The Bulldogs are reportedly engaged in a legal dispute with a player who left the club’s training and was stood down due to mental health reasons last year. According to The Daily Telegraph, talks between the club and the player have broken down, leading to the legal battle.
The player, who remains part of the Bulldogs’ top 30 squad, was stood down after being instructed to wrestle with teammates as a disciplinary measure for arriving late to training. He has not trained with the Bulldogs since the incident.
Both the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) and the NRL welfare team are monitoring the situation closely. Canterbury chief executive Aaron Warburton declined to comment on the matter, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
Coach Cameron Ciraldo’s training methods came under scrutiny last year when former captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner, who has since moved to the Dragons, raised concerns on behalf of several players. Faitala-Mariner also had contractual issues with the club before mutually parting ways.
Ciraldo defended the club’s disciplinary actions, stating that they were aimed at changing the culture and improving on-field performance after a period of poor results. He declined to comment further on the incident, acknowledging its sensitivity.
“I don’t want to comment specifically, but at different times, we’ve aimed to establish certain standards, and if there are instances of lateness, we’ve had to take action. We’re focused on instilling high standards for performance and success. Some measures have involved fines, others have included random penalties, and we’ve also tried various methods to change behaviors.
“The truth is, we’re working to change behaviors within the team, and I believe we’ve made progress in that regard throughout the season. It’s disappointing for our fans that we’re in this position.
“It may not seem like we’ve progressed this year in terms of wins compared to last year. Still, I don’t think we’ve regressed either.”
