Official Josh Dugan

Mark^Bastard

Mark^Bastard

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This feels like our first marquee signing in a long time. The first one that is just going out to the market and landing a big name. The others were either down on form and got better here, or were released by their existing clubs etc.

This is a current Australian rep bought on an open market with no asterisk. Happy about that.
 
vicsharkfan

vicsharkfan

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Respect to birdy for his efforts especially in winning us our 1st granny, then chasng the cash good for him (sick of hearing the Bennett effect, complete toss it's all $$$$) ... but a big southern welcome to duges I know I shouldn't have a favourite dragons player but he was always the one I watched and cheered for..
 
SharksMichael

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I'm not overly thrilled by this signing but to lose Bird and get Dugan isn't a bad swap. I think Dugan is a great player, he isn't exactly a willing passer and is injury prone. I'm sure I'll change my tune next year, just hope e can stay on the field.
 
Paul C

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He has to do an awful lot of work for the drag queens cos the rest are a bunch of cats but when he plays in our team he will be able to make his involvements pay dividends every time and he won't be so tired carrying those drag queens around.
 
sharks2010

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The Josh Dugan insult that lost St George Illawarra Dragons a star

FROM the moment St George Illawarra’s recruitment team decided to brand Josh Dugan a centre they had lost him.

He felt he’d been disrespected.

He didn’t want to be pigeonholed as any one position. Instead, he wanted to be categorised as a world-class footballer.

That’s what makes his move to Cronulla next season so intriguing.

While he’ll likely play centre for the 2016 premiers, the Test and Origin star revealed it was the respect Sharks coach Shane Flanagan showed him and the added incentive of a fourth season in his deal which sealed the move.

“I’ve gone (to the Sharks) as a world-class player,” Dugan said.

“That’s what Flanno’s told me. That’s all I wanted at the start — to be branded as that rather than a certain position.

“I put myself as a fullback because that’s what I was playing and they were trying to tell me I was a centre. That was the way that panned out because of that. They tagged me as a centre straight away.”

Having penned a $3 million four-year deal, the Dragons were refusing to budge on what they had deemed to be a fair price for a representative centre.

Speaking from NSW camp in Kingscliff, the tattooed superstar has fought hard to rid himself of the ‘bad boy’ tag which has followed him for the best part of his career.

It was because of that stigma he landed at the Dragons but since his wild younger years, Dugan has cemented himself as one of the best players in the game.

Having worked tirelessly to reach the heights he has, Dugan said respect played a big role in how his contract negotiations played out.

“The way it panned out was fullback money (versus) centre money,” he explained.


“It was never about that. It was about getting what I felt like I was worth as a rep player, being able to play a couple of positions and going from there.”

With the Sharks investing almost $1 million per season in Valentine Holmes, the young Kangaroos winger has long been viewed as the club’s long-term fullback.

They’re also losing right centre Jack Bird to Brisbane at season’s end — the same edge Dugan plays on.

So what role will Dugan play when he arrives in the Shire?

“Flanno’s told me ‘I’m not going to guarantee you anything but we’ve bought you as an elite player’ and I’m happy with that,” he said.

After a five-year stint in the Red V there’s no denying Dugan’s contract talks became quite messy.

Still, Dugan stopped short of saying it was handled poorly by the club, instead pointing to how grateful he was the Dragons handed him a career lifeline after he was sacked by Canberra in 2013.

“I’ve got a lot of appreciation for the club,” he said.

“They gave me that lifeline and I showed the faith by re-signing for a longer term (in 2013 for a further four years) and I wanted to stay on long-term but that’s not the way it panned out and I’ve got to move on.”

The other major factor in leaving the joint venture was the additional season Cronulla was offering.

With the Dragons only willing to offer Dugan a three-year deal, the Sharks were prepared to back him despite a long history with injury and table him four years.

“That extra year and the way it panned out was too good to pass up,” he admitted.

“I would have loved to have stayed but that’s the way it is. It is a business. Everyone talks about loyalty but at the end of the day loyalty won’t pay the bills.

“I’ve got a family to look after so I wanted to sort that out before coming in (to Blues Origin camp).”

For now, his focus is on the Blues.

Ready to make his first appearance since shattering his cheekbone playing for Australia earlier this month, Dugan finds himself with a familiar face on his outside.

Having built up a formidable right edge combination with close mate Blake Ferguson at Test level, the dynamic duo are back together on Wednesday night for the Origin series opener.

“Anytime I get to play in a rep side is good and to have Fergy outside me is even better,” he said.

“I love playing with Fergy and all the boys. We’ve built up a pretty good combination over the years now and I’m looking forward to Wednesday night.”
Click to expand...
http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...r/news-story/985b1ec03ad8dfbe77212f7d01bea0ad
 
Gards

Gards

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Seems a bit sensitive over it all but if has worked in our favour to secure him so be it - just needed someone to pat him on the back and say your awesome, now sign on this line
 
Gards

Gards

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slide rule said:
He's done a Bird
Click to expand...
It's bizarre isn't it, don't stay at Sharks cause his preferred position isn't guaranteed so goes to another club where his preferred position isn't guaranteed. But with Bird it had to come down to money I think with Josh money was same but extra year and Flanno said some nice words to him. He is the motivation King after all and I don't blame him for wanting to get away from scary mary
 
sharkyboy

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Flanno treats his players well and like mates.... Isn't that right birdy ;)
 
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