‘Clean out your lockers’: Bulldogs players furious at brutal ‘edict’ to departing stars
Bulldogs general manager Steve Price has reportedly upset the playing group following his brutal message to departing stars.
Andrew Jackson
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 9:29AM
Reports emerged on Monday night that Bulldogs general manager Steve Price has upset the playing group with the hard line taken in parting ways with a host of stars.
Trent Barrett will arrive at Belmore next year to take over a completely different Bulldogs outfit with a roster clean-out already underway.
There are new additions to in Nick Cotric and Blake Green while Canterbury-Bankstown are still active in the player market as they look to turn around another year of poor results.
In the meantime, following last week’s 42-0 loss to Penrith, the club confirmed that Kieran Foran, Aiden Tolman, Marcelo Montoya, Kerrod Holland, Jack Cogger, Sauaso Sue, Tim Lafai, and Isaiah Tass are all set to depart at the end of the year.
It marks a new direction for the club that wants to make it clear that substandard results will no longer fly.
According to Channel 9’s chief rugby league reporter Danny Weidler, the approach has not exactly gone down well with the playing group.
“I’m hearing a few stories coming out of the Bulldogs in the last 24-48 hours, their general manager of football Steve Price has upset a few of the players,” Weidler told Nine’s 100% Footy.
“The players who are leaving the club were told at the captain’s run prior to their game on the weekend to make sure that they cleaned out their lockers. It didn’t go down very well with the players, the ones who are departing."
“He repeated that edict to them after the game as well. They put on a pretty bad performance the Bulldogs."
“They’ve really tried hard all year. I don’t know how much that affected them or not but I do know that one of the key Bulldogs players who’s going to be there next year has let his feelings known to Steve Price, exactly what he thought of that instruction."
“So, simmering tensions around management now off the field and some of the players in the club.”
The Bulldogs conceded in a statement that the decision to part ways with such a large group of players was a tough choice.
“Everyone at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs would like to wish the eight players all the best for the future and thank them for their contribution and the impact they have made at the club,” a statement read.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all players and staff leaving at the end of this season for their efforts while here at the Bulldogs,” chief executive Andrew Hill said.
“These decisions are never easy and it is important that we acknowledge each individual person for what they brought to the club and for giving their all while they were here.
“Anyone who has played or worked here will always be part of our family and welcomed back at any time. On behalf of the club I’d like to wish everyone all the best for the future and I hope as many of our supporters as possible make the effort to come to ANZ Stadium on Saturday to offer their best wishes when we farewell those leaving on the field at the end of the game.”
Bulldogs general manager Steve Price has reportedly upset the playing group following his brutal message to departing stars.
Andrew Jackson
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 9:29AM
Reports emerged on Monday night that Bulldogs general manager Steve Price has upset the playing group with the hard line taken in parting ways with a host of stars.
Trent Barrett will arrive at Belmore next year to take over a completely different Bulldogs outfit with a roster clean-out already underway.
There are new additions to in Nick Cotric and Blake Green while Canterbury-Bankstown are still active in the player market as they look to turn around another year of poor results.
In the meantime, following last week’s 42-0 loss to Penrith, the club confirmed that Kieran Foran, Aiden Tolman, Marcelo Montoya, Kerrod Holland, Jack Cogger, Sauaso Sue, Tim Lafai, and Isaiah Tass are all set to depart at the end of the year.
It marks a new direction for the club that wants to make it clear that substandard results will no longer fly.
According to Channel 9’s chief rugby league reporter Danny Weidler, the approach has not exactly gone down well with the playing group.
“I’m hearing a few stories coming out of the Bulldogs in the last 24-48 hours, their general manager of football Steve Price has upset a few of the players,” Weidler told Nine’s 100% Footy.
“The players who are leaving the club were told at the captain’s run prior to their game on the weekend to make sure that they cleaned out their lockers. It didn’t go down very well with the players, the ones who are departing."
“He repeated that edict to them after the game as well. They put on a pretty bad performance the Bulldogs."
“They’ve really tried hard all year. I don’t know how much that affected them or not but I do know that one of the key Bulldogs players who’s going to be there next year has let his feelings known to Steve Price, exactly what he thought of that instruction."
“So, simmering tensions around management now off the field and some of the players in the club.”
The Bulldogs conceded in a statement that the decision to part ways with such a large group of players was a tough choice.
“Everyone at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs would like to wish the eight players all the best for the future and thank them for their contribution and the impact they have made at the club,” a statement read.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all players and staff leaving at the end of this season for their efforts while here at the Bulldogs,” chief executive Andrew Hill said.
“These decisions are never easy and it is important that we acknowledge each individual person for what they brought to the club and for giving their all while they were here.
“Anyone who has played or worked here will always be part of our family and welcomed back at any time. On behalf of the club I’d like to wish everyone all the best for the future and I hope as many of our supporters as possible make the effort to come to ANZ Stadium on Saturday to offer their best wishes when we farewell those leaving on the field at the end of the game.”
