Blinksportsnews247Raymond Faitala-Mariner asserts that he made the only decision to depart from Canterbury and join St George Illawarra, just a year after being named club captain.
“I didn’t feel like I was being forced out the door,” stated Faitala-Mariner. It was simply this chance that presented itself. After giving it some thought and talking to my parents, boyfriend, and relatives, they suggested that perhaps I should make some changes. It’s a good thing I followed their counsel.
“I can understand why the change was necessary now that I spent this week at camp with the Dragons.”
With two years left on his contract and the better part of a decade spent with the Bulldogs, Faitala-Mariner made the decision to start again. This headline confirmed he was on the outs at Belmore, which put an end to six months of conjecture regarding his future.
This is a big change for both of them. Faitala-Mariner will be among the first players hired by Dragons coach Shane Flanagan, while Canterbury has lost all of its players from the 2021 group that was ranked in the top 30.
The lads have texted me, saying, “You’re gone!,” after I’ve heard that a few times. The last man remaining was you! According to Faitala-Mariner, in his first interview after switching teams.
“That’s football.” The club has a goal, and in order to achieve it, they must take the necessary steps. I fully support them if that is the route they are taking. All I have to say about that club is love and respect.
“A shift was necessary for me to advance in my job from where I am now in order to potentially reach new heights.
“Belmore is my second home, so leaving the club I truly love makes me sad. Though it was rather difficult to say goodbye and depart, I must consider the potential this presents for my future and for myself.
“I prioritized my family and myself, and that’s what I did.
“A small amount of success is something I do wish we had while I was there. I hope they do well both now and in the future.
“It looks to be going in that way from the summer I was there. The atmosphere at the facility is improving under [Coach] Cameron Ciraldo, and the bar he is establishing is quite high.
“I don’t harbor any animosity toward the club.”
Faitala-Mariner had a difficult last season with the Bulldogs. After suffering from a hamstring injury and illness, he was finally allowed to talk with other teams in September. The 30-year-old was noticeably absent when preseason training began in November; he claimed that the absence was due to a misunderstanding. Rumors circulated that he was being cut.
“[Reports] said they didn’t want me there, but I always talked with Ciraldo and Gus [Phil Gould, the general manager of football at Canterbury] whenever something was reported in the media.” “They consistently verified to me that it wasn’t accurate,” stated Faitala-Mariner, who was out for Friday’s scrimmage against Manly because of a little hamstring strain.
“I’m not sure where it originated. I would constantly go to the coach, and Gus would occasionally be there, if things were in the media claiming they were selling me around and such. They gave me their word, claiming it wasn’t true and they didn’t know where it was coming from.
“I believed what they said, and that was it. More or less, nothing happened; we simply continued our training.
“My experience in the difficult times has equipped me for this year. I’ve become stronger and more equipped to handle whatever comes my way as a result. Nothing has the power to shatter me.
The question of whether “RFM” belongs in the front or back row was also discussed; Flanagan will now have to make that choice.
“I know you hear this a lot, but truly, and I’m saying this wholeheartedly, yes I can,” Faitala-Mariner replied when asked if he could return to the form that led to his representing Samoa and New Zealand.
“Just spending a week at camp with the Dragons has sparked something inside of me.” After spending so much time there, you might begin to feel at ease.
For me, the adjustment was necessary. I’ve kind of left my house now that I’m testing the waters and am out there, exposed and vulnerable—it was a necessary step for me.
Being in an unfamiliar environment is making me feel at my best. The chats I’ve already had with Shane Flanagan, an accomplished coach who has won premierships, give me a great deal of confidence.
He’s giving me the impression that I’m important, and when you give a player that impression, they tell you to leap and you tell him how high. For such a coach, I would sprint through a brick wall.
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