‘He embarrassed him’: James Graham unloads, spills ‘truth’ behind ex-Dog’s claim

James Graham has roasted vocal former Bulldogs forward Andrew Davey, claiming he was “embarrassed” by an unknown rookie.

James Graham gave it to Andrew Davey. Photo: Triple M.

Rugby league legend James Graham has roasted vocal former Bulldogs forward Andrew Davey, claiming he was “embarrassed” by a rookie who was unknown prior to 2023.

The take-down comes after the 44-game backrower weighed in on Cameron Ciraldo’s coaching methods in the wake of the club’s training scandal.

Claims emerged a player walked out of the club with over a year to go on his contract after a brutal training punishment which saw him wrestle every squad member.

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Davey, who only played two games for the Bulldogs in 2023, labelled Ciraldo’s coaching as “cold” and said: “It wasn’t a culture that I fitted in with and it wasn’t the style of coaching that I resonated with”.

“It wasn’t great with ­Cameron,” Davey added.

“In the end we didn’t talk when I was leaving. It was very cold. I didn’t get the ideology of the coaches. It wasn’t a process that I’d been ­accustomed to.”

But Graham, who played 135 games for the Canterbury-Bankstown club, wasn’t buying it and revealed why Davey harboured ill feelings.

“I don’t like going after players but Andrew Davey has put himself in the firing line,” Graham said on Triple M.

“He played two games… he came over from Manly this season, and has come out and basically criticised Cam Ciraldo and the Bulldogs’ culture.

James Graham gave it to Andrew Davey. Photo: Triple M.

“I think the truth needs to come out in that situation. Andrew Davey came to the club thinking he was gonna play every week, and he got outworked by a 21-year-old called Jacob Preston and he embarrassed him.

“That’s why Andrew Davey isn’t happy, is because he came under the pretence of ‘I’m gonna play first grade every week’ and a 21-year-old put him in his place.

“He couldn’t get in the team, he kicks his toys and he pisses off to Parramatta. You didn’t like it because you weren’t getting picked… he has shoved it up your arse, see you later.”

Graham’s comments come after outside back Josh Morris blasted the current general of NRL players and backed Ciraldo to change the club’s culture.

“It’s hard to see as a former player. You don’t want to see a club like the Bulldogs where they are right now,” Morris said on 2GB.

“I agree with what Cameron Ciraldo is trying to do. He is trying to change a culture from a losing one, which it has been for five years, to a winning one.

“How do you do that? You build that on hard work.”

“I don’t think all the Bulldogs players are working hard. I mean wrestling 20-30 blokes, that was a Monday or Tuesday when I played with Dessie. We would wrestle non-stop and you pretty much go until you couldn’t breathe”.

It didn’t get any better for the Bulldogs on the field as they suffered a 34-30 defeat to the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday to finish their season with seven wins.

Originally published as ‘He embarrassed him’: James Graham unloads, spills ‘truth’ behind ex-Dog’s claim