Love of Kangaroos and the league swayed Dugan
JOSH Dugan knocked back an extraordinary $2 million deal from rugby union in which he would have played in three countries on his way to a possible Wallabies jersey.
Kangaroos centre Dugan is also having ongoing meetings with a mental professional as a “coping mechanism to stay on top of things” and hit out at claims he had “gone off the rails” in recent months.
Dugan wanted to leave the NRL when he became increasingly frustrated by the prolonged contract negotiations with St George Illawarra.
He mapped out an escape plan to join either the CocaCola Red Sparks or Toyota Verblitz in Japan on a deal worth more than $1.2 million.
Discussions were also advanced to play French rugby at the end of the Japanese season before joining the Western Force for the remainder of 2018.
The uncertainty surrounding the Force’s future and his desire to retain his NSW and Kangaroos jerseys led to Dugan forfeiting more than $1 million a year to sign a four-year deal to join the Sharks next year.
“I was pretty close to going to Japanese rugby at one point,” Dugan said ahead of Australia’s quarter-final against Samoa in Darwin today.
“I spoke to two Japanese rugby teams. It was when the contract talks at the Dragons were happening. I looked at different options.
“Sometimes you have to look after yourself and your family.
“One of the deals from Japanese rugby was very good and pretty hard to turn down.
“My love of this game and my love of this sport and playing for the Kangaroos overtook (the money on offer).
“I knew if I went to rugby for a year or two, I would be 30-odd and I would have a slim-to-none-chance of being in the rep sides.
“I wanted to finish on a high note in league.
“There still might be a chance down the track that I end up in rugby but for the next four years I’m looking forward to playing at Cronulla.”