It looks like at least one more star (or at a minimum, up-and-comer) wants out of the Canberra Raiders, with recent news that Anthony Milford is wanting to return to Queensland next season.
Throw in Blake Ferguson’s reported and rumoured desire to play with a Sydney club in 2014, add Todd Carney’s inglorious departure in 2008 and consider Josh Dugan’s sacking earlier this season and it seems a pattern has formed.
All of these players’ circumstances were different. Some of them actively sought to leave the club, while others forced the clubs’ hand.
Two of them haven’t even materialised (the Milford and Ferguson cases) although it seems a given that at least one of them will elsewhere after this season finishes up.
CEO Don Furner has expressed his frustration at the current dilemma and pointed to Dugan’s and Carney’s departures as examples of players who have left the club and flourished elsewhere.
Dugan and Carney were both local juniors identified by the Raiders at a young age.
Milford is a Queenslander but was similarly spotted at a young age and the Raiders would have invested a lot of time, money and effort into developing into an NRL-standard player and quite possibly a star of the future.
Ferguson came to the club because he said he wants to win a premiership and he saw the Raiders as an ideal fit for his ambitions.
All four have brought plenty to club be it in on-field performance of marketability (leaving aside any off-field dramas for now) but have left before reaching their prime. Don Furner, not to mention the club’s supporters, has every right to be frustrated.
This is particularly so with the cases of Dugan and Carney. Both were axed by the club which acted in the best interests of the game by terminating their contracts, as their off-field behaviour was a black eye for rugby league.
Having left, they both after varying degrees of purgatory (thoroughly deserved and probably not long enough in Dugan’s case) ended up at others, where they have flourished to the point of earning representative honours for New South Wales.
Carney also won a Dally M medal and played in a grand final for the Roosters.
Ferguson has already played for New South Wales but has not yet reached his peak. Milford has had only a taste of NRL action but looks a star of the future. And now both of them could leave.
Is it fair to the Raiders, who have put so much into these players (particularly Milford)? No.
Was it fair to the Raiders that Dugan and Carney were sacked by the club doing its bit to help the image of the game, only for those players to go from strength to strength at other club? Definitely not.
I’m going to throw something out there. Despite the differing circumstances involving these four players, the undeniable common thread is that they all left their contracts early. Could it be that they just don’t like Canberra?
To set the record straight, I’m not a Canberran and have never lived there.
I have visited our nation’s capital a number of times and I have no problem with it – in fact I quite like it. I could see myself living there in the future and enjoying it.
However it tends to get a bad rap from a lot of friends and colleagues of mine who either live there or have lived there, for a number of reasons.
“Too small”. “Too cold”. “Too far from the beach”. “Isolated”. “Average nightlife scene”. “Not enough entertainment options”. “Expensive place to live”. “Not much corporate opportunity”. “No other sport on”.
I’m just postulating here, but these might be big issues for young, fit, professional rugby league players between the ages of 18 and 24 who might well want to live in a place where these issues don’t exist.
It’s simplistic to say that such issues are all that affected Dugan, Carney, Ferguson or Milford in their situations, but they can nonetheless be relevant.
Could one of these reasons, and the associated frustration, be part of why four such highly talented players who owe (or owed) the Canberra Raiders club so much have found their way out of town?
At least in Carney’s and Dugan’s cases, their behaviour was so destructive that they would have known it would likely damage their career with the club if they persisted with it, which obviously wasn’t enough of a deterrent to them.
Ferguson apparently wants to leave to be closer to his uncle Anthony Mundine in Sydney, while Milford is seeking to leave on compassionate grounds owing to his sick father in Brisbane.
For the latter two I’m not necessarily saying whether it’s right or wrong for them to want to leave in their circumstances or whether the club ought to hold them to their contracts – nor am I attempting to answer why this could be a problem with hundreds of other professional footy players evidently haven’t had the same problem – I’m just throwing a possibility out there.
As I mentioned earlier, I quite like Canberra myself.
But a number of residents and former residents whom I’ve spoken to have often disparaged the place and while I would hate to think their reasons ring true, could could they…and it could it be a reason why a number of stars of the game have sought a way out of there?
GW
Roar Pro
I'm sorry that your idea of Mecca is a housing commission flat in Mt Druitt. You must have a lot of imagination. No doubt you run to the surf every morning, wish I could!
GW
Roar Pro
I love you (for your mind). How many Capital cities in the world are colder than Canberra in winter, yet it's COOL to mention them in every travel sentence (Paris, London, DC and many, many others). I visited my sister when she lived in Minnesota (she could ski out of her garage), yet she reckons Canberra is cold - jeez. If you are homeless or can't afford heating, yes, live up north.
