Booze buddies face ban
The Canberra Raiders have axed stars Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson from Fridays nights crucial match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs for alleged alcohol breaches.
Raiders coach David Furner will name his team at 4pm today and was unavailable for comment, but The Canberra Times understands Dugan and Ferguson will be both be stood down for disciplinary reasons relating to alcohol.
Its alleged Ferguson showed up to a training session late last week still under the affect of alcohol, while Dugan had allegedly been drinking while trying to recover from an abdominal strain. Both were in breach of the clubs alcohol policy.
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Furner has already demonstrated this season that abuse of alcohol will not be tolerated, placing the entire NRL squad on an alcohol ban for three weeks following their loss to the Brisbane Broncos in round seven.
That ban was only lifted following Canberras last round victory over the Parramatta Eels.
Dugan and Ferguson are two of Canberras biggest stars and their absence will hurt a team already hit by injury. Josh Papalii is still battling to recover from nerve damage to his forearm, while Dane Tilse is also in doubt.
The Raiders will be sweating on the fitness of captain and prop David Shillington, who lines up for Queensland tomorrow night in the State of Origin.
Reece Robinson is expected to replace Dugan at fullback this Friday night against the Rabbitohs while boom rookie Jack Wighton is expected to shift to the wing to cover for Ferguson.
It is a crucial match for the Raiders who have started the season with four wins from 10 matches.
