Everyone invested in the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs knows all too well that something has to change.
Fans of no NRL club would accept an average ladder position of 13.2 across the last five seasons, nor just five wins from their team’s previous 37 matches. Yet that is the statistical reality that the Bulldogs board and coaching staff are required to address and reverse in 2022.
Fresh troops have been assembled for the cause, one of the best thinkers in the game has returned to the club to guide it back to competitiveness, and off-field the club is in one of the strongest financial and administrative positions that it has been for years.
CEO Aaron Warburton has successfully set the standard, invested in new people across a wide array of both football and community-focused departments within the club, and a board of directors recently re-elected unopposed speaks of a new-found unity and common purpose that has not been evident at the club for years.
Of course, on-field performance is the litmus test and based on the pure credentials of the names that have been added to the roster, logic would suggest that there is certain to be a higher number in the win column come season’s end.
Thankfully for any new-look squads, NRL teams enjoy a fortnight of trial matches to iron out problems and bed-down combinations before the season-proper begins.
Canterbury fans sat tucked up on their lounges on Monday night as the rain continued to hammer the east coast of Australia, eager to see the debuts of Josh Addo-Carr and Matt Burton in blue and white, as a near-full strength team took to the field for the first time in 2022.
Josh Addo-Carr (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
A week prior, the team drew with Newcastle 16-all, yet the first trial is usually an experiment before things get a lot more serious in Week 2.
With hopes high, what fans witnessed was nowhere near what coach Trent Barrett had written on the whiteboard in the minutes leading up to the game.
Cronulla-Sutherland began in a flurry, looked polished, organised and disciplined, and secured a confidence-boosting 30-6 victory on their home deck.
Contrastingly, the Bulldogs resembled a group of men who met just some minutes before in the carpark and were asked if they might enjoy having a run around.
Canterbury’s performance reeked of a team keen to perform, one physically ready after a preseason injected with new players and ideas, yet one devoid of connectivity, communication and poise.
On show were the same fundamental failings that have plagued the team over recent seasons; a lack of direction and organisation in the halves, chaotic moments in attack where all shape and structure is lost, and a poor kicking game in the attacking half that has rarely produced repeat sets or created significant pressure on defences.
On Monday night, despite all of the quality injected into what many feel will be a competitive side in 2022, things looked all too familiar as clubs like Parramatta, North Queensland and Cronulla made real statements in the lead up to Round 1.
Some fans of the blue and white were exasperated, feeling nothing had changed with another season of mediocrity knocking on the door. Others took the ‘only trials’ approach, believing that such a freshly thrown-together collection of talent will require a far more significant period of time before gelling into anything resembling a top-eight contender.
The question for Bulldogs fans right now is in which of the camps they sit.
Internally, many will be asking whether such average trial form can be written off as mere teething issues for a highly talented squad capable of challenging for a finals spot. In short, was the loss to Cronulla a sign of things to come or just a smash and grab from a much more settled and prepared team?
The beauty of trials is that no one can be sure of the answer.
Can Canterbury fans simply shrug off two matches where their obvious limitations were yet again on display and feel confident that things will come together over the next fortnight, before a far better version of themselves turns up against the Cowboys?
Personally, I’d like to think so and something tells me that the best of the Bulldogs will almost certainly come in the second half of the season.
How good they are in Round 1, we will just have to wait and see.
RLFan
Roar Rookie
Looks like I'm late for the party , but I'll put in my two cents worth. After waiting for JMK to improve each year, I have just about given up on him. I liked the look of Cook when he played in the first trial, quicker and keen to organise. I know Barret had success at Penrith a assistant coach, which looked to be what the Doctor ordered for Canterbury. However, Penrith had Cleary, a top halfback and a heap of young blokes who knew each other's play, combined with a forward like Yeo which would have made them easy to coach. Trent seems to be trying to replicate Penrith's attack, but it just won't work with the players we currently have at the Bulldogs. He has to come up with a game plan to suit the players he currently has, not a cookie cutter approach. Khoury has asked fans to be patient, but that's what we were told last year and with no improvement, I'm afraid patience is in short supply. Only a trial excuse won't wash, because they have been training together all summer.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
What about a Des mug, all Bulldogs fans would love that, surely?
The Barry
Roar Guru
It would make good target practice… :laughing:
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Okay, that sounds alright. So top six hookers and The Barry owes me a mug. Outside the top six I owe The Barry a mug. Deal! This is fun! Would you be upset if I put you a Manly one as a joke?
