Crawley Files: Mal Meninga not ready to throw Josh Dugan off Kangaroos World Cup bus

WHILE I think Josh Dugan’s latest indiscretions should wipe him out of representative contention, writes Paul Crawley, the under-fire Dragon is about to get some good news.

Josh Dugan is still in contention for the Kangaroos. Picture: Phil Hillyard

THIS is the best news Josh Dugan will hear this week and, better still, it comes directly from the Australian coach.

While I think Dugan’s latest indiscretions should wipe him out of World Cup contention, Mal Meninga hasn’t decided if Dugan has cost himself a spot on the Kangaroos’ bus.

Understandably, Meninga didn’t want to put “unnecessary pressure” on Dugan or St George Illawarra Dragons coach Paul McGregor before Sunday’s crucial clash against Canterbury.

“I will talk to Duges and I will talk to Mary at some stage and I will get a better picture when all the emotion settles down,” Meninga said.

Josh Dugan is still in contention for the Kangaroos.

“I am hoping Duges plays this weekend and plays really well.

“I applaud Mary and the club for making really tough decisions on player behaviour.

“I think that is great. But I don’t know the full story.”

McGregor came under fire from some sections last Sunday for dropping Dugan before the must-win game against Penrith because the star centre missed the team bus to Pepper Stadium.

It not only left the Dragons without their best player and forced a late backline reshuffle, it basically cost them a player on the bench.

While they won the game, you can only imagine the pressure McGregor would have been under if the Dragons were rubbed out of finals contention.

Artwork by Scott "Boo" Bailey.

McGregor’s decision was put into perspective the following day when The Daily Telegraph revealed Dugan also missed the plane home from Brisbane the previous week.

Incredibly, Dugan denied he missed the flight, even though the club hasn’t denied the allegation. Take it as fact Dugan wasn’t on the plane.

This all followed NSW’s disastrous State of Origin campaign which ultimately cost Laurie Daley his job last week.

Again, Dugan said this week he and Blake Ferguson had been made “scapegoats” for the Blues’ failed campaign.

For me, and many, it seems Dugan just doesn’t want to accept any responsibility.

Meninga told me that Dugan and Ferguson had not only handled themselves professionally in the Australian camps, but won Meninga’s respect after Origin when they contacted him to explain their side of the long lunch episode at a Lennox Head pub five days before the decider.

Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson contacted Mal Meninga.

“They rang me,” Meninga said.

“That tells me that the Australian jersey matters to them. That was a really important phone call.

“But this time of the year I am thinking that I will leave it alone for a bit and just let everyone play out the season.

“It is a pretty important time of the year for everyone.

“I don’t want to add any unnecessary pressure.”

It will be interesting to see what decision Meninga makes given the tough stance he has taken on player behaviour since becoming Australia’s coach.