Serial tweeter Josh Dugan has used the social networking site to mock David Shillington after the Canberra prop was fined by the NRL club following comments he made about the Raiders’ disastrous season.
Shillington spoke candidly to three journalists, including AAP on Thursday, when he revealed how a lack of discipline and accountability from certain players had derailed the Raiders in 2013.
St George Illawarra fullback Dugan along with Blake Ferguson were sacked by Canberra for serial breaches of club discipline in a chaotic year that culminated in the axing of coach David Furner.
“If a bloke mucks up and you don’t drop him from the team because you are worried they may leave the club or you’re worried you won’t win the game, that’s when you create the devil in players,” Shillington said.
“That’s what you saw at our club this year with a couple of players.
“It’s a delicate situation with younger players coming through. There’s increased media exposure; they are full-on superstars.
“That empowers them to think they are bigger than the team. That’s a really bad thing.
“You look at the really good clubs, the Roosters, Souths and Melbourne … if you stuff up off the field, you get dropped.”
NSW star Dugan joined the Dragons mid-season after being shown the door by the Green Machine for missing a recovery session to sink alcopops on his rooftop with Ferguson in March.
That move only came about after a deal to join Brisbane collapsed following his spat with a Raiders supporter on another social networking site, who he told to “end themselves”.
“I think shillington forgets he went DUI twice lol hes done some favors to get that Aussie jersey. Well done mate.”, Dugan tweeted. The post was subsequently deleted later on Friday.
Shillington also revealed senior Raiders players, when consulted by Queensland coach Mal Meninga, who was part of a sub-committee formed to find a replacement for Furner, threw their support behind caretaker coach and former U-20s mentor Andrew Dunemann.
However, the 30-year-old said he was happy to work under recently appointed coach Ricky Stuart and said the former Parramatta mentor was the perfect man to rebuild team spirit.
He also denied rumours there was an issue between him and his new boss.
“Mal rang a few of us and asked us who we would thought should be coach and we were pushing for Andrew Dunemann because of his relationship with our young talent,” Shillington said.
“But Ricky will be just what the doctor ordered in far as getting the team together … sort out the off-field stuff and ensure players are pulled into line … as the care factor has been down.”
Raiders chief executive Don Furner was fuming at Shillington’s claims and slapped him with an undisclosed fine.
“Comments made today across several media outlets by David Shillington were in breach of the club’s media policy that clearly states players may speak on issues relating only to their own performance and that of the team,” Furner said.
“They should not comment on issues outside of their immediate responsibilities as a player without prior approval from senior management.
“David is an experienced senior player at this club and should have known better.
“He’s been spoken to previously about errant comments he has made to the media and the negative impact they can have.”
