DRINKS SPIKED, SAY LEAGUE STARS

TWO rugby league players who have returned positive tests for cocaine and
ecstasy yesterday said their drinks were spiked with the drugs at the
team's premiership launch last month.Wests Tigers stars Craig Field and
Kevin McGuinness came forward yesterday to admit they were the players
referred to in a Daily Telegraph report revealing the tests.

Both have stood down from the team for three weeks until the Australian
Drug Sports Agency (ASDA) testing process and an NRL drugs tribunal hearing
is completed.

The players appeared at Balmain Leagues Club yesterday saying they would
defend themselves against allegations of taking the drugs and that they had
stood down for the good of the team.

Field said: "This is an incredibly difficult moment for me. I will be
defending my position to the best of my ability but it is not fair that I
run the risk of disrupting my team in the process.

"It is my decision to stand down and I want to make that clear."

McGuinness said: "Clearly having this over your head is not easy for me or
the club. I want the chance to resolve it without having my teammates
affected."

Wests Tigers management sources told The Daily Telegraph yesterday the
players denied they had taken cocaine and ecstasy. "The players have told
us their drinks were spiked at our season's launch at Star City last
month," the source said.

"They are entitled to mount any form of defence they like but if they are
found guilty of drug taking by the NRL drugs tribunal their contracts will
be torn up."

Field stands to lose close to $1million and McGuinness about half that much
if that happens.

Wests Tigers launched their season at a black-tie function at Star City's
Grand Harbour Room on February 10.

Two days later, about 9am on Monday, February 12, ASDA testing officials
arrived at the club's training centre at George's Oval, Leichhardt.

Five players were chosen at random for testing, including Field and McGuinness.

ASDA informed the players of their positive "A" sample tests last week but
McGuinness and Field opted to play against the Broncos on Saturday at ANZ
Stadium.

They have not explained why they decided not to tell club management or
coach Terry Lamb about the positive results.

On Friday ASDA will supply the players and the NRL with results from their
"B" sample specimens, which are expected to confirm the positive "A" tests.

Under NRL rules, Field and McGuinness would face suspension from the game
for between three months and two years if found guilty of drug taking by
the NRL tribunal.

But sources at the club said it would no longer allow the pair to play if
the tests were confirmed.

Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce said the players decided to confirm the
positive tests to avoid speculation being directed at their teammates.

"The club appreciates that stance and believes the players deserve our
assistance," Mr Noyce said.

"Regardless of what happens in the weeks ahead, we will work with the
players to ensure that we can resolve these issues together."

Mr Noyce said the Tigers had done an enormous amount of work with the
players in problem prevention.

The positive tests come at a time when rumours about excessive drug taking
have been rife in the NRL.

Several players and their managers contacted by The Daily Telegraph
yesterday said the Tigers' positive tests were only the "tip of the
iceberg" in the NRL generally.

"The testing process needs to be beefed up, most players know they are
unlikely to be tested on either Sunday or Monday mornings but that's when
the raids should happen," one prominent player said.