Former Cronulla captain Paul Gallen has queried the intentions of ASADA after it announced Sharks star Bronson Xerri had tested positive to a number of banned substances last November.
On Tuesday, Xerri was provisionally suspended under the NRL's Anti-Doping Policy. The notice states Xerri returned a positive A-sample for exogenous Testosterone, Androsterone, Etiocholanolone and 5b-androstane-3a,17b-diol, which are all prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] as well as the NRL's Anti-Doping Policy.
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He is now expected to have his B-sample tested, as allowed under the Anti-Doping Policy.
While the provisional suspension is in place, Xerri is prohibited from participating in the NRL or any other WADA governed sporting league.
The NRL said it would not be making further comment while the investigation process is underway, but Gallen didn't hold back on Tuesday night when speaking on WWOS Radio.
"I haven't spoken to anyone from the club to be honest, but when I found out it was taken in November and it was released today you start asking questions," Gallen said.
"Don't ASADA have a duty of care? Or don't the NRL have a duty of care towards the competition?"
Gallen was one of 10 Cronulla players who were given backdated doping bans in 2014.
"I think it's pretty clear that I'm not a fan of ASADA through what we went through all those years ago, but that's been dealt with," he said.
"But certain things I saw by ASADA back then, which I've written in my book about and now after seeing this as well you have to think, are ASADA trying to create headlines? Are they really there for the good of the game? Are they really trying to catch people doing the wrong thing or are they just there to create headlines?"