Whatever Australia delivers on the sporting front, we more than match them on many an occasion.

And now it would appear that this scenario applies off the fields as well as on them.

Because both countries have recently produced two gifted, young athletes whose inability to handle alcohol in a civilised manner throws up what acutely-troubled, dysfunctional misfits that they really are.

In brief, Australia has Todd Carney and we've got Zac Guilford.

Both are highly-skilled footballers and both have the potential to excel at the highest levels.

But both stuff up regularly as drunken young boofheads and bring acute shame on themselves and incite a mounting lack of faith amongst their friends, their families and fans.

Zac Guildford has just been observed in Rarotonga completely out of control in a bout of booze-fuelled, disgraceful behaviour.

Drunk, naked and bleeding, Guildford was deranged and abusive according to many shocked witnesses.

And like Carney's dismal record, this is simply the latest incident in a long list of stuff-ups from Guildford.

But the similarity doesn't stop there.

Because like the ongoing sympathy and on-field opportunities Carney keeps receiving, yet again the excuses are emerging for Guildford's booze-soaked behaviour and further pleas are being made to shower sympathy on his plight.

Carney is supposedly on his final, Final Warning but has still being granted permission to play in the NRL.

And in a similar vein, the predictable concoction of lame excuses and the requests to understand poor Zac and support him through his troubles is also accompanied by flimsy reasons why he should continue to play at elite levels.

"I don't think we should judge him, I think during this really terrible time we should be there to support him and that doesn't include banning him," said Crusaders coach, Todd Blackadder.

The NZRU's Neil Sorenson added that "we need to help the guy."

These sentiments of loyalty are all very well but didn't the victims of the verbal and physical abuse that Guildford dealt out on his rampage in Rarotonga deserve mention from either one or both of these two rugby luminaries.

My thoughts are these.

I agree that Guildford needs support and that doesn't include another farcical public humiliation that occurred after his misdemeanour in Brisbane prior to the World Cup.

But where I differ from the apologists for this young misfit is allowing him to play while receiving intense counselling.

Sure, provide him with all the support that's available but remove the privilege of playing at the highest levels in the hope that missing the game he loves and the considerable amounts of cash will finally impress upon him the need to recognise the responsibilities that co-exist.

More specifically, Guildford needs to be banned until he gives up the booze for a prolonged period.

That also means that no more excuses should be tolerated as sad as the impact of his Dad's sudden death must have been.

It does seem to me that by allowing the likes of Guildford and Carney to play after endless cock-ups simply puts the selfish interests of their teams' chances of success way ahead of the greater good.

Plus why should a young rugby player be given such special treatment by his employers in ways that most other employees would never receive following warning after warning.

Excuses must now give way to tough love.

Patience should give way to firm action.

Guildford needs rescuing once and for all and that doesn't just mean wrapping him in further cotton wool.

Your thoughts please.