There’s nothing more comical than a massive overreaction from rugby league fans who call for the sacking of their club’s coach after the team – without their starting halfback – loses a mid-season game against the current premiership leaders.
When said coach is also recognised as one of the best in the competition, has led his team to two of the last three NRL grand finals, and still has them in the top eight and therefore on-track of a finals berth this season, it’s actually bordering on insanity to suggest he should lose his job.
Fear not, for despite the headline, I’m not suggesting the Bulldogs should fire Des Hasler.
However, at some point – and I suggest it’s now – some questions need to be asked about why the Bulldogs often look like the worst coached team in the NRL.
Look no further than the team’s loss to the Brisbane Broncos on Saturday night for evidence of that line of thinking.
With the Dogs down by eight points with three minutes to go, the ball found its way to prop Sam Kasiano on the left-hand side early in the tackle count. The front-rower inexplicably put in a short grubber kick, Brisbane forced it dead for a line dropout, which in-turn wasted more than a minute of play.
With the Dogs needing to score twice, the kick essentially ended the game.
Not exactly intelligent football.
Moments later, the Dogs were attacking Brisbane’s line on the fifth tackle. After some scrappy play the ball found its way to Brett Morris near the sideline, who then proceeded to charge into three Broncos defenders like it was a hit-up on the first tackle of a set. Whistle. Changeover. Brisbane ball. Game over.
Not exactly intelligent football.
Just before all of this had occurred, Tim Lafai ran sideways towards the sideline, where he was gang-tackled by a number of Brisbane defenders, who forced him into a touch – greatly assisted by the wet conditions that every player on the ground was aware of. Apart from the Bulldogs centre, it seems.
Not exactly intelligent football.
Though these three incidents stood out because they came in the dying minutes when the Dogs were desperately trying to score a try to get back into the game, they were hardly isolated moments of questionable play.
In the first half, with the Dogs in good field position attacking Brisbane’s line, Dave Klemmer suddenly believed he was Joey Johns and attempted a long cut-out ball… to no one.
Likewise, with the Dogs 10 metres out from Brisbane’s line, and the chance to put some pressure on the Broncos’ defence, Josh Reynolds kicked the ball back towards the previous ruck, where his teammates were naturally offside.
Not exactly intelligent football.
To be honest, I could list a number of similar plays from Saturday night, but my concern isn’t confined to the loss to the Broncos. Every sporting team is allowed one poor game, or one night where they seem prone to making silly mistakes. It’s sport, it happens.
The issue is that such mental errors are the hallmark of the Dogs’ 2015 campaign; they’ve been doing it all season long. The team seems to lack direction, or the ability to make the right play at the right time, to the point where the Dogs’ fifth tackle options have become a source of amusement for opposing team’s fans.
A lot of the blame has been laid with the halves, and the criticism is fair enough, considering the primary roles of the halfback and five-eighth are fifth tackle plays and general leadership of the team.
Trent Hodkinson can be a passenger in attack, and lacks the creativity and ball skills of other halfbacks in the competition. Reynolds gives maximum effort and is always in the thick of the action, but he’s not what one would call a ‘cerebral player’.
Lastly, Moses Mbye is an exciting young talent, but he’s still finding his feet in first grade.
Together, the trio have a lot of ability, but lack the maturity, level-heads and overall nous that a premiership contender ideally would like from their halves combination.
However, none of this is new news. I’ve been making similar comments about the Bulldogs’ playmaking for nearly three years now, and while it’s easy to blame the players, this is the team that Des wanted. It’s therefore incumbent upon him to address the worst kept secret in rugby league: the Dogs are a joke in attack.
This isn’t a Hasler witch-hunt, and I’m not suggesting he be fired. Far from it. As a Doggies fan, I want him at the club for a very long time, because I believe him to be a great coach. He’s probably forgotten more about rugby league than I’ll ever know.
However, just as with any highly paid position in life, there needs to be accountability, and in this instance someone needs to be accountable for the fact that the Dogs have not played smart footy this year.
Are the players not executing Hasler’s plans? Or do the players not have the required plans in the first place? Which is it?
Either way, with 18 rounds of football now in the rear-view mirror, it’s well overdue for these questions to be answered. And it’s the coach who should be answering them.
Grand Armee
Guest
The Dogs would not have been in the grand final if they had to play Souths, the Roosters or the Cowboys in the lead up. They were on the easier side of the draw.
steve
Guest
Fair points. The halves' cause is not helped by number 1 or number 9 not kicking in general play to take pressure off. I can't imagine that Lichaa isn't capable of putting a grubber in behind the line so this is Des's fault for not giving him a kicking license. Maybe Lichaa can't kick. Freaks me out that a highly rated dummy half cannot pass left to right at a distance without turning his body around to make it a right to left pass.
