Shaun Johnson and Jason Nightingale say drugs probe should have been “kept in-house”

KIWI stars Shaun Johnson and Jason Nightingale say a probe into use of prescription drugs should have stayed in-house.

Kiwi stars Shaun Johnson and Jason Nightingale have hit-out at the NZRL’s prescription drug probe that’s cast suspicion over their failed World Cup campaign, claiming the issue had been “blown out of proportion” and should have been “kept in-house”.

As the NRL announced historic plans to place prescription drugs on its illicit substance register, Johnson and Nightingale voiced their collective displeasure at the slur inflicted on Kiwi players who are being investigated for mixing sleeping tablets with caffeine drinks such as Red Bull.

Reports last weekend identified Sonny Bill Williams and Kieran Foran as two players in the crosshairs, and NRL Integrity Unit boss Jim Doyle last night confirmed his staff were awaiting a report from the NZRL While Johnson and Nightingale admitted there was an issue in the UK, the pair believed the investigation could have been handled much better, with Nightingale upset over the fact the NZRL had gone public prior to making any findings.

News_Image_File: Sonny Bill Williams loses the ball from a tackle by Manly's Kieran Foran during the grand final.

“That’s very disappointing to hear all those sorts of things come out,” the Dragons winger said. “I think that stuff needs to be handled in house and should not be played out in the public scene. I’ll be watching with interest to see where it goes.

“Our team fell at the last hurdle in the World Cup final, it’s easy to go and point fingers in different places. It’s interesting to see how it all plays out but I would rather it did not play out the way it has been.

“I’m disappointed in the announcement of it. It’s something where you should wait until the review process is done before you say anything. It’s a shame.”

Nightingale confirmed the issue had been discussed in camp, but denied allegations of Red Bull cocktails. Johnson also believed the saga was overblown, and, like Nightingale, suspected it was being manufactured to explain the team’s 34-2 flogging at the hands of Australia in the final.

News_Image_File: Dragon Jason Nightingale believes the investigation should have stayed in-house.

“It’s not acceptable but I think this has been blown way out of proportion,” Johnson said.

“I hate that everyone is going to be looking at us like we’re addicted to these things and that we’re on them the whole time when it seriously wasn’t the case.

“I don’t think (prescription drugs) are new thing in any code. They are there and athletes take them - it’s that simple.

“The fact that we got pumped by 30 odd points (in the final) didn’t help the cause. Obviously that had some impact.

“When you go away from home to a place like that for so long, all you want to do is win. To come home empty-handed and be embarrassed like that, I guess you have to put it down to something, don’t you?”

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Adding to their angst, Kiwi players had to wait more than two months to receive their World Cup payments and were contemplating action until the money was banked into their accounts this week.

“I just got paid so I was pumped,” Johnson said. “It’s taken a while. I just got my money through so I was stoked. They told us and we weren’t expecting it straight away. They said around Christmas or earlier in the new year. I wasn’t sweating bullets yet.”