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Des Hasler and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have officially parted ways, effective immediately, vacating the role of head coach at Belmore.
With the top job at one of the NRL’s biggest clubs now available there will be plenty of names thrown around but there are only two options.
Forget Michael Maguire and the Walker brothers. Laurie Daley, Todd Payten and Neil Henry won’t be there either. The race is down to two: Jim Dymock and Dean Pay.
Dymock and Pay are two legends of the club. There may have been some bitterness when both left for the Parramatta Eels during the Super League war, but the Bulldogs need an insider as head coach.
After starting out his coaching career with the Sharks, Dymock joined the Bulldogs as assistant coach.
The 71-game veteran of the blue and white took over the reins from Kevin Moore as interim coach in 2011, with five wins and three losses before Hasler came in, Dymock becoming Des’ right-hand man.
Dymock has previously coached Mate Ma’a Tonga at the highest level, taking control during the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
He knows the club inside and out, is familiar with the playing group, well-liked and takes a hands-on approach to coaching. During Round 26, when Hasler fell ill, Dymock stepped up in addressing the media and rallying his troops, resulting in a win over the Dragons, sending the Red V’s finals hopes up in flames.
Should Dymock take over, he will do a good job. However, his resume isn’t nearly as good as former teammate Pay.
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Pay played 108 games for the Bulldogs, and began coaching in 2009, when he joined Kevin Walters at the Catalans Dragons, before moving to the Melbourne Storm as NYC coach in 2010.
During this time, Pay developed a close working relationship with Craig Bellamy and led the New South Wales under-20s to five straight series wins between 2012 and 2016.
Pay left the Storm in 2013 to take up a role as assistant coach to Ricky Stuart and although contracted until 2018, he is open to the opportunity of becoming an NRL head coach.
Both Dymock and Pay possess the knowledge, composure and experience to breed the ‘Dogs of War’ identity back into Belmore. Both bleed blue and white, and would be wise choices to lead the club.
However, while Dymock and Pay are the main contenders for the role, Steve Georgallis may end up taking over.
Georgallis joined the club at the beginning of 2017, immediately transforming the Bulldogs’ NSW Cup team into a premiership contender, as they finished the regular season in fourth position, falling short of the grand final after losing 16-12 to Penrith last weekend.
The playing group are already familiar with Georgallis’ coaching regime, making the transition relatively easy.
The Bulldogs need to rebuild the identity and culture that bred success in the club’s golden years. Jim Dymock and Dean Pay are the men to do so.
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