New South Wales players in booze bender revealed

Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson. Photo / Getty

By Adam Santarossa of news.com.au

New South Wales Rugby League boss Dave Trodden will investigate the circumstances around a pub visit by key players Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan on the Friday before the State of Origin decider.

The former Canberra Raiders teammates reportedly spent their day off drinking at Lennox Point Hotel in northern NSW, five days before the Blues suffered a heavy defeat in Brisbane.

The Blues were based in Kingscliff, about an hour's drive from the hotel, and were given the day to themselves ahead of the crucial clash.

Trodden confirmed he would question team officials in the review of the team's 2-1 series loss to the Maroons.

"It hasn't been raised with the team management," Trodden told News Corp Australia.
"I'd heard the rumours. We do a review of all these things in the immediate wash-up of all Origin campaigns and I'll be asking questions about it."

Dugan confirmed to News Corp Australia that he was at the hotel visiting friends but said there was no misbehaviour.

"We were with two of our good mates having lunch and a few beers," Dugan said. "We were home at a respectable hour and there's nothing more to it - it was six days (sic) out from the game."

NRL journalist Paul Kent said the incident shows a clear attitude problem in the Blues squad.

"For New South Wales to end the rot of ten losses in eleven years, they needed everything to go right," Kent told NRL 360. "You can't half do it."

His NRL 360 co-host and former Queensland star Ben Ikin said the bender shows the two players were not willing to put the team before themselves in order to end the Maroons Origin dominance.

"It comes from discipline and sacrifice," Ikin said. "It's about giving up things to gain extra ground. They should have known, they didn't have to be there in the context of where that team was at in the Origin series."