How rock bottom Dogs rediscovered their DNA... and the key signing set to end NRL circus.
Darcie McDonald from Fox Sports
November 25th, 2022 6:59 am
No club has been through more changes over the last five years than the Bulldogs.
Since the start of 2018 there’s been five coaches, two overhauls of the board, two CEOs and a stack of players come and go.
But after several false starts, Canterbury-Bankstown look to be in their strongest position since the Des Hasler era (before it unravelled).
So strong in fact, that Michael Ennis — who led the Bulldogs to two grand finals — expects the club to play finals footy for the first time since 2016.
Speaking to foxsports.com.au, Ennis believes “there’s a lot to like” about the Bulldogs heading into next season — and when asked if they can make the top eight he said: “I think so, I really do.”
“I think they’re are on a great trajectory at the moment and their signings have been terrific,” he added.
Ennis is referring to Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton, who have signed with the club for next season along with some promising fringe players.
They’ll join the Dogs’ brightest stars Josh Addo-Carr and Matt Burton, who not only have formed a thrilling combination, but are fresh of a successful World Cup campaign with the Kangaroos too.
Cameron Ciraldo is perhaps the most important piece to the puzzle though and despite being unproven at an NRL level, Ennis is confident he’s the right man to get the proud club back to its glory days.
“You bring in Cameron Ciraldo — a fresh change to their coaching approach. I’ve had a little bit to do with Cameron and I really like the direction that he’s taking the club,” Ennis said.
“It’s an exciting time for the Dogs. If he can get some early momentum there’s very few places like it when it gets going. It’s one of the great joints in rugby league and the fans are some of the best in the game.”
Those fans have had to endure five years of false hope, disappointment and turmoil but at the back end of last season there was a glimmer of light shining at the end of the tunnel.
The attack started to click and the team’s confidence went through the roof.
“You can see sides that have been under the gun for a number of years, when things start to turn, how the vibe, everything just takes off,” Matty Johns said on Fox League after the Bulldogs produced back-to-back wins.
The Bulldogs finally look ready to compete again — here’s how they got there.
HITTING ROCK BOTTOM
The good news about claiming the wooden spoon? The only way is up.
That’s all Bulldogs fans could tell themselves after the club crashed and burned into a lonely last place finish in 2021 — eight points behind second last too.
Trent Barrett’s tenure as head coach began in miserable fashion. The Bulldogs didn’t score a point in three of their first four games and didn’t secure a win until Round 7. They became the second team in history to be held nil in three straight games and the 16 points they scored in the first four rounds was the fewest by any team since Glebe in 1928.
It looked like brighter days were ahead though when the club kicked off this year with a two-point win over the Cowboys — their first Round 1 win since 2016. But it didn’t mean much as six straight losses then followed.
There was a moment of hope after upsetting the Roosters in Round 8 but not even that could save Barrett, who was sacked just two weeks later.
The club was coachless and sitting last only two months into the season. If the wooden spoon wasn’t rock bottom, then this was.
Club great Mick Potter, who was coaching Mounties in NSW Cup and doing a bit of labouring on the side, was rushed in to take charge. Whether it was the fact there were no expectations or that he just simply had a better vision, something clicked in Belmore.
Although the Bulldogs lost their first game with Potter at the helm, they did score their most points for the season (22). The following week they topped that by two and the week after that put up a respectable fight against the eventual back-to-back premiers.
Then came the upset of the season — a 30-point shellacking of the Eels — followed by a big win over the Tigers. It was the Dogs’ first back-to-back wins in a season since 2019.
THE ENTERTAINERS
No longer were the Bulldogs the NRL’s easy beats — in fact they wound back the clock to even earn the ‘entertainers’ tag famously given to the club during the 1980s.
Sure, the 2022 side was a far cry from the side that boasted the likes of Steve Mortimer, Chris Anderson and George Peponis, but as any suffering rugby league fan will say, you’ve got to take the small wins.
Potter took a leaf out of 1980s coach Ted Glossop’s book and gave his players free rein.
He was asked on Fox League before the Eels game how he was planning on unlocking the Dogs’ attack and said: “Just getting the forwards to pass the ball a little bit more, freeing up our spine to go wherever they like.”
The forwards did exactly that with the ball going through Max King and Josh Jackson before finding halfback Kyle Flanagan, who put Jacob Kiraz through a whole to score.
Potter’s vision was a reality — and his players were big fans of their new style.
When Burton was asked about the turnaround during the season, he put it down to simply “playing more footy,” while Flanagan said: “the shackles are off now and we are excited by how we are playing.”
Jake Averillo, who enjoyed a switch to fullback under Potter, backed up his teammates.
