While Dugan was at pains to express his gratitude to the club for handing him a lifeline when he was on the scrapheap at Canberra, it was clear the club's determination to sign him as strictly a center – at a time while he is starring at fullback for the Dragons – caused him plenty of frustration.
In the end, the extra year in the deal and the assurance from Sharks coach Shane Flanagan that he is simply being signed as an 'elite player' rather than as strictly a center or fullback were the factors that pushed him to a shift to the Shire.
