Former Warriors coach Matthew Elliott suspected players were abusing prescription medicine while he was at the club in 2013.
Elliott told Fox Sports News he believed the players were using medication drugs before 2014, but he lacked the proof to take his concerns to the NRL.
I suspected (prescription drug abuse)," Elliot told Fox News.
"The last person that knows in those circumstances (is the coach), because those prescription drugs aren't performance enhancers.
"They're the exact opposite, they're performance detractors - the head coach will be the last person to know. I suspected as much though."
Elliott said he thinks it's an issue not just in rugby league, but across a number of sports.
"I also think it's an issue right across professional sport — we've seen it with swimmers and it's also an issue across our community.
"Players take the opportunity to use them for a number of reasons. Not only [to deal with] emotional issues, but to get themselves a little bit loose as well."
This comes after six players were dropped from club and representative duties after five of them admitted to mixing sleeping pills with energy drinks.
Newshub.
