Canberra have fined prop David Shillington for breaching the NRL club’s media policy, after speaking out about the Raiders’ search for a new coach.
Shillington spoke to a handful of reporters on Thursday in Sydney while training with the PM’s XIII squad.
He revealed senior Raiders players wanted Andrew Dunemann to be given the Raiders coaching job and warned Ricky Stuart he had a huge job on his hands to change the off-field culture at the NRL club.
Shillington also denied rumours he had issues with Stuart, who gave him his NRL debut at the Sydney Roosters in 2005, and touched on the behaviour of former teammates Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson.
However, chief executive Don Furner said the comments were in breach of the club’s media policy, which states players may only speak on issues relating to their own performance and that of their team.
“They should not comment on issues outside of their immediate responsibilities as a player without prior approval from senior management,” Furner said in a statement on Friday.
“David is an experienced senior player at this club and should have known better. He has been spoken to previously about errant comments he has made to the media and the negative impact they can have.
“The club always places great importance on the integrity of our brand and image and David’s comments were not endorsed by the Raiders organisation.
“I have spoken to David today and he acknowledged that some of his comments were not appropriate and he was sorry.”
The Raiders did not disclose the sum of the fine.
Shillington had said Mal Meninga, who formed part of a sub-committee to find a new coach, consulted the senior playing group who told him highly-rated under-20s coach Dunemann should replace David Furner.
The board instead voted in favour of Raiders great Stuart, with Dunemann leaving last week.
“Mal rang a few of us and asked us he 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.”
He went on to give a frank assessment of the club’s handling of bad boys Dugan and Ferguson, who have since been sacked.
“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,” he said.
“That’s what you saw at our club this year with a couple of players.
“You look at the really good clubs, the Roosters, Souths and Melbourne … if you stuff up off the field you get dropped.
“Clubs who perform well have a strong group of senior players and a coach who can handle situations.”