Former Canterbury captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner has spoken about challenging Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo’s training methods as his old club defends a $4 million claim by Jackson Topine.
Faitala-Mariner takes on Canterbury for the first time since leaving Belmore in February with two years to run on his contract and 12 months after being appointed club captain.
The 30-year-old appreciates “being wanted” by St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan ahead of Thursday night’s clash with the Bulldogs, where Faitala-Mariner’s tumultuous final season included the infamous training incident in which Topine alleges he was forced to wrestle up to 35 teammates during a training session in July.
Topine is alleging his Bulldogs contract was illegally terminated and that he is incapable of playing again as a result of a punishment for arriving late to training. Should his case go to hearing, former teammates are expected to take the stand as Canterbury defends the case.
Faitala-Mariner did not speak about Topine’s allegations and said he has not heard from his former teammate since Christmas.
As club captain, Faitala-Mariner took the concerns of several players around training methods to Ciraldo, though he does not believe those conversations played a direct role in an eventual exit that at one point saw him told he wasn’t required for pre-season training before returning.
Raymond Faitala-Mariner faces the Bulldogs on Thursday for the first time since leaving the club.Credit: NRL Photos
“I was still learning, I was new to the role, new to the captaincy and that leadership role,” Faitala-Mariner said. “And I guess, my way of leadership, maybe I was wrong? Maybe my leadership was wrong. I’ve learned a lot from it and hopefully that’s made me a better leader. Now I know what to do and not what to do.
“I think I’m not at the club because truths hurt. I think they’re after players that fit their mould. I guess staff members there think otherwise of me and they were upfront with that. It was a tough time going through all of that, the highs and the lows.
“I think it just got to a point where the club thought they were going in the right direction and a couple of games into the [2024] season they had other thoughts and other ideas [around] what kind of players suit them and I guess I didn’t fit that mould.”
Faitala-Mariner’s last season at the Bulldogs was hampered by a bout of pneumonia and hamstring injuries, but he has played every game for the Dragons since arriving on a two-year deal.
The former Kiwi back-rower was the last player left at Belmore from their 2021 top 30 squad and says he hasn’t looked back after his move to the Red V was finalised in the space of a week.
“For anyone when you go somewhere new, it’s pretty refreshing,” Faitala-Mariner said. “There’s different personalities and a different environment and for me, I look forward to coming to training now.
“For any player if the coach makes them feel like they’re a priority, of course they want to jump at that opportunity. Flanno made me feel that way. When someone wants me in the team week-in, week-out, I think anybody would jump at that.”
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