This thread is hilarious. The knee-jerk reactions when it comes to drugs is 2nd only to paedophilia for sheer idiocy.

People equating a medical problem with outright cheating, people wanting 5 year bans for a player who may only be guilty of having taken benylin. The sheer hypocrisy of people calling Newton an idiot while they hang draw and quarter him despite knowing precisely nothing about his case is mind-boggling

hide behind rules being rules all you want, But like Hock, Newton is a person above and beyond the job he does. Give him the same rights we all expect and treat him as innocent until proven guilty.

If he is guilty then we punish him, not in an idiotically draconian way to make some feel better about themselves. But at a level which is fitting for what could be a very very minor crime

The most sensible post on this thread by far

Spot on!

We've had 40-odd years to get hysterical about drugs in sport – ever since it became one of the proxy wars in the Cold War.

Given what it represented in those years, and its propaganda value, then it doesn't surprise me that it's generally difficult to have a sensible conversation about the subject.

Add to that a desire by many RL fans to be able to see their sport as superior, in a range of ways, to other sports, and the fact that Terry Newton has long been a player who provokes very intense emotions from supporters, and it's not really surprising that there's a fuss.

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ement.html

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... ement.html

Good

See ya Terry

To be fair to Newton his statement is an honest acknowledgement for what he has done. I much prefer his courage in accepting fault than the tennis players and RU types who do drugs and throw lots of expensive lawyers and fancy excuses to cover up their wrong doing.

Whatever you may think of Newton he was a dedicated and hard working professional who reached the top in his RL career. Hopefully people will let him be.

Not Benylin then.

Not unless it was Anabolic Benylin.

I can't help but think he accidentally gave his credit card number to one of these Viagra spammers. From what I understand things were looking up for him before this..

'Self-Administered Growth' (Hormone)

Agree with everything you say (with a minor amendment). However, deliberate use of a banned substance = cock.

What terrible way to end an excellent career and potentialy harm his next career. Best thing he could do is become another "David Millar" (cycling) and support the anti-doping campaign as much as he can to prevent others following in his foolish footsteps. May also help to clear his conscience and repay the debt he no doubt feels he now owes RL.

Hard working? Dedicated? Professional?

You mean

cheat,Thug, Unprofessional, Bad example

Whatever pan face done in rugby is all washed down the drain. He may have been taking this stuff for years.

He will always be known as thug, drug taking cheat.

Panface????

Yeah "Panface"....have a heart, picking on the afflicted.

[size=50"cheat,Thug, Unprofessional, Bad example" all fully justified[/size

And I wonder how many of those are using or have used recreational or worse drugs themselves?

Wouldn't class a growth hormone as a recreational drug. Doubt many of the users of this website are professional athletes subject to Drug Testing. However, I am sure that a proportion are subject to Compulsory Drug Testing through their place of work, and I am sure that those who are, are sensible enough to realise that the use of such drugs will result in their dismissal and jeopardise their future employment.

I do think that this website is populated by users that love their game and despise people that drag the good name of the sport into the gutter.

I had an addiction to Benylin. But I got flu it.

I love the way people go on about performance enhancers like they are some magic substance. they only give your body the [ipotential[/i to do more and get better. You still have to make it happen.

It's not like you shoot up and become superman.

And I am one of those who love the sport.

But I don't like hypocrisy.

It is cheating pure and simple, noone knows how long he has been at it, it could be his whole career. I imagine their is temptation to use these substances to make training easier, esp. if you are of a smaller frame, but you know the consequences and decide if you think the gain justifies the risk.
Good riddance, and well done the RFL for catching him.

Sorry pal, but it's cheating. These drugs improve performance without putting in the hard work other pros do.

No matter how you try and dress it, terry Newton is a drug cheat!

I've played with and against Newton. I know the answer to how long he's taken drugs.

Why do players bother with them then, irrelevant of what they may or may not do the players are fully aware that they are a banned substance, yet arrogant cheating ones clearly believe they are above abiding by the rules..

Good riddance the man is a cheat who has caused great embarrassment to himself and his family

you can bet on that