At the start of the NRL year, Canterbury’s plans were much more Kieran Foran than they were Lachlan Lewis.
Aaron Woods was their chief forwards recruit to partner David Klemmer up front, and Moses Mbye was shifting to fullback to allow Will Hopoate to strike out wide.
Rhyse Martin was an uncapped reserve grader, just a possibility to get a start if things went wrong in the forward pack.
And Reimis Smith? He was a winger who scored two tries on debut in the mix of State of Origin selection chaos two years ago and hadn’t been seen again.
“There were some guys there not even in our top 30,” Bulldogs coach Dean Pay said after the Bulldogs fourth win in five games against St George Illawarra on Sunday.
“You can’t play the if you’re not in your top 30. Obviously through the year things change and they get an opportunity and things happen.
“We’ve got a number of young guys playing well right now and some young guys coming to the club next year.”
Canterbury’s year had been filled with drama. Just two months ago it was viewed as on track for being arguably one of the worst in the club’s history amid salary cap issues.
But in Lewis, Martin and Smith the Dogs have seen more than just a silver lining. They’ve been given a new dawn.
Martin, having played just 12 games in the second row, will all but certainly end the year as the club’s leading points-scorer if he recovers from a knee injury against Cronulla next week.
The 25-year-old’s crossed for four tries and booted over 33 goals from 34 attempts.
Then there’s 21-year-old Smith, who got his first career hat-trick and scored two tries from his own end in the Bulldogs’ 38-0 flogging of the Dragons – their biggest ever win over the merged club.
In the winger the Dogs have some real pace – the kind they’ve rarely seen since Ben Barba left the club at the end of 2013 – to the point where he’s broken the line 13 times in just 10 games this year.
“He’s a great kid Reimis. He works really hard on his game,” Pay said.
“He got his opportunity and he’s taking it. Can’t be more happy for him.”
Lewis meanwhile, is the most-hyped of the trio despite being told in the pre-season he could look elsewhere after being left out of the Bulldogs’ top 30.
““If you know the kid, he just takes everything in his stride,” Pay said.
“He never gets flustered by anything.
“He is a footy player and that is what he is. He’s the same as Reimis and Rhyse Martin, he’s got an opportunity and he’s taken it.”
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well surely the Dragons song is not appropriate for them to sing after last nights dismal performance lol We are the St George boys, We had a win today, We are the boys you know of, Who show them how to play, No matter where you be, The red and white you'll see, Now aren't we a wonderful credit, To our locality!
The Barry
Roar Guru
I don’t know where else Meaney can play other than fullback? Maybe on the wing? But it’s a massive ask for a young bloke to come in and play his first full season at the back. Look at Dufty this year. Meaney looks a skinny kid too. Fullbacks have to continually cart the ball back into the defensive line, they need to take the ball to the line in attack. They have to be focused in defence organising the line and ensuring they’re in position. It’s physically and mentally exhausting and it’s a big ask for a young bloke. Hopoate has been playing well this second half of the season and when he has halves creating looks a far better proposition in attack. Haven’t thought too much of Crichton or Cogger in the limited times I’ve seen them.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
If young Smith isn't one of the fastest players in the NRL,I'm not here.An absolute revelation, blitzing the Dragons as though they were in a trance. Lewis is a footballer(thinking player) and with the interviews I've seen of him, a decent well spoken,humble kid who could be the face of the NRL down the line.That is, if KP goes to the ABs. if I were a Dog's fan,I'd be pretty upbeat about 2019.
Albo
Guest
Yep ! Pretty good summary there Baz. I would agree with all you have concluded there. I reckon the Dogs will have a pretty good pack with just the usual query around Lichaa ( who I don't mind for his workload). I love the two young stars Lewis & Smith ( I have them both in my Supercoach squad), but I reckon they will still be light on in the backs next season. They will miss the Morris twins for lots of experience . I do like Meaney as a buy for fullback, but leave me out of Crichton & Cogger, and I was never a fan of buying Foran with his history of issues.
Robert F
Guest
Couldn't agree with you more TB. To be honest i kind of hope the team becomes Lachlan's and Foran is left out. I don't want to see the kids growth stunted. He continually gets better and boy he can tackle..... The forward pack will be one of the best but as you said gapping holes in the backline with the Morris boys going..... Remis to me looks and plays better than Marcelo Montoya. He needs to retain his spot over Montoya but it worries me as they got the kid from Penrith w huh o isn't all that. Only time will tell but i knoe one thing and that's you kept calling for Rhyse to be playing not only for his skill but slso goal kicking. Jow right you were!!
The Barry
Roar Guru
There have been Bulldogs fans crying out for these guys to get a run for a long time but Hasler was never willing to give them a shot. Martin has been destroying the NSW Cup for years. The Dogs ISC Cup team also whipped the Panthers first grade team in a trial this year. The quality we have going out exceeds the quality coming in though. Now the Dogs are playing more expansive footy we’re seeing that these guys still have the pace and skills in attack, they’re rock solid defensively and do all the 1%ers. It’s devestating to see them forced to move on. Especially Josh who has been a club legend. My think the signings for next year are the boy named Sue who will strengthen the bench. Fullback Nick Meaney who looks the goods in only a couple of first grade outings but is young and inexperienced. Does he get the 1 jumper and Hoppa move back to the centres? Jack Cogger also from the Knights. Where does he fit in around Lewis, Foran, Frawley, JMK, Nu Brown and Josh Cleeland? I’d imagine Cleeland will be moved on - disappointed he never got a shot because he’s also been a year on year good player in NSW Cup. Christian Crichton the young winger from the Panthers who hasn’t really set the world on fire. So while there will be two big Morris shaped holes in the lineup I don’t think the guys coming in are really strengthening the squad too much. We will have RFM coming back from injury into the powerful backrow rotation of Jackson, Martin, Elliott and RFM. This late season surge from the Dogs has been gratifying but I don’t necessarily think it spells automatic success for 2019. I think it will be a tough season again. However when you take into account the Dogs eight losses by six points or less, there doesn’t need to be a huge turnaround to have a far more successful season.