“He tells us to play footy, if we see something just do it. Don’t worry about the consequences and it’s really working for us,” Averillo said.
“(It’s) just a change in mindset. I think we are playing every play on its merit. Before I think we were trying to get to a point for a play whereas now we’re playing eyes up and everyone’s pushing on the footy.”
Cooper Cronk even declared after their Round 20 win over the Knights: “It is must watch footy whenever the Bulldogs play.”
There were still some hard truths to come though as the ‘entertainers’ tag started to slip. The Warriors ran in seven tries against the Bulldogs in Round 22 and a week later the Eels got sweet revenge in a 42-6 thrashing.
But the season ended on a high — a thrilling one point win over Manly iced by Burton’s boot in the 78th minute.
The Bulldogs finished the season 12th and their new style of play mixed in with new signings on their way to Belmore ignited something that’s been missing in fans for years — belief.
Potter was rewarded for his efforts too with a job as an assistant coach next season.
KEY SIGNING KICKS OFF REBUILD
No club has been more active in the player market than the Bulldogs, but perhaps the most important signing the club has made is general manager of football, Phil Gould.
As one of the most powerful figures in rugby league and the man credited for the Panthers’ production line of talent, Gould’s commitment was a huge coup for the Bulldogs.
Only his level of passion for the lower grades and developing talent could make up for the lost time under Hasler, whose tunnel vision caused a lot of players to slip through the cracks.
Gould played a key role in signing Mahoney and Kikau, while the next generation of talent — SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup — is beginning to thrive under his watch.
He’s also made an effort to inject the famous Bulldogs DNA back into the club by bringing back Willie Mason and Mark O’Meley as a pathways transition coach and defence coach respectively.
Born and bred Bulldog Josh Reynolds will get the chance to finish off his career where it started and that’s all thanks to Gould.
It’s moves like this that Ennis believes are important in rebuilding the club and will help instil a winning culture.
“I think you’ve got to know where you’ve come from,” he said.
“You’ve got to know the history of the jersey you’re pulling on and understand what the legacy is of that jersey. It’s got to stand for something, the jersey, when you pull it on every Friday night.
“It’s hard to understand that if you don’t know the history of where it’s come from and where it’s been.
“Some of the great players that have worn that jersey and been involved at successful times around the Bulldogs Cameron and Phil have brought back around, which is so important for the young guys to give them some foundations of what it means to wear that jersey.”
Darcie McDonald from Fox Sports
November 25th, 2022 6:59 am
No club has been through more changes over the last five years than the Bulldogs.
Since the start of 2018 there’s been five coaches, two overhauls of the board, two CEOs and a stack of players come and go.
But after several false starts, Canterbury-Bankstown look to be in their strongest position since the Des Hasler era (before it unravelled).
So strong in fact, that Michael Ennis — who led the Bulldogs to two grand finals — expects the club to play finals footy for the first time since 2016.
Speaking to foxsports.com.au, Ennis believes “there’s a lot to like” about the Bulldogs heading into next season — and when asked if they can make the top eight he said: “I think so, I really do.”
“I think they’re are on a great trajectory at the moment and their signings have been terrific,” he added.
Ennis is referring to Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton, who have signed with the club for next season along with some promising fringe players.
They’ll join the Dogs’ brightest stars Josh Addo-Carr and Matt Burton, who not only have formed a thrilling combination, but are fresh of a successful World Cup campaign with the Kangaroos too.
Cameron Ciraldo is perhaps the most important piece to the puzzle though and despite being unproven at an NRL level, Ennis is confident he’s the right man to get the proud club back to its glory days.
“You bring in Cameron Ciraldo — a fresh change to their coaching approach. I’ve had a little bit to do with Cameron and I really like the direction that he’s taking the club,” Ennis said.
“It’s an exciting time for the Dogs. If he can get some early momentum there’s very few places like it when it gets going. It’s one of the great joints in rugby league and the fans are some of the best in the game.”
Those fans have had to endure five years of false hope, disappointment and turmoil but at the back end of last season there was a glimmer of light shining at the end of the tunnel.
The attack started to click and the team’s confidence went through the roof.
“You can see sides that have been under the gun for a number of years, when things start to turn, how the vibe, everything just takes off,” Matty Johns said on Fox League after the Bulldogs produced back-to-back wins.
The Bulldogs finally look ready to compete again — here’s how they got there.
HITTING ROCK BOTTOM
The good news about claiming the wooden spoon? The only way is up.
That’s all Bulldogs fans could tell themselves after the club crashed and burned into a lonely last place finish in 2021 — eight points behind second last too.
