I could have died: Webcke

Four-time premiership winning forward Shane Webcke believes he could have died had he not taken a banned drug for a serious knee infection in 2001.

A staunch anti-drugs campaigner, Webcke's revelation in his autobiography "Warhorse: Life, Football and Other Battles" released today that he tested positive to the drug probenecid and escaped penalty, has shocked the rugby league world.

Apart from probenecid's ability to fight and kill infection, it can also be used to mask the use of steroids. But Webcke, who retired after Brisbane's grand final win last Sunday, says he was given the drug to ward off infection.

He included the positive test finding in his book because he believed people should get the true story of his life - warts and all.