Geoff Toovey has refuted allegations Manly were powered by banned substances during their 2011 NRL grand final win.
Darren Hibbert, who has been a central figure in the ASADA investigation, has claimed he supplied inositol, a substance which has similar properties to EPO and is banned in horse racing, to the Sea Eagles during the 2011 season.
“It made the players unstoppable,” Hibbert told Channel Nine in a statement on Thursday night.
Hibbert claimed he supplied inositol to players without the knowledge of then-head coach Des Hasler, Toovey, who was Hasler’s assistant or any of the club’s support staff or the players themselves.
It was unclear why Hibbert had come forward with the claims now.
Speaking on Fox Sports NRL 360 shortly after the claims were aired, Toovey denied the accusations.
“He is missing a few brain cells, he is not all there,” Toovey said of Hibbert.
“Our head trainers would not have let him anywhere near anything the players were going to take.
“He was bringing a vitamin or supplement to one of the players that was allergic to the general stuff. But that was a minor thing and it has all been cleared by the league.”
Manly defeated the Warriors 24-10 in the 2011 grand final.
Les Boyd's Elbow
Guest
Dr Hibbert prescribes another hot beef injection for you Squid.
Martha
Guest
Gee whiz more drug claims some have veracity others don't depending on which code you follow...
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Hibbert should be sued for that ridiculous haircut ,he imposes on the community. I am way past what he may or may not have done,but I don't want that head polluting my TV screen again.
Officer59
Guest
Hey Squid.........I understand what you're getting at, however what's the difference?? You eat beef & it still goes thru your blood system!! By your reckoning I can eat an orange or drink juice but if I inject it it's illegal?? lolol....................also there is nothing illegal about injecting calf blood anyway. I think CH9 is trying to get their ratings up at the expense of others.
northerner
Guest
The drug in question isn't insitol, it's ITTP which I believe is banned, either under S01 or M1, though not by specific name.
Big J
Guest
Poor manly (no really I mean that) having not the best season and now this accusation, oh well strip them of their 08 and 11 premierships, bury the club forever and bring back the North Sydney Bears, why not? They'll be another stupid story next week, the nrl is quickly turning into days of our life's. This is getting bloody ridiculous.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Late night kebabs would be more fun...
The Barry
Roar Guru
At least they didnt kidnap anyone this time...
Mals
Roar Rookie
And the question is how much did he (channel 9) pay Hibbert for the interview?
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Squiddy, it's cahoots not conhoots. Leave me out of this.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
You're missing out Squid
Renegade
Roar Guru
Haha!
db
Guest
Maybe this is Weidler's application for a job at 60 Minutes.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
I don't use a syringe to inject the beef into my bloodstream though
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Yeah, it seems a strange path to go down by 9. Although as the "Home of Rugby League" they do have a history of creating stories for ratings. Gyngell may have gone but his legacy continues.
Officer59
Guest
You eat beef everyday yet you consider calf blood illegal? Really? This whole thing sounds like a beat up & even if true Inositol is not on the list of prohibited substances listed by either WADA or ASADA in regards to Rugby League & never has been! So what the hell does Channel 9 / Weidler think they were going to achieve??? A good case of defamation to be had against CH9!!!
Squidward
Roar Rookie
That whole calf blood business with manly sounded heaps dodgy. Weren't they in conhoots with they guy who looked like Harry from Dumb and Dumber. Was always surprised why Cronulla didn't have to fight along side Manly against ASADA
Chui
Guest
Insitol? I don't think it is even on the WADA list. It's found in Red Bull etc.
Tom G
Guest
The only dope here is Weidler for running this idiotic story... Must be a slow news week at 9. Hibbert claims to have added something banned to players drinks without the knowledge of the players themselves nor their employers?? To make matters worse there is only his claim to corroborate it. Sounds desperately like a Weidler shock and awe scoop to me. Even if Hibberts claims were to be taken seriously isn't what he is claiming to have done a prosecutable offence? It's the sporting equivalent to spiking a drink in a bar with rohipnol. I hope the Club takes legal action against the pair of them along with channel 9 for running the story.