The Bulldogs have splashed cash on some of the best attacking players in the NRL, but it will count for little if their defensive woes continue.
That’s the message from rugby league great Cooper Cronk who played in a gobsmacking nine NRL grand finals throughout his illustrious carer.
The Bulldogs - who would take just making the finals next year - have overhauled their roster after finishing second last in 2020 and collecting the wooden spoon this year.
Coach Trent Barrett arrived at the end of 2020, fresh off helping Penrith to the grand final as an assistant, and he immediately went on a signing spree.
Barrett landed Panthers trio Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai Jr and Brent Naden, Dragons duo Matt Dufty, Paul Vaughan and Storm superstar Josh Addo-Carr for the 2022 season.
Things then ramped up a notch when rugby league mastermind Phil Gould returned to Canterbury in July as the club’s general manager.
That saw the Dogs sign Eels star hooker Reed Mahoney and Panthers forward Viliame Kikau for the 2023 season.
It means in 2023, between Pangai Jr ($750,000), Addo-Carr ($500,000), Burton ($500,000), Kikau ($800,000) and Mahoney ($600,000) - the Dogs will be spending $3.15 million of their $10 million salary cap on just five players.
It will be one of the most star-studded rosters in the competition but Cronk believes the recruiting strategy has focused too much on attacking players.
The Bulldogs were one of the worst defensive teams in the NRL over the past two seasons, leaking 25.2 points per game in 2020 and 29.5 points per game in 2021.
Cronk questioned whether the Dogs have spent their cash wisely, emphasising that teams who win the competition prioritise defence.
“The Dogs had issues scoring points so they went out and bought a lot of attacking players and I don’t know if that’s the right approach for the Bulldogs,” Cronk told foxsports.com.au.
“Yes they need to score points and yes they need to have a threat but they also need to keep that (old) Bulldogs mentality about defence and that hardnose approach to winning games.
“Look at the last three or four games of the season, they were low scoring and the best defensive team ended up winning the competition.”
Burton, Pangai Jr, Naden and Kikau are coming from that team but as individuals they statistically have some defensive flaws.
The quartet conceded - either a penalty or a six again - 54 times in 2021. However, Pangai Jr moved from the Broncos mid-season.
Dufty didn’t give away a penalty in 2021 but he missed almost one in three tackles and reportedly wasn’t offered a new contract at the Dragons because of his defence.
“I’m really interested to see how the Bulldogs go, they’ve got some real talent there, Josh Addo-Carr, Burton, Pangai Jr, Vaughan, Dufty, all those guys are great players but they probably think scoring tries and creativity first,” Cronk said.
“Matt Dufty, if you believe the reports out of the Dragons, he was moved on because of his work ethic defensively.
Canterbury coach Trent Barrett.Source: Supplied
“It will be super interesting to see how Trent Barrett gets that team together.
“(Their defence) hasn’t been good enough, they’ve been down the bottom of the ladder, you can bring all the attacking flair your want to a team but if you can’t stop a team scoring points then you’re in trouble.
“They have the potential to be like the Wests Tigers in 2005 - and I’m not saying the Bulldogs will win the comp - but the Wests Tigers won the competition by outscoring the opposition.
“If they can get those attacking-mindset players to think defence first then I think the Bulldogs can climb up the ladder.
“If they don’t, they might improve just slightly.”
That’s the message from rugby league great Cooper Cronk who played in a gobsmacking nine NRL grand finals throughout his illustrious carer.
The Bulldogs - who would take just making the finals next year - have overhauled their roster after finishing second last in 2020 and collecting the wooden spoon this year.
Coach Trent Barrett arrived at the end of 2020, fresh off helping Penrith to the grand final as an assistant, and he immediately went on a signing spree.
Barrett landed Panthers trio Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai Jr and Brent Naden, Dragons duo Matt Dufty, Paul Vaughan and Storm superstar Josh Addo-Carr for the 2022 season.
Things then ramped up a notch when rugby league mastermind Phil Gould returned to Canterbury in July as the club’s general manager.
That saw the Dogs sign Eels star hooker Reed Mahoney and Panthers forward Viliame Kikau for the 2023 season.
It means in 2023, between Pangai Jr ($750,000), Addo-Carr ($500,000), Burton ($500,000), Kikau ($800,000) and Mahoney ($600,000) - the Dogs will be spending $3.15 million of their $10 million salary cap on just five players.
It will be one of the most star-studded rosters in the competition but Cronk believes the recruiting strategy has focused too much on attacking players.
The Bulldogs were one of the worst defensive teams in the NRL over the past two seasons, leaking 25.2 points per game in 2020 and 29.5 points per game in 2021.
Cronk questioned whether the Dogs have spent their cash wisely, emphasising that teams who win the competition prioritise defence.
“The Dogs had issues scoring points so they went out and bought a lot of attacking players and I don’t know if that’s the right approach for the Bulldogs,” Cronk told foxsports.com.au.
“Yes they need to score points and yes they need to have a threat but they also need to keep that (old) Bulldogs mentality about defence and that hardnose approach to winning games.
“Look at the last three or four games of the season, they were low scoring and the best defensive team ended up winning the competition.”
Burton, Pangai Jr, Naden and Kikau are coming from that team but as individuals they statistically have some defensive flaws.
The quartet conceded - either a penalty or a six again - 54 times in 2021. However, Pangai Jr moved from the Broncos mid-season.
Dufty didn’t give away a penalty in 2021 but he missed almost one in three tackles and reportedly wasn’t offered a new contract at the Dragons because of his defence.
“I’m really interested to see how the Bulldogs go, they’ve got some real talent there, Josh Addo-Carr, Burton, Pangai Jr, Vaughan, Dufty, all those guys are great players but they probably think scoring tries and creativity first,” Cronk said.
“Matt Dufty, if you believe the reports out of the Dragons, he was moved on because of his work ethic defensively.
“It will be super interesting to see how Trent Barrett gets that team together.
“(Their defence) hasn’t been good enough, they’ve been down the bottom of the ladder, you can bring all the attacking flair your want to a team but if you can’t stop a team scoring points then you’re in trouble.
“They have the potential to be like the Wests Tigers in 2005 - and I’m not saying the Bulldogs will win the comp - but the Wests Tigers won the competition by outscoring the opposition.
“If they can get those attacking-mindset players to think defence first then I think the Bulldogs can climb up the ladder.
“If they don’t, they might improve just slightly.”
