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Message: [QUOTE="Pushkin, post: 2769968, member: 9011"] [COLOR=#232323][FONT=Guardian Sans][B]Darren Lockyer has urged James Roberts to give up alcohol for his welfare, Broncos’ title hopes[/B][/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#232323][FONT=Guardian Sans][COLOR=#929292] [/COLOR] [IMG]http://pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/article/8e4e4a2b85471bb583831dc06170e1ec?esi=true&t_template=s3/chronicle-tg_tlc_storymeta/index&t_product=CourierMail&td_device=tablet[/IMG][/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=#232323][FONT=Guardian Sans][FONT=Merriweather Sans]BRISBANE legend Darren Lockyer has urged James Roberts to give up alcohol for the sake of his welfare and the Broncos’ premiership hopes. The Courier-Mail can reveal Roberts will be ordered to undergo alcohol education and counselling under a welfare-management plan involving the Rugby League Players Association. The NRL expects a final report from the Broncos this week. While the NRL integrity unit will not impose the 12-month alcohol ban they issued Roberts when he joined the Titans in 2014, the behavioural watchdog will expect the troubled centre to receive professional help. But Lockyer, Brisbane’s last premiership captain and a current Broncos board member, has turned up the heat on Roberts, advising him to enact a self-imposed booze ban. Lockyer was the club’s skipper when Brisbane’s entire 2006 squad made a pact to shun alcohol on the eve of that year’s final series. The booze-free Broncos produced an epic late-season surge to win the premiership and Lockyer challenged Roberts to make a personal sacrifice for his Broncos teammates. “I can guarantee if James Roberts gives the drink away, it will have a positive impact on his own performance and the team’s performance,” Lockyer said. “I remember out of all the premierships we won at the Broncos, we as individual players made sacrifices for the team camaraderie. “(In 2006), all the guys said, ‘We aren’t going to have a beer for a while’ and it showed in our commitment and performance.” Roberts has struggled to consistently produce his best this season but Lockyer is adamant ‘The Jet’ will fire on the field if he overhauls his attitude off it. The 23-year-old has never played in a finals series and can’t afford to be battling mental demons during the playoffs. “The Broncos have to say to James, ‘We are in a position to win a title here and you need to make some sacrifices for yourself and the team’,” Lockyer said. “The best thing for Roberts is to get off the drink. “From James’ perspective, he’s had a quiet year compared to last year and there’s been more hype for him to deal with. “James has one of the best coaches in the game in Wayne Bennett to help him. But if there is an underlying issue with alcohol, then he needs to steer clear of it.” Despite Roberts being sacked twice previously, the NRL will not order him to check into a rehab facility. But they will expect him to receive ongoing counselling and the Broncos have already drafted a welfare plan. RLPA general president Clint Newton will meet with Broncos boss Paul White on Monday to discuss the Roberts case. “We’re involved in the process and we’re optimistic about what the end result will be for James moving forward,” he said. “We need to understand the complexities of his case and make sure James and his family are at the centre of everything we do.” [/FONT] [url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/broncos/darren-lockyer-has-urged-james-roberts-to-give-up-alcohol-for-his-welfare-broncos-title-hopes/news-story/8e4e4a2b85471bb583831dc06170e1ec]No Cookies | The Courier Mail[/url] [/FONT][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]

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