Where to now for the troubled Bulldogs?

Major salary cap issues, a win separating themselves and last place and, recently, their poor mad Monday behaviour expose – it just goes from bad to worse for the Bulldogs.

First it was the salary cap. Channel Seven reported in April that the Bulldogs were in a situation that forced them to employ 12 players with only $800,000 despite the NRL minimum wage being around $80,000. This meant it would be impossible to keep their current playing roster to fill their top 30 in 2019.

This error made by the previous Bulldogs management meant that quality players needed to be let go. Moses Mbye and Aaron Woods were the casualties, joining the West Tigers and Cronulla Sharks respectively.

One would imagine that a club struggling with the salary cap would have a highly talented roster, but the results didn’t bear this out for the Bulldogs, who finished only one win above the last-placed Paramatta Eels.

There were some glimpses of hope for 2019, with the Bulldogs defeating the Warriors and Dragons late in the year, but it appears that next season could be even tougher, with the Morris twins departing and without a high-profile signing for next year.

(Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

On top of this they have lost Jaycar, their sponsor of ten years, with company boss Gary Johnston “disappointed” after no communication from the club following their end-of-season celebrations. Bad player behaviour had four individuals fined and saw the club slapped with a $250,000 fine.

Fans were understandably outraged following the celebrations too, questioning the leadership at the club and how ‘happy’ the players were after a poor season.

It’s not all bad news for the Bulldogs, however. The club will have an opportunity to develop youth given they won’t be able to afford established first-grade players in the aftermath of the salary squeeze.

This will give fans hope that their talented youth will be mixed with marquee signings when the club is no loger disadvantaged by the cap in 2021, giving them the chance to build a genuine top-four side.

Don’t hold your breath, though, Bulldogs fans; these next three years will feel like a long time. I wouldn’t be surprised to see fans drop off too, but the club ultimately have only themselves to blame.