1 Andrew Johns 2

There was much dismay earlier this year, 64 days ago to be exact, when the NRL( national rugby league), was rocked by a salary cap scandal which saw the Melbourne storm stripped of two premierships, and three minor premierships. They also lost any premiership points accrued this year, and are forced to get themselves back under the salary cap, without any player taking a pay cut. This means that it is almost certain that some of Melbourne's stars will be playing in a different clubs strip for the 2011 season and beyond. The bottom line of all this is that Melbourne have been caught cheating and have been punished for such. Which brings us to the point of this story.

Some may ask, and quite rightly, what all this has to do with the title of this hub, that being Andrew Johns.The answer to this is quite simple. The Melbourne Storm have been caught cheating, by exceeding the salary cap limit.The NRL quite rightly punished the storm for doing this to the full letter of their legislation's. They held nothing back, and the repercussions of their handed out punishment, sent shock waves throughout the NRL, the clubs affiliated with it, and the Victorian public whence the storm are located. The bottom line of this is that a standard has been set, and the NRL are now obligated to act on any other form of cheating, and punish it according to the guidelines they used against the Melbourne Storm.

Which brings us to Andrew Johns, and Mark Geyer, presenter on Nines sunday roast program.

Andrew Johns has been celebrated as one of the most gifted number sevens the game has produced. He was a champion in the full sense of the word. As a player for the Newcastle Knights, even now after his retirement, just the word knights brings forth the name Andrew Johns. He represented both his state and his country with distinction, having the ability to turn games single handedly, which very few other players have ever been able to do. The problem we face now is, that he is a self confessed cheat of the game.

Both Johns and Geyer have both admitted to taking drugs during their playing career to help them perform. When I say drugs, I am not referring to Panadol, but illegal forms of drugs, available only in seedy clubs and alleys. I am talking about drugs that are illegal in every country of the world, and governments spend countless dollars on trying to curb the trade of same. I am talking about the same drugs that cause death and destruction in so many families throughout the world, and  spiralling crime rates by individuals trying to get money to buy more of the stuff, and assualts fuelled by drug fueled hatred. It is the same stuff that sends health bills rising throughout the world.

So as both Johns and Geyer have both admitted to partaking in these illegal substances, during their respective playing careers, and not being caught despite the so called serious drug checking by the NRL, Then the premierships won by these clubs, while these cheats were playing, and participated in, should be stripped by the NRL. They must do this if they are to save face within the world sporting community, as both players by the NRL's own Rules, have admitted to cheating. Cheating as we have seen by the example made of the Melbourne Storm, is not to be tolerated in the NRL. This be the standards that they have set, by the treatment of the Melbourne Storm, and the standards that they must now abide by.

In addition, we must now approach channel nine, The host station of the NRL, and employers of both Johns and Geyer, to immediately sack both commentators, for their admissions, and especially for subsequent misdemeanors by Andrew Johns. Channel nine set the standard for this when upon hearing of possible rape allegations against Andrew's brother Matthew, They immediately sacked him from their programs, and staff. Even though those allegations turned out to be false, and it was consensual, it was the subsequent treatment of the lady in question that is now the problem, Johns was not returned to his contract, or his coaching role with the Melbourne storm. By no means do I approve Matthew's treatment of woman, but the fact is that he was found to have done nothing illegal, just immoral, and totally improper.

So Therefore, with the illegal drug taking admissions and cheating of both Andrew Johns and Mark Geyer, and the subsequent unacceptable racial comments by Johns to Tomana Tahu during a N.S.W. origin team bonding session, Channel nine must immediately sack both of these men, after they set the standard with the treatment of Matthew Johns.

Why should this be so? Andrew Johns is a role model to kids throughout the country and especially to the kids in the Newcastle area. The kids look up to him and long to be like him and near worship the ground that Johns walks on. If they see that the actions I have mentioned above, are not dealt with, in any form, Then they will feel that it is alright to copy these actions, and feel that drug taking, Racially vilifying anyone, are acceptable means of achieving their rugby league goals.

Channel nine and the NRL must act on this, and do it immediately, or return the premierships to the Melbourne storm, as well as the minor premierships, the fines, and all competition points. The standards have been set, Now it is time for the action to commence.