RFL testing system seen as 'thorough' compared to other sports

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats hooker Terry Newton has become the second high-profile Super League player to be suspended by the RFL after failing a doping test, prompting ex-Warrington coach Paul Cullen to claim in a television interview "these types of issues are only the tip of the iceberg."

The governing body yesterday wrote to Cullen – currently in charge of Widnes – requesting him to explain his comments.

"We are asking him if he knows of any players taking drugs and to give us the evidence," said RFL communications manager Craig Spence. "We will then investigate the cases. If he can't do that, then we'll ask him to retract his comments."

Cullen wants to see more drugs testing take place but Matterson believes the RFL cannot be criticised for their current approach.

"Compared to other sports, they are doing a lot," he said.

"There's not enough money to test everyone every second week but certainly at Castleford we have been tested a hell of a lot recently.

"We've got Joe Westerman and Michael Shenton in the England elite squad and what's been happening to them – at times like 6am and 10pm – actually got ridiculous.

"Joe's got a young baby but he was getting woken up every second night at one point which I thought was over the top."

However, Matterson added: "If other people are doing it, what has happened here (Newton) has got to be a massive warning – you are going to get caught.

"They have brought blood testing in now which is another step forward as it can pick up a lot more drugs and the RFL are doing a lot in this respect."

Spence says rugby league is the third most tested sport behind football and athletics and insists there is no deep-ridden drugs issue.

"By March 31 we will have tested 628 athletes in 12 months and we have found only four positive cases," he said.

"Next year we will test about 650 players. In the last two years we have had only had nine positive cases so we don't think the problem of drugs is rife in our sport."