Ex-Dragon James Graham believes there may be a snitch amongst the St George Illawarra Dragons playing group after the heated exchange in Mudgee was leaked to the media.
Mikaele Ravalawa and Zane Musgrove were both fined and handed breach notices after being involved in a heated exchange at 6am the morning after the Charity Shield, following a long drinking session in Mudgee.
The story was broken by 9News'ย Danny Weidler just over 24 hours after the exchange, begging the story, how did it get out?
Graham was a part-time captain during his stint in the Red V, and believes the incident is making a mountain out of a molehill.
"My issue with this, is who is the grass that has gone and leaked it?" Graham said on Triple M.
"Who is the snitch? Why are you going and telling the media for?
"Because it was a non-issue. Nothing got broken, no-one was hurt, no-one caused a disruption. No member of the public was affected by this.
"Which little snitch has gone to the media and said there was a fight at 6am? Who is the snitch?
"That is the issue the Dragons club need to sort out. Not sorting out if there is an issue with teammates."
AAPย have revealed that they've been informed that several members of the public were awake and could have heard the early morning disruption.
However, the Englishman is adamant it's come from within.
"It has happened to me before where something similar has happened, a story has got out when it shouldn't have," Graham said on the radio program.
"And I addressed the group and said this has got to stop. I'd be blowing up deluxe about that.
"I'd say boys if you're in for this cause of us trying to be the best team we can be, the last thing we need is someone thinking this is the best way to go about it.
"Because you're not with us. You're not on our bus or on our ship."
The incident is the latest in a long off-season for the club, who have lost their five-eighth Talatau Amone to the no-fault stand-down policy, two youngsters to season-ending injuries/illnesses in Cody Ramsey and Josh Coric, while Francis Molo plead guilty to a domestic assault charge on Wednesday.
Wrong attitude from James, in my view.
I would have preferred him to say: “The fact that this incident hit the media in 24 hours shows that there is at least one player who is not going to stand for team members just going through the motions: playing poorly, staying up all night drinking, and showing clearly that they have no interest in improving the performance of the club, and respecting its supporters.”
He should be saying that he is glad the story got out, not complaining because it wasn’t hushed up.
Name ’em, shame ’em and force the club to take action rather than just turn a blind eye.