Rugby league hasn't had the most positive news in the past week so we'll kick off this week with news that each NRL club, over the course of the NRL Nines, has been assigned to a local kiwi rugby league club. This is an awesome initiative by the NRL and Auckland Council which will give the public an opportunity to see their heroes up close and personal. I'm sure it's designed to target the young fans, but this will attract rugby league fans from all walks of life. We don't get too many opportunities to see NRL players in the flesh, so to be able to see the superstars and the regular players will be awesome. I think the players and officials will be pretty chuffed with the support they'll receive, we all know how big the NRL is to the average Kiwi, but do the players?

Before the NRL handed down it's recommendation, this article appeared in the Daily Telegraph showing Darren Hibbert, otherwise known as the Gazelle showing up to his ASADA interview. As you can see, he looks like a funny bugger which you'd have to imagine is a bit of show ... or is he really a bit cookoo? Hibbert is being interview as he was an employee of Advanced Sports Nutrition and shared a connection with Stephen Dank. His interview didn't last long according to the Daily Telegraph as he refused to co-operate.

This flows perfectly in to the NRL's latest findings. No doubt you already know the details so I won't ramble on about that, instead I'm more worried with the lack of cohesion between the two investigations. We all love to bag the NRL, but the fact is they have sorted it out in a relatively smooth manner. Yes it sucked that it dragged on through the season, but would we have wanted the 2013 season and the World Cup to be covered in the shitty smell of suspensions and fines? Not at all. They have come to a conclusion early in the off season giving the parties involved plenty of time to sort things out for 2014. The ASADA investigation on the other hand is to be fair much trickier, but you can see clearly that it's being run by those government official types. They're not getting much information from their interviews ... think back to Wade Graham and now the Gazelle and they'll struggle to get much more. They'll probably create a hiss and a roar before the season starts, once they think they're loosing some spotlight. Can't wait! Yey.

In the bad boys corner, Reni Maitua has been given a lifeline by the Bulldogs who have resisted the urge to tear his contract up. Maitua this week shared his struggles which were pretty heavy as he battled depression and nearly committed suicide before Willie Tonga saved him. The Bulldogs have put Maitua on a a strict alcohol ban and no doubt they'll be keeping close tabs on him. The other naughty boy in the news was Mitch Allgood who has been put on a two year good behaviour bond for his antics on Mad Monday. Allgood decide to drive ... on Mad Monday ... wtf? You'd think they'd plan a taxi or two? Allgood has also been fined by the Parramatta Eels, from which the proceeds will go to a charity of his choice. Nice.