In a week the Daily Telegraph linked their footy club to a man alleged to have been preparing a terrorist attack – boo, tabloid newspaper, boo – those Canterbury Bulldogs fans who sat in the soaking rain Thursday night at Homebush deserved something for their effort.
Instead, they were just about disrespected again by their own players.
Yes, the dear old Tele, which knows better but can’t help itself, risked alienating the City of Bankstown just as the Sun did the entire city of Liverpool when it blamed Reds fans for the Hillsborough disaster.
The Sun‘s sales never recovered on Merseyside after 1989, and Billy Bragg wrote a song that went ‘Scousers never buy the Sun‘.
Dog People may follow suit. From Dessie down they were ropable with that ‘Bulldog and a bomb’ headline a Telegraph subeditor presumably felt was a good if edgy fit for a paper that sees itself as a straight-talking knockabout voice of the average Australian.
Anyway, Bulldogs fans have had no love this week. Their team is rubbish, and nobody knows why given they turn out such a talent-strewn squadron.
Consider this: Of the 17 big Dogs who ran out Thursday night, eight have played international rugby league. There were 56 Origin caps among them. There was Josh Jackson, David Klemmer and Sam Kasiano. There were Morris brothers. Will Hopoate’s played for Australia. James Graham has captained England.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
It looked like they were on their end-of-season trip.
Instead of slogging away against traditional western Sydney foes the Parramatta Eels, the Bulldogs were on the plane to Bali or Cancun or wherever single, tattooed tearaways head for the 20-something version of schoolies.
Wherever – they didn’t seem to be at Homebush. Not in their minds, anyway.
And they were summarily flogged by the Eels 20-4. It could’ve been twice that by half time had it been dry, as Andrew Johns observed.
Yes, Josh Reynolds had a bit of argie and also some bargie going in at half time, and the Dogs scored a nice try in the 58th minute as the rain really came down when chunky centre man Brenko Lee busted through Semi Radradra and put Marcelo Montoya – who probably never spent his life learning expert sword play so he could avenge his father against a six-fingered man – away for a try.
“We could have a game on our hands,” suggested caller Ray Hadley. “We live in hope.”
But we did not, and Ray knew it. It was over.
Do Dogs fans live in hope? They must – it’s all they have.
Aaron Woods is turning up in 2018, probably, as is Dessie’s muse, Kieran Foran, who you would hope for everyone’s sake – Foran’s most of all – has cast off the great thumping baboons on his back.
And yet the Morris boys aren’t getting younger, Hasler still won’t really have a halfback and Kasiano is off to the Melbourne Storm, where he’ll likely reprise his Dally M best prop forward form under Craig Bellamy, who is – fire up your best Ray Warren – a dead-set alchemist.
And the Bulldogs are bad.
(AAP Image/Paul Miller)
As it always does, blame falls on the coach. Hasler has two premierships – both with Manly, in 2008 and 2011. He’s taken Canterbury to the finals in each of his five seasons, including the 2012 grand final when the Dogs won the minor premiership and their big yins played like Paul Harragon with Gavin Miller’s skills.
They were good, the Dogs. But today they’re “clueless with the ball” according to Johns, who would know.
The opening try was embarrassing for Graham, who allowed a fellow front-rower to roll right on through him and over the line. For the next two tries, Mitchell Moses did whatever he liked.
They went into the sheds down 16-0 after it was left to Klemmer to kick for the corner.
“I don’t know where they go to from here,” said Johns. “All the effort areas are going with the Eels. I really feel sorry for their fans.”
“They don’t look happy,” said Braith Anasta on the other channel. “They haven’t for a long, long time. There has to be a bigger issue.”
Was it their makeshift halves? Moses Mbye is a talent, but he’s a five-eighth, surely.
Chase Stanley wore the four, played seven, put up a midfield bomb that went straight upwards. At least Klemmer’s went forward.
Halfback Matt Frawley didn’t come off the bench at all.
Now, who am I to second-guess Hasler given I’ve coached and played 676 fewer first-grade games in the toughest rugby league competition in the world?
However, on behalf of suffering Dog people who’ve been disrespected by media and players and other fans and their club administration which sold their favourite player – well, what is doing, Desmond?
Magic Lyrebird
Guest
What a ripper! There was a time when the Dogs ran free. They haven't always been the bunch of lumbering geriatric clod-hoppers they appear today.
Johnybulldog
Guest
I love Klemmer.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Klemmer's still only 23. His metres stats stack up against anyone in the comp. I agree about the variation, an offload or a bit of a step at the line would help no end. Parker was in his late 20s when he mixed his game up so Klemmer has plenty of time. But he's got the silly penalties and mistakes out of his game. He's definitely matured.
Johnybulldog
Guest
Wow,thanks for that link Baz,I remember dad & I hugging & doing hi fives while mum looked at us like the idiots we are! I understand the reasons but gee I miss the shoulder charge....good times.