GW
Roar Pro
Well said. I have asked lots of Polynesians and Asians why the hell they come to Canberra when it can be cold (like all the towns along the Great Dividing Range are). A common theme is being safe, having a nice house and they like having 4 seasons.
GW
Roar Pro
If you're rich and can afford to live by the harbour in Sydney or somewhere nice in Melbourne (where it's SOOOOO much colder if you ask me), or Brisbane which is awful, I agree. When I was a kid, I'd bugger off to Noosa, Melbourne, Sydney or the coast then enjoy my nice house and nice surroundings and nice job thru the week. Can you tell me that going to Northies is glamourous??
dwayno75
Guest
The bad apples run the club...
dwayno75
Guest
The Raiders used to have a DOMINANT winning culture, they blooded top junior talent who went on to stellar careers at the club and lured top qld talent to play here as well, Origin was loaded with Raiders players on both sides! I grew up there and remember seeing all the old players drunk out of there minds in the private bin every weekend back in the day, Stuart, Meninga, Walters all of them got up to all sorts of sht off the field but it never effected there on field performances because the club culture was very strong and winning was the only option. Now we all know that Canberra is not a desirable place for a young cashed up kid - however, I truly believe that this is not the problem at the club - it is the culture, a strong winning culture that flows from the management down. This is the major problem that will not change while current ceo/board/coach is in control....... Rant over!!! for now...... Frustrated Raiders fan. :/
cacat
Guest
Lived in Canberra really liked it (remember seeing Brett Mullins pissed at Tradies one time) . I think there must be something at the club culture at the Raiders. I support the Dogs and we have been through our phase of players behaving badly. Get the bad apples out and everything will be ok.....
Blaze
Guest
I'd rather live in housing commission in mt druitt then live in Canberra... There's a reason Parliament House, and the pollies that inhabit it are located there. Boring as bats sh@t. The place is built on on big roundabout for crying out loud.
mushi
Guest
If you read the free agency coverage of the major US sports every year it is often highlighted the advantage that certain cities have from just being that city.
mushi
Guest
Though given you juxtaposed the raiders with the unique tradition and situation of the packers I'm not sure you actually know who eli manning is.
mushi
Guest
Seriously Eli Manning is my 3 second answer, he wanted to play in a big city. I'm sure with some time on google I could blow that up.
Hansie
Guest
So there's something wrong with Canberra because Josh Dugan wanted out of the Raiders? I would have thought Josh Dugan's judgement spoke for itself! Trust me, I've lived in Canberra and Sydney, and Canberra wins hands down.
oikee
Guest
Now we know why it is a dull place (you live their Lat), unlike Brisvegas. The good players are normally quiet , or on the other hand have a wild streak about them. It is plain bad luck that Carney and Dugan and Fergo are all wild childs. Maybe canberra need to buy maturity. See, i solved the problem. Let the young rotters go, buy them back once they mature. So on that note yes, maybe it is too boring for young players. They see other young players running wild in Sydney so want to do the same.
david
Guest
Do it for the nfl
mushi
Guest
johnno you would make the world's worst real estate agent.
mushi
Guest
Yes of course you will find examples because a recruitment decision is more than one factor, that doesn't mean that location isn't a huge negative. I'm sure I can pull out examples for every major league in the world where the city has been cited as a reason for choosing a particular team, it is obviously an advantage. BTW I do love the Sydney bogan comment
Epiquin
Guest
Just a footnote: I don't think That is still Carney's priority. The last few years he has kept his nose out of trouble and played great footy. When other clubs offered him big bucks to leave Cronulla, he chose to stay because they were the only club to give him another chance. I really respected him for that.
des' right hand
Guest
Agreed mate been to Canberra a few times now and there is like one night club in the whole place! Where as in Sydney the city is big, clubs everywhere, loose women,the casino, darling harbour need I go on. Sydney is beautiful and a fun place to live especially if your a cashed up NRL star. The casino alone on a Saturday night has so much crumpet its gold!!!
Liatrevlis
Guest
Sterile, dull, hole , if ya young got $$$ canberra is a hole ,
Mike
Guest
As others have pointed out the Brumbies have no trouble getting people to move to Canberra, but I suspect that is because (apart from a few dark years) the rugby program has always been very good. Players know their game will improve. They want to play for the Wallabies and a move to Canberra often gives them the best shot at that (eg Scott Fardy and Ben Mowen). It also helps the players bond as a team, there aren't many distractions so the players spend lots of time together and mostly live near each other. Part of it probably comes down to the individual priorities of the players. Carney, Dugan and Ferguson's priorities seem to revolve mostly around getting drunk.