Editorial: Cosseting doesn't help Guildford

Zac Guildford.

Zac Guildford sells newspapers.

Whether he likes it or not the boyish looks and vagaries of form and conduct pique readers' interest like little else.

In a TV interview last year he seemed bemused that every time his name was used by media it was prefaced with the word "troubled". Troubled Zac, troubled former All Black, troubled former Magpie.

Sure the word's overused, but he didn't dispute its appropriateness.

As of this week, he's a troubled former NSW Waratah.

The star wing's taken an early cut from the Waratahs for "wellbeing reasons". Credit has to go to the Sydney franchise - and the long list before them - for standing by the man.

Thing is, one wonders whether such cosseting of the nomadic winger has only compounded his personal struggles. Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson intimated as much yesterday when he admitted his camp "probably cared for him on a personal level too much".

As, from where I'm sitting, Guildford continues to fail to see the difference between intent and action; too much of the former, not enough of the latter.

He's a good kid, and a likeable kid. All of us want him to play great rugby again, all of us want to see him sober.

The question therefore is, if footy with the Waratahs has been flagged in favour of "wellbeing", then surely it's time to flag footy. The public theatre of Guildford's livelihood has become a burden that precludes recovery.

Now he's off to play for the Tasman Makos - the land of hops and sauvignon.

Each new contract is a spark to a waiting fuse. Here's hoping the previous unions' mollycoddling stops, as it's time for the so far incorrigible Guildford to right himself, himself.