NRL news: Dragons captain Cameron McInnes attacks reports of split camp over Jack de Belin
Cameron McInnes says accusations that Dragons players are split over the presence of a former rep player are ‘disgusting’.
St George Illawarra captain Cameron McInnes made a beeline for coach Paul McGregor in the dressing sheds after the Dragons’ heavy defeat to Canterbury last Monday, offering an outstretched hand and an apology for an insipid performance.
What McInnes won’t be apologising for is the ongoing presence of Jack de Belin at training amid claims from outside that de Belin’s presence is tearing the Dragons apart.
De Belin hasn’t played for the club since being sidelined under the no-fault stand-down policy in February 2019, after being charged with aggravated sexual assault.
He will appear in court again later this month, where a decision will be made on whether his case is dismissed or adjourned until later in the year.
In the meantime, he continues to train and be paid by the Dragons — he is in the final year of a contract that pays him more than $500,000.
Amid the fallout from a 22-2 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs that left the Dragons as the only winless club in the competition, McInnes took aim at those suggesting the players were at odds over de Belin’s presence around the team— the most notable comments coming from radio giant Ray Hadley.
“That stance or whoever has come out with that, it is pretty insulting,” McInnes said.
“As a playing group we are pretty pissed off about that. Jack has gone through a lot over the last couple of years and all he has done day-in, day-out is come to training, do whatever is asked of him, do his best to help us prepare week-in, week-out.
“Some of the work he is doing with the younger players, teaching them the game, and they are improving because of the work he is doing. It shows the lengths people will almost go to kick a dog when they are down. Pretty disgusted by it to be honest with you.”
McInnes even bristled at the suggestion de Belin was a distraction.
“To be honest I don’t see how it is a distraction, every week when a team is picked there are guys on the cusp who miss out,” McInnes said.
“They go into the reserve grade team or second team and their job is to prepare the first grade team to play that weekend.
“We have Jack, who last time he played was one of the best forwards in the game. Each week, he is helping us to prepare.
“So if you want to say it is a distraction … it has been going on for two years. So anybody who wants to use that as a distraction is just looking for excuses.
“When you are looking for excuses, you are never going to get the job done. Just speaking about it is a problem in itself.”
Problems are nothing new to the Dragons. The loss to the Bulldogs was followed by a board meeting to discuss McGregor’s future and some serious introspection within the playing group prompted by backrower Tyson Frizell calling a players-only meeting.
They emerged determined to vindicate the club’s faith in McGregor by producing a performance worthy of their coach when they meet arch rivals Cronulla on Sunday night at Campelltown Stadium.
“I am definitely confident (in McGregor) and Mary has done a lot for a lot of players here,” McInnes said.
“He is a players’ coach. I am confident everyone has Mary’s back.
“I believe in my heart that it is not a coaching staff problem. I get it is an easy excuse or solution to think that they are the ones that need to change.
“But we’re the ones on the field making the mistakes. Some of the mistakes we made … are just individual recklessness.”
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