Origin pair ‘should have been banned’

Former NSW coach Ricky Stuart has slammed Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson, saying they should have been banned from State of Origin four years ago.

The former Canberra teammates, who were both sacked by the Raiders before Stuart took over at the club, are being investigated after claims they spent eight hours at the Lennox Point Hotel on a day off.

Their visit to the pub was five days before one of the most anticipated battles between NSW and Queensland in Origin history.

“It’s very sad. I’m very embarrassed by it,” Stuart told Fox Sports’ On The Couch With Sterlo.

“I feel very sorry for [coach] Laurie [Daley] and I feel very sorry for the players that have actually busted themselves over the course of the last series to try and do the right things to try and create a culture.

“Yet again, to be let down by two people who continually let down individuals around them and their teammates.”

Dugan has again downplayed the pub visit, saying the pair had been made scapegoats for the game-three loss.

But Dugan conceded he may have made an error of judgement.

“Probably an error in judgement, but we didn’t go overboard or misbehave,” Dugan told News Corp Australia.

“[We] went for lunch and a few beers. Never missed any media commitments and we were home at a respectable hour along with turning up respectable to training.”

But Stuart pointed to an incident before Origin II in 2013 which he believes should have marked the end of their Origin careers.

“Day one of the [second] camp they both turned up to camp drunk,” Stuart said. “They should have been eliminated from State of Origin there and then and this wouldn’t have happened.”

Earlier in 2013, Dugan was sacked by Canberra after posting pictures of a rooftop drinking session with Ferguson to social media.

Ferguson’s Raiders contract was torn up later in that year after a string of incidents including an indecent assault for which he was later found guilty.

Corey Parker, who played 19 Origins for Queensland, said the duo’s latest incident showed deeper problems with the Blues’ culture.

“In my build-up or make-up I wouldn’t be having a beer on a Friday [before Origin],” Parker said.

“Until New South Wales have a united team that wants to put the team first, they’re always going to struggle.” — AAP