Johnybulldog
Guest
Cheers mate,I'll watch that now...how I loved that side.
The Barry
Roar Guru
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v4O8Sat5Y40 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl6dcjEutgI Hey JB - while we're reminiscing, here is the 95 semi final v Brisbane. One of my all time favourite games. I've just watched the first half over lunch. If nothing else, check out the hit from Pay on Lazzo at about 3:30. Such a good game. The style of footy is better. Neither team afraid to throw the ball two or three passes wide at their own end early in the tackle count. Plenty of unforced errors that wouldn't be acceptable these days but great instinctive footy. Pay, Britt and Gillies brutal early. Jim Dymock and Lamb so skilful with so many finesse touches. This was a gun Broncos team too. Dogs were not given much chance in the lead up.
Larry1950
Guest
Bulldogs are the most 'switch-offable' side when it comes to FTA broadcast, boring & unwatchable. Think you're a bit generous to Klemmer, for a bloke with the exposure & experience in test and origin footy, he's shown absolutely no improvement or variation in his game for years. Klemmer needs to take a leaf out of Corey Parker's book, went from cart it up workhorse to quality ball player in his latter seasons. RFM just tries to offload at will, like he did against the Broncos, but there's no selectivity in them and he doesn't have Klemmer's experience. There's a sameness about the pack (Graham, Tolman, Eastwood) that doesn't test savvy opposition while the Morris twins are showing signs of wear & tear. Reynolds has clocked off and Kasiano's biggest play is to try to milk a play the ball penalty every time he hits the ground. Woods seems to be a similar type of prop to the three mentioned above, how will he improve them? People need to remember the 2012 GF was 5 years ago & they're still trotting out the same guys who weren't up to it then. Time for a rebuild. How did they ever resign Eastwood with his poor fitness, injury risk & short game minutes? Should have let the Warriors carry the can when they had a chance.
Johnybulldog
Guest
Agree mate,I love the Preston Campbell,Matty bowen,Benny Barba style players.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah...how quickly it went pear shaped. It really was an exhilarating season of footy. It's funny when people think back - they talk about the Dogs "forward oriented" style and that they still play the same style five years later. No way to both. I've never season so many length of the field tries. Barba, Morris and Reynolds were absolutely electric. Ben Barba had the best individual season I've ever seen. I'd love him to get his act together, come back to the NRL and deliver again on his potential. Oh well.
Birdy
Guest
Yep I think you've nailed it perfectly TB. Our discussion was just before Woods signed with the dogs creating speculatiin Graham could be released for salary cap reasons. Conversation being who i would prefer and why do so many people bag him. I think we kept tripping over each other trying to agree. I just couldn't find those 2 defining words, " worker V agressor" Blocker calls him the meter eater and said he would sign him before Tedesco. No way I could agree with that. I would certainly have him in my team but on the proviso that i had Tommy Raudonikis as my motivational team face slapper.
Long Black
Roar Rookie
You absolutely do not have to feel bad for Aaron Woods.
JOHNY BULLDOG
Roar Rookie
Wow thanks Baz,great memories...arhhhh what might have been....
The Barry
Roar Guru
I watched this clip this morning Bulldogs fans. Not sure if it helps or hurts more... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RffAff7gUBI
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah, I was trying to remember which game that was. I know he's just come back from a neck/shoulder injury but Graham looked poor. He fell off more tackles than I've seen. His contact on Alvaro when he scored was awful and so un-Graham like. But the other thing is that he's had a few weeks off. Even when players come back still injured they often come back freshened up in other ways but he looked absolutely exhausted from early.
Peter
Guest
Following the Montoya comment (brilliant!), perhaps a modification of another line: "I want my Dogs back, you son of a bitch!"
Alex L
Roar Rookie
The best I saw Fualalo play this year was actually when he got 60 minutes against the Sharks -- he looked absolutely shot by the end of it though. I'd be happy to see Graham medically retired at this point.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
"Hey you guuuys!"
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
I've seen the Goonies though
Rob
Guest
I really would like to see Wolford given a go since he played well for Canberra last year. I'm not sold on Garvey. I know someone who has played personally with Garvey and they don't rate him much. We shared the same view that he tries to do too much without at least establishing a base. Foran has better league smarts, ability and kicking game then Reynolds and Mbye combined so I believe he will make a difference especially in straightening the line provided he stays injury free but the key will also be who plays in the number 1 position. Brad Abbey has that hunger to want to play harder and make a name for himself and I just feel B Moz is better than Hopoate in that role as well. Mariner is shaping up to be our next ball player I believe. He needs bigger minutes. I finished saying to a mate that Morris always follows up on Graham up on that inside ball play around the markers which usually ends in a line break or try and that very week they did it for a try. Hopoate has never played it well mind you always seems indecisive defending our try line.
Jara W
Guest
36 points/4 games. I think they'll scrape in just over 300. The marker I heard mentioned a few times was Hazem El Masri's 342 points in a season. Buckley's chance of that reaching that one!