Monday Buzz: Should Wests Tigers have known about Tim Simona’s double life?

MONDAY BUZZ: The Tigers knew nothing about Tim Simona’s double life. An NRL star during the day with a cocaine habit and gambling addiction at night. The question is: should they have known?

• CHAPTER 1: Simona: Sex, drugs and my downfall

• CHAPTER 2: I ripped off charities for gambling, drugs

• CHAPTER 3: ‘Get my boobs done’ or I’ll tell NRL

• CHAPTER 4: Confession and the explosive texts

• CHAPTER 5: The ex: ‘I felt rejected, betrayed’

THE Wests Tigers knew nothing about Tim Simona’s double life.

An NRL star during the day with a cocaine habit and poker machine addiction at night.

The question is: should they have known about it?

Should they have known a number of players allegedly used cocaine on the club’s Mad Monday harbour cruise three years ago, according to Simona?

Should they have known the player had a gambling problem considering he had asked management for so many cash advances on his contract?

THE FULL INTERVIEW: TIM SIMONA TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO PHIL ROTHFIELD ABOUT SEX, DRUGS, GAMBLING AND RIPPING-OFF CHARITIES

It’s certainly unusual for a player on $325,000 a year who rents in Macquarie Fields and doesn’t even own a car.

Something was obviously wrong.

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Disgraced NRL player Tim Simona at his parents’ Macquarie Fields home. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Should the club’s welfare official have been asking more questions?

In fairness, it was the Wests Tigers who raised concerns with the integrity unit last year when Simona’s then girlfriend posted on Facebook that he was gambling on games and using cocaine.

But why was nothing done about it earlier?

This is a lesson to all NRL clubs, not just the Wests ­Tigers.

No one can keep a 24/7 watch on football players.

But when there are obvious signs, like repeated requests to be paid in advance, it should be a warning signal.

This is not supposed to be a criticism of the club.

Last year in a Rugby League Week player poll, 72 per cent of players revealed they knew other footballers who had taken recreational drugs. Another 74 per cent of players polled said they knew teammates who had gambling problems.

Simona told me in his interview he had been lectured on gambling and drugs as part of all the NRL education programs.

But it obviously wasn’t enough.

The big question is: how many other players are doing it?

The NRL has terminated the registration of Wests Tigers player Tim Simona over various betting scandals.

About 10 years ago Andrew Johns admitted he had used cocaine throughout his career.

Then we had the Gold Coast Titans’ 2014 Mad Monday and all the cocaine ­charges.

There are rumours eight players from one club were caught on Mad Monday last year but we didn’t get to hear about it.

Obviously the drug testing isn’t working. Obviously it’s a widespread problem and more needs to be done.

It’s why the rugby league players’ association is making the welfare issue such a big part of its collective ­bargaining agreement negotiations.

Thankfully, its talks with the NRL are not just about carving up and sharing the TV broadcast deal money.

RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast is leading the charge.

“Given the age demographic of our members, things will occur,” he said.

Tim Simona with his parents Pele (left) and Ene Simona following his ban from the NRL. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“But it’s important we do everything we possibly can.

“The game makes so much money from the ­gambling industry these days and that has to be used for better education and welfare programs.”

He’s 100 per cent right.

One more Tim Simona case will be one too many.