{"id":302258,"date":"2023-12-13T08:39:18","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T08:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=302258"},"modified":"2023-12-13T08:39:18","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T08:39:18","slug":"bulldogs-skipper-was-told-to-look-for-another-job-but-now-hes-back-and-all-is-forgiven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/rugby-league\/bulldogs-skipper-was-told-to-look-for-another-job-but-now-hes-back-and-all-is-forgiven\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulldogs skipper was told to look for another job. But now he\u2019s back, and all is forgiven"},"content":{"rendered":"
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.<\/p>\n
Canterbury\u2019s 2023 club captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner is back at Belmore following crisis talks with general manager Phil Gould after having previously been told not to report to pre-season training.<\/p>\n
Faitala-Mariner, who fell out of favour at the club and was given permission to negotiate with rivals, on Wednesday described the episode as a \u201cmiscommunication\u201d. He now plans to see out the final two years of his contract.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a bit of miscommunication,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously, the club wanted to know if I was fit mentally to come back to training.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had that meeting on the weekend, on Saturday, just to clarify things and just reassure I am ready, that I am committed. I was going through a few things off-field, and I needed to sort things out, and I\u2019m glad everything is sorted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old back-rower has endured a whirlwind year. After being appointed club captain, he played 14 NRL matches before the furore over his future erupted. He now says all is well between him and the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
The job he and his teammates now face the task of climbing out of the hole that has seen them finish last, 12th and 15th over the past three seasons.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bulldogs skipper Raymond Faitala-Mariner at Belmore on Wednesday.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Nick Moir<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got two more years here left on my contract, and I don\u2019t see myself leaving anytime soon,\u201d he said. \u201cAs long as I\u2019m wearing the blue and white colours then I\u2019m going to put my best foot forward … I want to play footy, and I do want to see this club successful.\u201d<\/p>\n Faitala-Mariner said the club\u2019s poor 2023 season was unacceptable and they didn\u2019t have to look far for motivation.<\/p>\n The Panthers\u2019 comeback in this year\u2019s grand final was the perfect example of a team that always stays in the game, he said, and the Bulldogs need to replicate that culture.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the culture that Ciro [ coach Cameron Ciraldo] is trying to drive at our club,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone is buying into it \u2013 hopefully we can end up like that, where it doesn\u2019t become a losing culture and then [in] those dying minutes of the game that we are able to stay in the game and back ourselves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Raymond Faitala-Mariner playing against the Sharks in 2023.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cHaving good signings like Stephen Crichton [ from the Panthers] and Kurt Mann [Knights], Josh Curran [Warriors], who have come from successful clubs, I think it\u2019s important to have that at our club.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can already see their professionalism and the standard that they hold themselves to, and I think it does play a part but, most importantly, the main thing is that we all need to be a tight group.\u201d<\/p>\n Canterbury have bolstered their roster for 2024 with the additions of Connor Tracey, Blake Taaffe, Jake Turpin, Jaeman Salmon and Drew Hutchison, along with Crichton, Curran and Mann.<\/p>\n And Faitala-Mariner said fans can expect to see an entirely different team in the new year.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you will see a different Bulldogs next year, in terms of togetherness and connection because from what I\u2019m seeing right now in the pre-season, everyone is buying into it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nMost Viewed in Sport<\/h2>\n
From our partners<\/h3>\n