Dugan spearheads new era for NSW

Almost a year on Dugan hasn’t forgotten the sinking feeling that followed the Blues 52-6 flogging in last year’s decider; and he wouldn’t...even if he could. 

He hopes his teammates haven’e either; at least the ones who survived to make coach Laurie Daley’s 19-man squad for game one on Monday.

“I don’t think it’ll ever go away,” Dugan said.

“It’s going to be a driving factor for us to never ever let that happen again. It was embarrassing from our point of view because that’s definitely not who we are or what we’ve been trying to build.”

While he won’t let himself forget that night, Dugan has every reason to believe that loss can be redeemed having himself resurrected a career that was on the scrapheap four years ago.

He’s since won an Origin series, a Brad Fitler Medal and – in his fourth season with the Dragons – is entrenched in the club’s leadership group.

He’s come far enough that Daley has entrusted him with ushering in a new guard, with Dugan now a senior player in a squad that includes the five debutantes, three of them in the back-line.

Only Michael Jennings, Greg Bird, Robbie Farah and skipper Paul Gallen have played more Origins while the likes of Beau Scott, Trent Merrin and Ryan Hoffman have been left out as Daley looks to the future. 

“There’s some new faces and it’s got the feel of 2014 again,” Dugan said.

“Everyone that’s been picked, it’s been well deserved. They’re all playing good footy for their clubs.

“Loz has gone for a new look and I think it was something that would’ve  been tough for him to do. 

“There’s a lot of great players who missed out but it’s our job now to prepare as well as we can and give everything we’ve got next Wednesday.”

Dugan will return to the right centre position where he won the 2014 series with the Blues this time alongside former rooftop drinking buddy Blake Ferguson who’s undergone a career transformation of his own. 

While the pair once infamously chose to celebrate Origin selection with a night on the tiles, on Sunday they stayed in – Ferguson with the partner and seven-month-old son he credits with turning his life and career around.

After pairing up on the right for Australia in last month’s Trans-Tasman Test, they’ll play alongside each other in blue for the first time next week. Dugan said it’s an experience they will treasure.

“Blake’s always been one of my best mates and we’ve always had a close bond,” Dugan said.

“We’ve both gone through adversity in our lives and taken different paths but it’s great we’ve ended up in the same place.”