JOHNY BULLDOG
Roar Rookie
Totally agree catcat-Dessie is one clever/sly dude & he'll have a few surprises moving forward.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
You wouldn't pick Morris or Rona ahead of Tupou? BZZZZZZZZZZZZT.
catcat
Roar Rookie
There is a lot of faith in Des at Belmore and the team made the grand final last year.I think the team missed Ennis' organisation at the start of the season, then we have had so many players out due to injury and suspension. The only positives have been Moses MBye and Shaun Lane. Some other comments here have discussed the kicking game. At the start of the season Tolman was making a lot of our metres- I don't think the other guys were putting in. Then they got a bit better- but we still struggled I think for such a big forward pack. Our kick returns have poor without BMoz, Perret/Thompson/Lafai are small guys and we can easily use up 2-3 tackles going nowhere on each return. Then when we get to 5th tackle Hokko gets gun shy, throws it to MBye or Reynolds or whoever and chaos can ensue- something I think Ennis used to cover for last year. Despite all this I still think Des has some tricks up his sleeve and we may start to see a change in tactics for the back end of the season. IN DES WE TRUST!
Jay C
Roar Guru
Des has the roster to win the comp... Implies the best Roster, to me anyway. But I just can't see anyone besides Graham making the Roosters line up. So a grand final loss is probably par.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I don't think he said the Dogs had the best roster in the comp?
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Yep, fair point, Alex (re: continuity).
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Thanks for the comment, Matthew. I particularly like this comment " . . .we always seem to see the finer details on teams we follow", as I think it's an astute comment. There is no doubt the Dogs are under my microscope because I watch every minute of their games, and it's true that you don't tend to notice other team's mistakes quite as much, as you're not as invested (either physically or emotional) when they're playing. I still think the Dogs execution this year is worse than most teams, but I certainly take your point.
The Gronk
Guest
I know you were using the warriors as an example Adrian but how anyone could wish their team be more like the warriors is crazy. The Dogs have made TWO OUT OF THE LAST THREE grand finals. You know this year isn't over don't you. You also mentioned about wanting you team to play good looking football. In 2012, they played some of the most exciting football I can remember. Reminded me of some of my early memories of footy being played, the early 90's Broncos. You don't sound like a very fun person to watch a game of footy with. You would be complaining the whole game, yer the Dogs won by 30 but they could have won by 36 if they played perfect.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Ohhhhhhhh? Really?
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I hope you're right!
Jay C
Roar Guru
I disagree. Roosters have a far better roster than the Dogs. James Graham is realistically the only dog who would push their way into the Roosters starting team.
Adrian Cross
Guest
Ryan you have said exactly what a lot of Bulldog supporters have been saying. Des has the roster to win the comp...except in the halves. He is ultimately the man who does the hiring and firing. Our forwards are big and strong but I question all this one out play. I look at teams like the Warriors and watch them run as a pack with players always backing up for the potential opportunity. Do the Dogs do that? Maybe for 1st 20 minutes, Then its just one up runs settle for next one up run. We have backs who I believe if given the opportunity could do serious damage but they are always shallow in attack and rarely do you see them backing up a forward looking for a short pass or offload. I want my team to win but I want them to look good doing it. By looking good I don't mean the Lafai haircut either!
JOHNY BULLDOG
Roar Rookie
Good call KC!
JOHNY BULLDOG
Roar Rookie
Love your comments Jas-hope your correct...& I think you will be.Nice win by your boys to mate.
pat malone
Guest
i think there were other non public decisions for JT leaving ROC
pat malone
Guest
i see age has made you bitter, i am going to try and avoid the same pitfalls
Danno1
Guest
As a bulldogs supporter I tend to agree with this article. The dogs have been playing scrappy football for nearly 2 years. These guys are professionals, they train upmteen times a week, they have time on their hands for "extras" yet every game on set plays the dogs have fired passes to no one. It happened twice on Saurday once by Graham and once be Eastwood. The double cut out play through the backs that every team has copied from Melbourne sees the dogs aiming to the corner post, not straight. I can't fathom how this occurs, it is either that is the angle they are trying to run,in which case the winger gets the ball while running towards the sideline, or they continually stuff it up. On the kicking Reynolds has proved he can kick 40/20s so distance shouldn't be an issue, but all the halves have a propensity to find a back on the full. Kicking is something that all the halves should be practicing, even after all the other players have finished training. My concern is that the halves haven't improved that much since Des has been there. Also the forwards pass far less than they did in 2012, there is less chain passing, running and drawing, Des has taken them backwards in this regard. i guess in a bid for improved "completion" stats, but completions don't mean anything if the defence is not tested. One year under Folkes the dogs had about the best completions in the comp and about the worst points scored, because it was one-off and then kick. One final point in the Dogs favour is that T-Rex is out, how Des kept picking him and supported him over Marty Tapau and Dale Finucane are 2 questions I'd love to hear him answer.
Freighter
Guest
I think the Dogs are in the midst of changing their style of attack.... The Dogs have lost one half of their spine from last year, and their 5/8 has played only a handful of games this season.... They are adapting to this. Watch them get on a roll into the finals.