The Barry
Roar Guru
How about, if he ends up in the top six hookers in either Dally M points, SuperCoach or NRL Fantasy points you win and I owe you a Bulldogs mug?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Do you play SuperCoach…?
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
I feel for you TB. That game was hard to watch. I had assumed they would take a big leap up the table this season. And I kept waiting to see some indication of who the Dogs are as a team in 22. But there seemed to be no cohesion, no plan, no identity whatsoever on show. I couldn't tell you what they were trying to do as a team. And the defence was woeful. If Dufty can't muster up something that more resembles a tackle, it's hard to imagine him staying in first grade for the whole season.
mach4
Roar Rookie
How much money he makes? LOLLLLL
mach4
Roar Rookie
$8,500,000 worth of players at club and what do we hear, takes time for combinations, it is just a trial - rubbish. Vaughan and Thompson were making yards and working hard, what does the coach do? takes them both off together. I wrote a piece on here pre season - Back to basics coaching, well it just has not happened. If we lose the first four games, Gus you have two moves to make, 1. Furner to take charge, 2 Give Ado-Carr his chance at full-back Dufty at wing. Personally I would like to see young Biondi-Odo given a crack in the halves and young Cook at hooker, cannot be worse than what is on show. The likes of the Fox and Shoupp not seeing enough ball is a disgrace, the talent is there just VERY badly managed.
Tony
Roar Guru
Maybe JFH had a word to him before he took the field. That would work.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Ha ha, "Hulk out", I love it!
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Average fantasy points? Dally M points? Origin selection? Stats?
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Don't write off a win in Rd 1 TB. Two teams conceding 30 points a game is a lottery. Dogs game plan. Run at Drinkwater and Townsend all day long . Guaranteed success. Cows game plan, don't pick Drinkwater or Townsend.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It shouldn’t be that hard… how about don’t clip wingers with forearms on the ground or don’t hulk out and try and rip someone’s shirt off… That’s pretty basic stuff…
The Barry
Roar Guru
Done. How do we measure him being a “top quality hooker”…?
The Barry
Roar Guru
I know…
Luke
Guest
He got slapped
souvalis
Roar Rookie
After last week, it won’t be that hard next game for Tom Gilbert and Kyle Feldt to get Pangai riled enough in the referee’s eyes to sit him down..what happened, he was a little angel at Penrith.
Charlie Carroll
Guest
Also feel the hooker role needs to be shored up for this season with young Josh Cook the best option.. he took control and provided crisp organisation and service.. JMK seemed to be looking for instructions…Okonbur isn’t at Nrl level yet and there’s better options like Burns, Allan, Casey.. also very impressed with Credence Toia may even be a better long term option than Dufty… until Trent is willing to make the big calls like realising Averillo, JMK, Jackson and Okonbur are not the right fit in their roles for the benefit of the team I’m not convinced that my Dog’s will improve much.
Charlie Carroll
Guest
As a lifelong Bulldog tragic and financial member of our once successful club it’s not reasonable enough to put it down to trial form as they showed no form at all, the off season is for learning game plans and trials are to help iron out any kinks and further give combinations a chance to improve… my biggest concern is the halfback choice… this needs to be a specialist and on the current availability it’s either BBO or Flanagan… outside of that young Josh Ralph on train and trial or a junior… Wakeham by reports was informed he’s available to go with a better offer if one presents..so he’s not the answer… Averillo came through as a running 5/8 who’s a capable Ctr and fullback two positions we have better options for and Burton is the 5/8 option period… Averillo is a Hughes type player but Hughes had Bellamy, Cronk, Slater and Smith for the transition.. we don’t have that much quality to assist with his halfback development… Averillo is a great X factor but currently the best backup for Burton,unfortunately not the answer at halfback to organise the team… on results BBO has shown the most promise… also whilst I love Jackson he’s better suited to a bench role now as he’s not a noted offloading, tackl breaking or line breaking type player.. a ball playing lock is more suited to the role… I’d have King at lock as it’s his natural position and discipline must be instilled to curb the TPJ type explosion of the trial… 800+ k spent on Kikau could have been utilised for a top class halfback but as it’s not an option work with a genuine halfback available. Trent Barrett will live or die by his decision on the halfback role and with the likes of Shane Flanagan, Paul Green, Jim Dymock, Cameron Ciraldo, and others champing for a head coaching position there is pressure on him.