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I am writing to you, Mr Hasler, in regards to another disappointing loss and the Bulldogs’ elimination from the semi-finals after the thumping administered by the Penrith Panthers.
I felt moved to contact you Des (may I call you Des?) as there are a few questions and concerns I have about the transparency of your tactics and people’s misinterpretations of what you are doing with the current squad.
Life-long fans are baffled by your tactics, selections, and retention decisions that appear, from the outside, to be the reasons why the team seems so far off the pace in terms of being a real premiership threat.
There must be something we are all missing here on the outer fringes, there must be some sort of master plan or blueprint that is so complex and sophisticated that the common man, such as myself, is incapable of grasping its cleverness.
Perhaps you have chosen to keep this under wraps to protect us from our own feelings of inadequacy and stupidity, that we surely would experience in trying to comprehend such a game plan.
Please tell me this is the case, otherwise I might be persuaded to think that your approach to the game is far more primal and simplistic.
Des, it appears to the layman that you are obsessed with acquiring huge, dinosaur-like forwards blessed with very little ability other than straight, hard running.
You must be so proud of Aiden Tolman, James Graham, Tim Browne and David Klemmer and the way they tirelessly launch themselves at the line. What indefatigable warriors they are. I do seem to remember Graham ball playing quite a lot a few years back, he must have lost that skill recently, as I am sure you wouldn’t have discouraged that type of thing.
Thank goodness you are able to launch big Sam Kasiano into the action after 22 minutes and 37 seconds in the first half. Introducing him at that exact time each week really does keep the opposition guessing. Bulldogs fans are also wondering why he started against the Panthers, it ruined everything.
Is this all part of a convoluted plan that I wouldn’t understand? Please let me know Des, I am dying to find out.
The red zone attack you have developed appears to be one dimensional, ineffective and predictable. I’m sure I am missing something here as well. Bashing the ball forward in the opposition 20 with slow play the balls hasn’t produced the attack we needed over the last few years, yet I know there is more to it than that.
Is it the outside backs that are letting you down? Josh Jackson seems to be the most common attacking weapon on the right fringe. This must also be part of the strategy that I am yet to fully grasp.
I know you must have something more in store for Michael Lichaa. Fifty to sixty tackles a game without running, offload or tackle bust stats surely couldn’t be the full extent of his skill set.
How unlucky were we losing Michael Ennis who, after playing a similar role to Lichaa in your team, all of a sudden learnt how to run, kick, create and put fear into opposition teams around the ruck area while playing for the Sharks.
At least it didn’t improve the Sharks too much and see them contest for a premiership.
How are we going to unlock the creativity bubbling within our halves, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye, who are surely just as blessed with skill as any other pairing?
Some seem to think they are restricted in both opportunity and license, yet surely their use is more technical and strategic.
Can I ask a straightforward question Des? Is Tony Williams the underworking, overpaid insult to our fans that he appears to be? I’m sure you will be able to inform me of the immense value and consistent impact that he has on the game.
Compared to yours, my football eye, and apparently pretty much everybody else’s in the rugby league community, is somewhat untrained and I am sure we are all missing what Williams brings to our left edge attack.
I know it’s not tries or line breaks and it’s certainly not tackling prowess; please let me know, as I would like to learn more about the game.
Could you also explain why he has been given scope to look elsewhere for a club despite getting picked almost every week?
In addition, I thought it was interesting to note how you asked Josh Jackson, Michael Lichaa and Greg Eastwood to tackle for Williams. This was a fascinating strategy.
I’m sure Jackson appreciated the opportunity, especially with representative commitments and hopefully he recovers well from the multiple surgeries and procedures he is undertaking in the post season.
I’m sure there was a method behind this madness – if you could explain the method it would be much appreciated.
It was disappointing to see the NRL play big finals matches on Sunday again this season. They really let us down after our signing of Will Hopoate.
I’m sure you had become aware of their new plan of playing games only on secular days designed to respect the religious beliefs of players.
Otherwise, it would have appeared that the Dogs signed a marquee man who wouldn’t play in grand finals or other big September clashes. I’m almost certain that isn’t the case.
It was also pleasing to see Dale Finucane really struggle in Melbourne, amidst the Storm’s awfully inconsistent season that saw them just scrape into the finals. I’m glad you let him go.
This was obviously part of the grand vision you have for the club and I can’t wait for your reply so that we can all share that vision and people can get off your back about our unlucky exit.
The Panthers are young and cheeky, no match for our power forwards who are most effective in semi-finals, as was abundantly clear last weekend.
I call on you Des, respond to this letter and share with the foolish masses the mastery of strategy and science that you possess.
I fear people will start to think you are a conservative coach, hell bent on using big bodies to ensure a positive win-loss column, yet lacking the courage to play an expansive game in order to threaten more attacking teams.
If people were to see the forwards as masking our attacking deficiencies it would be a shame, as would a simplistic approach to our game plan that suggests it is predictable and built on brutality.
I look forward to your response Des, and the 2017 season.