Trent Barrett quits: Bulldogs star Paul Vaughan’s takes pot shot at media as coach walks

COMMENT: Paul Vaughan just cannot carry out the simplest of instructions. Whether it’s breaking Covid rules or following club directives, he just can’t help himself, writes Paul Crawley.

Paul Vaughan has shown once again that he is a man who can’t carry out the simplest of instructions.

Whether it is breaking Covid lockdown laws, or ignoring a straightforward request just to keep his mouth shut.

The player who once infamously cost himself an $800,000-a-year contract when sacked by St George Illawarra for throwing a Covid-breaking barbecue has this time disregarded a club plea following Trent Barrett’s resignation.

Canterbury officials had informed the team of Barrett’s departure on Monday morning before a media opportunity was cancelled, and players sent home with instructions not to talk to the waiting media congregated outside the ground.

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Vaughan was punted by the Dragons for shamelessly breaking lockdown laws. Picture: Getty

While rest of the team abided by the orders, Vaughan couldn’t help himself winding down his car window and throwing out an insult.

“Do you have to be here? You are the worst kind of people,” Vaughan barked to the media.

It is not the first time Vaughan has played by his own rules.

The 31-year-old previously had the final 15 months of his $800,000-a-year contract torn up on top of copping a $50,000 fine for ignoring Anthony Griffin’s instructions to put on the most expensive barbecue in the game’s history.

He also had a previous Covid strike against him for attending a café in a 2020 breach.

Vaughan has managed to force his way into the headlines again. Picture: Getty

Vaughan was also reportedly issued a formal warning while at the Dragons for an alleged sexting scandal that also counted against him in the club’s decision to sack him.

He joined the Bulldogs this year on a one-year deal to try and resurrect his career.

But after a lacklustre season so far he is now unwanted at Belmore beyond 2022, and at this stage there has been no interest from rival NRL clubs.

He is obviously not banking on a post playing career in the media.

‘WORST KIND OF PEOPLE’: NRL BAD BOY LASHES MEDIA AS BARRETT QUITS

- By Fatima Kdouh

A frustrated Paul Vaughan has had a crack at the media on Monday morning after Trent Barrett quit as Canterbury coach on Sunday night.

“Do you have to be here? You are the worst kind of people,” Vaughan chipped at the media assembled outside of Belmore Oval.

While most Canterbury players leaving the venue on Monday morning drove out without acknowledging the media presence, Vaughan stopped to let his feelings known about the situation unfolding at Canterbury.

Paul Vaughan stopped to have a crack at the waiting media after Trent Barrett quit as Bulldogs coach. Picture: Getty

As he drove out of the venue, Vaughan slowed down to tell journalists they had no business being at the club.

Players started arriving at Belmore at around 7am on Monday morning to be told their coach had quit on Sunday night before a scheduled emergency meeting on Monday.

A training session had been scheduled to start at 9.30am this morning but did not take place.

Players then started leaving at around 9am.

Matt Dufty, Brent Naden, Jack Hetherington, Tevita Pangai Jr, Jayden Okunbor and Aaron Schoupp were all spotted leaving Belmore just after 9.30am.

Vaughan leaves the Bulldogs’ training grounds, but not before having a dig at the waiting media.

Skipper Josh Jackson, who was supposed to attend the emergency meeting to discuss Barrett’s future, was also seen driving away from the training ground round the same time.

The pressure has been building on the Bulldogs and it all came to a head in last Friday’s disappointing 16-6 Magic Round loss to fellow strugglers Newcastle, where Canterbury slumped to last on the ladder and set more unwanted records.

The Bulldogs became the first team since South Queensland in 1996 (86 points) to not score 100 points in their first 10 games, and just the seventh team in the four-point try era (since 1983) to do so.

Despite their off-season recruitment drive, Canterbury have not scored more than 16 points in a game this season. They have scored six points or less in 16 of their 20 halves of football this season.

Their 10th straight game of scoring 16 points or fewer in a game is their longest streak in the same season since 1968.