NRL 2023: Andrew Davey opens up on life under Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo | What’s the Buzz

Current players may not be prepared to speak candidly, but former Bulldog Andrew Davey has opened up on his troubled time at Canterbury and issues with coach Cameron Ciraldo.

Cameron Ciraldo and Andrew Davey.

It takes a lot to upset Parramatta Eels forward Andrew Davey.

But when he hears about the current turmoil at his old club the Bulldogs, and the treatment of a rising Canterbury star who was forced to take personal leave for mental-health care, he’s prepared to talk.

Davey lasted just eight rounds at Belmore before ­asking for a release to join ­Parramatta.

He’s certainly not soft, nor a whinger.

“The way the Bulldogs went about things, I didn’t like it,” Davey said.

“It wasn’t a culture that I fitted in with and it wasn’t the style of coaching that I resonated with.”

Davey has battled hard his entire career since making his debut at 28.

Andrew Davey left the Bulldogs mid-season. Picture: NRL Images

He’s been an honest, reliable, no-frills forward with a great work ethic at Manly, the ­Bulldogs and the Eels.

He’s one of those players who avoids the limelight and any controversy, even at Manly last year when the playing group was fractured over the Pride ­jersey fiasco.

He says the situation at ­Belmore this year was worse. Other players like Tevita Pangai Jr, Franklin Pele, Braidon Burns, Fa’amanu Brown have had their issues, too.

“Players had concerns (at Canterbury), but they weren’t at panic stations,” he said. “I had a couple of gripes, but I won’t go into specifics. We weren’t all pulling the same way.

“It just wasn’t my cup of tea, and a lot different to what I’ve experienced at Manly and ­Parramatta.

Manly’s pride jersey debacle wasn’t as bad as the Bulldogs’ situation. Picture: NRL Photos

Davey jumped at the chance to return to the Eels. Picture: NRL Photos

Davey was released from the final two years of his Canterbury contract in April.

He wasn’t there to witness the incident where the young player was forced to wrestle all his teammates as punishment for arriving late to training.

His problem seemed more around the coaching style of Cameron Ciraldo, rather than player workload.

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

“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.

“I guess in every business there are ­people that don’t always get along.

“You’ve just got to go somewhere else where you’re happy. And that’s what I chose.”