Trent Barrett’s tenure as head coach began in miserable fashion. The Bulldogs didn’t score a point in three of their first four games and didn’t secure a win until Round 7. They became the second team in history to be held nil in three straight games and the 16 points they scored in the first four rounds was the fewest by any team since Glebe in 1928.
It looked like brighter days were ahead though when the club kicked off this year with a two-point win over the Cowboys — their first Round 1 win since 2016. But it didn’t mean much as six straight losses then followed.
There was a moment of hope after upsetting the Roosters in Round 8 but not even that could save Barrett, who was sacked just two weeks later.
The club was coachless and sitting last only two months into the season. If the wooden spoon wasn’t rock bottom, then this was.
Club great Mick Potter, who was coaching Mounties in NSW Cup and doing a bit of labouring on the side, was rushed in to take charge. Whether it was the fact there were no expectations or that he just simply had a better vision, something clicked in Belmore.
Although the Bulldogs lost their first game with Potter at the helm, they did score their most points for the season (22). The following week they topped that by two and the week after that put up a respectable fight against the eventual back-to-back premiers.
Then came the upset of the season — a 30-point shellacking of the Eels — followed by a big win over the Tigers. It was the Dogs’ first back-to-back wins in a season since 2019.
THE ENTERTAINERS
No longer were the Bulldogs the NRL’s easy beats — in fact they wound back the clock to even earn the ‘entertainers’ tag famously given to the club during the 1980s.
Sure, the 2022 side was a far cry from the side that boasted the likes of Steve Mortimer, Chris Anderson and George Peponis, but as any suffering rugby league fan will say, you’ve got to take the small wins.
Potter took a leaf out of 1980s coach Ted Glossop’s book and gave his players free rein.
He was asked on Fox League before the Eels game how he was planning on unlocking the Dogs’ attack and said: “Just getting the forwards to pass the ball a little bit more, freeing up our spine to go wherever they like.”
The forwards did exactly that with the ball going through Max King and Josh Jackson before finding halfback Kyle Flanagan, who put Jacob Kiraz through a whole to score.
Potter’s vision was a reality — and his players were big fans of their new style.
When Burton was asked about the turnaround during the season, he put it down to simply “playing more footy,” while Flanagan said: “the shackles are off now and we are excited by how we are playing.”
Jake Averillo, who enjoyed a switch to fullback under Potter, backed up his teammates.
“He tells us to play footy, if we see something just do it. Don’t worry about the consequences and it’s really working for us,” Averillo said.
“(It’s) just a change in mindset. I think we are playing every play on its merit. Before I think we were trying to get to a point for a play whereas now we’re playing eyes up and everyone’s pushing on the footy.”
Cooper Cronk even declared after their Round 20 win over the Knights: “It is must watch footy whenever the Bulldogs play.”
There were still some hard truths to come though as the ‘entertainers’ tag started to slip. The Warriors ran in seven tries against the Bulldogs in Round 22 and a week later the Eels got sweet revenge in a 42-6 thrashing.
But the season ended on a high — a thrilling one point win over Manly iced by Burton’s boot in the 78th minute.
The Bulldogs finished the season 12th and their new style of play mixed in with new signings on their way to Belmore ignited something that’s been missing in fans for years — belief.
Potter was rewarded for his efforts too with a job as an assistant coach next season.
KEY SIGNING KICKS OFF REBUILD
No club has been more active in the player market than the Bulldogs, but perhaps the most important signing the club has made is general manager of football, Phil Gould.
As one of the most powerful figures in rugby league and the man credited for the Panthers’ production line of talent, Gould’s commitment was a huge coup for the Bulldogs.
Only his level of passion for the lower grades and developing talent could make up for the lost time under Hasler, whose tunnel vision caused a lot of players to slip through the cracks.
Gould played a key role in signing Mahoney and Kikau, while the next generation of talent — SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup — is beginning to thrive under his watch.
He’s also made an effort to inject the famous Bulldogs DNA back into the club by bringing back Willie Mason and Mark O’Meley as a pathways transition coach and defence coach respectively.
Born and bred Bulldog Josh Reynolds will get the chance to finish off his career where it started and that’s all thanks to Gould.
It’s moves like this that Ennis believes are important in rebuilding the club and will help instil a winning culture.
“I think you’ve got to know where you’ve come from,” he said.
“You’ve got to know the history of the jersey you’re pulling on and understand what the legacy is of that jersey. It’s got to stand for something, the jersey, when you pull it on every Friday night.
“It’s hard to understand that if you don’t know the history of where it’s come from and where it’s been.
“Some of the great players that have worn that jersey and been involved at successful times around the Bulldogs Cameron and Phil have brought back around, which is so important for the young guys to give them some foundations of what it means to wear that jersey.”
