Ruben Wiki: Alcohol a big worry for league

A survey released this week in Rugby League Week's annual poll threw up some interesting results. Most disturbingly, there is the fact that 63 per cent of players think there is a binge-drinking culture in the game and 29 per cent know of players who use recreational drugs. I think the drug stat is a bit high but I would have to agree that alcohol is a worry for rugby league.

Alcohol is always going to be a part of the game, like most sports, but guys need to learn how to deal with it responsibly.

We're not immune at the Warriors and I've said before that it disappointed me greatly when Misi Taulapapa was sacked for continual breaches of team discipline.

At the moment, though, the Eels are doing themselves no favours after four alcohol-related incidents in the past six weeks. If I was part of the club, I would be embarrassed and, as a senior player, I would let my team-mates know about it in no uncertain terms.

It's all very well having a drink but, as players, we have a responsibility to the fans, sponsors and even the Warriors' name.

This week we had a visit from Tommy Simpson, who talked to us about responsible drinking. He ought to know the consequences of drinking, considering he was sacked by three clubs in his time as a player.

I hope it's a message that got through to the guys at the Warriors and at other clubs.

Most of the trouble seems to happen at Sydney clubs. Perhaps it's because at one-team, one-town clubs like the Warriors, you are under the spotlight more often and the Sydney guys think they can get away with it.

I admit as a young player making good money, it's easy to get caught up in your own hype and get carried away but that's still not an excuse.

We have a compulsory kava session after each away game and then some guys go out afterwards. There aren't really any hard and fast rules but it's about common sense and if someone steps out of line, team-mates will give him a serve.

In the same survey, apparently I'm considered the second toughest tackler in the NRL (which I take as a mark of respect) and I'm also second on the list of guys you wouldn't want to take on in a fight.

I've had a couple of stoushes in my time but, as Michael Jackson would say, I'm a lover, not a fighter. It takes a lot to get me to take a swing and I think the last time I did was against the Rabbitohs in 1998.

It's just not part of my nature. Although I play the game hard, I like to think I play it fair.

On a lighter note, we're chasing our third win in a row today when we take on the Rabbitohs and, although we all have a spring in our step at the moment, we only need to think of the Sharks game to make sure we don't get carried away.

The Bunnies might be last on the table but they are a team we need to respect, especially in Sydney. We took on the Sharks after our best performance of the year thinking we would win easily. But the NRL is a bit harder than that.