Hollywood: no respect for Arjuna

From Ben Durries in Five Dock
October 13, 2006
THE feud between Hollywood and Arjuna deepened last night when Hollywood said he had no respect for the former Battered Savs captain.
In an interview with a Five Dock newspaper this week, Arjuna accused Hollywood of undermining team spirit and claimed he would have been an "embarrassment" if the champion player had been made Battered Savs captain.
Hollywood replied last night by claiming Arjuna was a former player who curried little currency.
"I was disappointed with his comments but I didn't take them to heart because he's not someone I respect," he said.
"If it was someone I respected and really liked, I would be pretty annoyed and would take it up with them.
"If it was a Tucan or a Dabs, who has been the biggest influence on my career, I would be on the phone and disappointed and upset by it."
Arjuna was also critical of Hollywood's reservations about the pre-gam drinking camp organised by team coach Slick, with Arjuna claiming Hollywood had "shown a complete disregard for the position that Slick has held".
Hollywood had to disrupt a season of 8th grade Rugby to return for the camp, but once home he completed the drinking with vigour.
While Slick and Hollywood are two completely different characters, Hollywood said his reported comments last month about Slick had been misconstrued.
"It was never a personal attack on Slick," he said.
"All I said was some of his methods and some of the ways he goes about things I thought lacked a bit of commonsense -- not him as a person.
"It was never with malice or an intent of having a go at the coach.
"What is said in the press beforehand is really irrelevant, unless it's from someone who you respect and is on the mark.
"All we are are worried about is making sure we are ready to play. That's what I am worrying about."