Look i’m not about to go into detail here, (a positive drug test) read it in the newspapers,
but the fellow has a problem. Panthers are on top of it and hopefully
the young bloke will prevail.
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Young Blokes hey 
Penrith Panthers has issued the following statement in regards to Brent Naden:
“Penrith Panthers acknowledges the provisional suspension handed down to player Brent Naden after he returned a positive test for a recreational drug.
“As previously reported, Brent approached the club following the 2020 NRL Grand Final to seek help with a number of personal issues. At that time he admitted to the use of a recreational drug.
“Panthers informed the NRL of Brent’s admission and with the support of the club, he commenced a voluntary rehabilitation program at a private health facility.
“Brent recently completed that program and continues to address his personal issues with the support of his family and Panthers staff.
“Working closely with Brent through this process, the club believes he has the capacity to overcome his personal issues and realise his potential.
“Panthers will continue to provide Brent and his family the support they need moving forward.
“In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, the club, Brent, his family and manager can make no further comment at this time.”
Channel 9 have reported the matter and added some more to the story and raising questions like where did he get the stuff from whilst being in a “bubble”
I guess your first thoughts are young bloke cocks up but one has to wonder what makes any player think he can get away with anything in this day and age of social media, everyone has a bloody camera, and the ability to test and find almost any drug in your system
One cannot excuse this from any player at any club in my opinion.
Naden admitted to the club “after” the GF he used a recreational drug
Wish he would have found the courage to tell Cleary BEFORE the GF so we could have given a kid a go who at least had his mind on the challenge of the game.
Perhaps i would have found some good in that sort of courage.
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I disagree with most of SBF’s post. I think it took an enormous amount of courage, and self-awareness, for Brent Naden to realise he needed help & report his problems to the club.
This is a 24 year old country bloke in his 2nd year of first grade who not only had to deal with being cut off from his family due to Covid, but also had to deal with a seriously nasty case of racial abuse. The news coverage of that incident suggested it really rocked Naden, and I doubt he recovered from it.
I don’t think there’s anything to be gained by saying what he should have done in an ideal world. The fact is the kid realised he wasn’t coping & put his hand up and asked the club for help to address his problems. I hope the club gives him all the help he needs & stick by him. The only thing that matters is that Brent Naden gets on top of his problems & gets healthy & strong again.
The footy side of the equation, doping bans etc can all be dealt with later.
I wish Naden all the very best & applaud his courage in sticking his hand up & asking for help. More power to him.
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Bryan…couldnt agree more with you. Well said. Brent was instrumental in the winning run we had and to be dropped in the game before the final must have been devastating. IMO had he played a full game in the final we would have won.
There is no place for drugs in the game or community but I wish him well in his recovery and hope to see him back in panthers colours before too long.
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Hmmmm - It’s difficult, I think SBF was / is saying, did he only put his hand up because he got tested after the GF.
I doubt anyone who willingly takes these drugs is going to confess, 20 year olds these days are invincible until reality bites their arse hard.
Brent can consider himself bitten - The key to all this is what and how Brent handles it. I sincerely doubt their will be an excuse available if he becomes the next James Roberts, the game these days panders (I use this term because you and I will never see the kind of support he will have available) to these kinds of issues and mollycoddles until they think they are cured.
I would suggest he has a number of personal factors to “reconsider their worth” if he wants a football career.
Good luck to him, I hope he is a great story in 10 years time…for the Panthers 
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