If their public approach to impending ASADA interviews is any guide, it is clear NRL clubs Manly and Cronulla are fighting very different battles in relation to the drugs in sport scandal.
While the Sea Eagles on Wednesday were cracking jokes with the gathered media probing for details as to how the club is being affected by the investigation, Cronulla bunkered down.
A planned open training session was closed to the media, the siege mentality adopted by a club clearly feeling the strain of a process which is now into its seventh month.
Already linked by their association with sports scientist Stephen Dank, the two clubs were again connected when reports surfaced that players from both camps had mobile phones seized by Customs officials.
While neither club has confirmed either incident occurring, it was alleged that Manly’s Anthony Watmough and Sharks skipper Paul Gallen both had information from their phones downloaded.
Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey – one of the 30 NRL players and officials slated to be interviewed by ASADA – said he knew nothing of Watmough’s phone being seized.
Asked if he was concerned about his own phone being looked at, Toovey said:
“There’s nothing on it – I don’t even know how to work my phone.
“I use it to call people, that’s about it.”
The jocular tone continued when he was asked about any apprehensions ahead of his interview.
“It’s going to be really short, I haven’t got too much to say,” Toovey said.
“Obviously they’ve got a process to follow and the club is participating in that and hopefully it will all be over soon.”
Toovey claimed he had “no idea” what ASADA officials would be asking him about, but it seems clear that Dank’s involvement with the club will be a central focus.
Toovey was confident of the club being cleared of any wrongdoing.
“Many months ago we did our own internal investigation and analysis of what we’ve been through,” he said.
“We’ve got proper processes and procedures in place, we think the club won’t have any issues.”
Immune to the scandal having only arrived at the club this year, prop forward Brenton Lawrence said his former club Gold Coast had also weathered controversy without the players being burdened by it.
The Titans had well-publicised financial issues and while they struggled on the field Lawrence maintained it didn’t actually effect the playing group.
The Sea Eagles, and for that matter the Sharks, have hardly missed a beat on the field, with both on track to feature in the finals.
“We’re not at the mercy of what’s going on or what other people are saying and doing,” Lawrence said.
“At the end of the day we’re there to play football and that’s what we do well.”