Canberra chairman John McIntyre has questioned whether Josh Dugan is psychologically ready to return to the NRL as the troubled fullback prepares to play his first game for St George Illawarra on Saturday.
Dugan will play his first game since round one against Parramatta in Wollongong, after being sacked by the Raiders in March following a series of discipline breaches.
The former Canberra custodian initially snubbed the advances of the joint venture in favour of Brisbane before yet another social media incident soured the deal with the Broncos.
After finally signing with the Dragons last week, 23-year-old Dugan said he was looking forward to repaying the club’s faith in him with strong performances on the park.
However McIntyre, one of the game’s most respected administrators, said he wasn’t sure Dugan was mentally ready to set foot upon the football field again.
“The one question that I would like answered is whether Josh Dugan is in the right frame of mind to be playing football again,” McIntyre told AAP on Friday.
“It is only five weeks since that incident with the Broncos and you have to wonder if he is coming back too soon. And what is the risk of bringing him back too soon? If he is ready whoever has been working with him must be some miracle worker.”
McIntyre, who watched on with a heavy heart as Todd Carney resurrected his career with Sydney Roosters, said he bore no ill will towards Dugan.
“I can say that the Canberra Raiders football club wishes Josh Dugan all the best for the future,” he said.
“The rugby league world needs a player like Josh Dugan.”
McIntyre said he could not rule out a return to the Raiders for Dugan one day.
“The decision to sack Josh Dugan was in the best interests of the football club and we stand by that decision. But, and I have been quoted on this before … the rugby league world is a very, very small world and you never know.”
Parramatta captain Tim Mannah said his side was wary of what Dugan can add to a Dragons outfit that has struggled in attack for much of the season so far.
“I don’t think the time away from the game will have done him any harm,” Mannah said on Friday.
“I think he is going to come back and people won’t be able to tell that he has been away.
“I’m not too happy to see him back. I’m happy he is back in the game but it would have been nice if he came back a week later. Everyone knows how good Duges is and what he adds to a team.
“So for us, he is really going to be an obstacle and we will really have to do a job on him.”
Dugan returns in Jarryd Hayne’s 150th game for the Eels, with the Parramatta fullback in top form.
It will be a good gauge for Dugan – who if not for his sacking would have been a rival with Hayne for the NSW No.1 jersey – to see where he is really at.
