Drugs in sport generally is an automatic ban. For recreational drugs in the NRL it is 2 years (first time caught) and i think steroids are the same, not sure on that one. I wouldn't have a problem with a 4 year ban or whatever it takes.
I have absolutely no doubts that the NRL is the cleanest it has ever been, especially in the past decade. I know the 90's were not the cleanest time for the sport, but in about 1998 the NRL got very tough on drugs. In 1998 every single player in the competition was tested, which is pretty much unprecedented. This happened as a result of Rodney Howe being caught taking steroids. I know that since then, testing has been quite rigorous.
As far as Andrew Johns is concerned, I agree that he should not have been made an immortal (yet). Firstly, because Mal Meninga was the most capped player and had won and done more than AJ. AJ could have waited a few more years.
In regard to Johns taking a drug to recover, i highly highly doubt it. Players can dodge getting caught for recreational drugs because they are flushed out of your system usually witin a couple of days. Therefore, if you had a big night on a friday, the testers would have to get you by Monday (except for pot which stays in your system for a few months). There is no way Johns took anything to enhance his performance to get over an injury because it is too easily detectable and stays in your system. Also, players just wouldn't take a banned substance to get back in 1 week. There is nothing that can do that.
Again, the 2000's would have been the cleanest league has been ever. And i would say that is true today.
