn't deserve support coming to terms with this is pretty cold.

Come off it.

It was 2003, not 1973.

It's ultimately the players responsibility to watch what medicine, tablets or any form of medication.

I know for fact the players in 2003 was givin lists on what they can't take. The is more to that story than has been told but I'm pretty sure KC was unaware it was a banned substance he was taking.

On the gleeson 18 month ban, why has he got 18 month with another 18 suspended for taking diet pills, when man city player kolo toure only got 6 month for taking diet pills?

exactly, both senarios look virtually indentical, gleeson has been ingnorant, thats all imo

Well, the clueless defence doesn't hold water anywhere. He knew what he was doing in the betting scandal; he knew what he was doing with the drugs. He knew he should have checked and not only that but he lied to cover up what he did, which is a clear indication that he knew what he was doing.


I don't care how good a player he is. Cheating and putting other players at risk should never be condoned. I've no sympathy with anyone wanting to cheat or put other players at risk. Nothing to do with being cold.

As the father of a player,not professional,i find it re assuring the help that is starting to filter through.The state of mind round 27,raising awareness in players mental health and wellbeing being a prime example.We as a sport owe it to the players to help them through the hard times and hopefully avoid another Terry Newton situation.Martin Gleeson needs as much help as possible at this time.If our sport were to turn its back on him,not only would i worry for Gleeson,but i would be ashamed of our sport.After all,we are supposed to be the RL family.

from the evidence, if you have read it its clear he didnt know it was a banned substance, exactly the same as Keirons situation 8 years ago, so do you words apply to him too?
Gleeson has made many errors in his life, from the evidence i think he is as much a victim here though

I wouldn't say he has directly put other people at risk, the biggest worry is that he could be on a journey to self destruction, if this is the case he needs help from outside the sport.
The main concern is the cover up by the sacked Hull staff, Our very own betting scandal and drug situation was handled with a reasonable amount of transparency.
Gleeson may need help, as someone has already mentioned, we don't another Terry Newton on our hands.

It wasn't. It was kept undisclosed(covered up) for 18 months until WADA wanted it out in the open.

Check your pms btw.

Not by the club though, RFL were fully aware.....not exactly a cover up.

Cunninghams name was not disclosed because of the mitigating circumstances ruled by the court. The sports minister was highly critical of the RFL, that's why we have zero tolerance in our sport today.

I've always been a big fan of gleeson and even after he left us,but you have to wonder how many warnings some folk need,not only is his rugby playing career now over,but which club in their right mind would employ him in the coaching department?
I just hope that he is ok within his self after all we don't want another Terry Newton episode.
I personally hope that the RFL will give him some counseling

King Kieron was never banned. Anyway keep off our site; I only posted twice on the pies site and was kicked off. Probably by you.

Gleeson cheated and he lied. He has cheated before (the betting scandal) and so it is nothing to do with his lack of intelligence (if indeed he is so lacking) or with being some poor innocent or with having mental health problems. Some people just want to get away with stuff. Such people exist everywhere. He is a grown man who is also a professional sportsman and will have been well aware that the responsibility for what goes into his system is his and not his conditioner's or Sean Long's or anybody else's. Even fans know that and they are not provided with the education or information that professional players are. So there is no excuse for Gleeson. He cheated, he lied and he received the appropriate punishment, which was halved anyway due to his cooperation. I've no sympathy with him at all.

Nobody knows why Terry Newton committed suicide. It might have had nothing whatsoever to do with his drug use or his ban from the sport. However, even if it did, that should not at any time stop the RFL from being firm and consistent in banning players who use prohibited substances. An employer does have a duty of care to employees but only to a limited degree. They also have a responsibility to uphold the rules and good name of the sport and to protect other players (where appropriate) from any additional risk posed by drug using players (even though in the case of Gleeson he cheated rather than put anyone at physical risk). Neither the RFL nor the clubs should be afraid to punish wrong doing because one player took his own life for reasons unknown to anyone but himself, however unfortunate that was.