Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr has revealed what the Dogs were telling each other in the final moments of their famous win over the Roosters on Saturday night – and what Phil Gould’s messaging was in the controversial midweek training session.
Speaking in the sheds after the 16-12 victory, the Fox told The Roar that, with a four-point lead and time running out, he was screaming at his teammates from the wing to make sure they kept their heads and grabbed the points.
“I said ‘how bad do yers want it? How bad do yers want it?” to everyone in the team. And that’s what it came down to, how bad we wanted it at the time.
“And it showed in Matty Burton’s effort. We could have easily got a penalty, they didn’t give it and he made that effort to take Joseph Suaali out. That’s what a Bulldog does.”
Furthermore, Addo-Carr said that the message he was giving his teammates was the same one that the Bulldogs’ GM of Football had delivered in the week.
There had been controversy throughout the leadup to the game about revalations that Gould had been taking training sessions at Belmore, with many feeling that his doing so impinged on the authority of head coach Trent Barrett.
But Addo-Carr felt – as Barrett had said to the media several times – that Gould was perfectly placed within the club to pass on experience and build the culture.
“That’s what we’ve been taught the last couple of weeks off Gus: what it means to be a Bulldog. It’s those little effort areas that nobody sees,” said the winger.
“Gus is coming in and showing us the little effort things that people don’t see. Gus has been in this game for a very long time and he’s showing the team how to build culture, showing us things that the media and the fans don’t see. That’s what we see.
“He comes in and helps. It (the media story) is a big overreaction. There’s nothing to it, really. Gus is part of the club, so why can’t he take over the session?
“He didn’t really take over, he just ran the session. He’s part of the club, it’s not like he came in from the outside to take over. It’s a big nothing really.”
Addo-Carr, who moved from Melbourne Storm in the off-season, is revelling in being a leader at the Dogs and taking on a greater responsibility from his station out on the left.
“It’s showing energy when you’re tired,” he said. “I’m sitting on the wing so I don’t make too many tackles but I’m trying to get my forwards and everyone to work hard.
“As everyone knows, my mouth doesn’t shut. I don’t shut up and bring that energy on the field. The forwards are making 30 or 40 tackles a game and it’s won in the middle. I thought they set a standard that we need to keep.”
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
That energy has paid off. With regular captain Josh Jackson stuck in COVID-19 isolation, Addo-Carr has taken on that role along with English prop Luke Thompson.
“I feel that I earned the right to be captain when Jacko got COVID,” said Addo-Carr. “I felt I earned the respect of the boys to become captain along with Luke Thompson.
“If you earn the respect of the boys, you listen. I didn’t change nothing in my game, I just keep doing what I have been doing and the boys followed.”
“The Roosters are a real quality side and have some of the best players in the world in their team. If we put the effort in and believe in ourselves we can beat any team.
“You need to win the little things in games. The last couple of weeks, through soft tries and that sort of stuff, has been really deflating. That’s why we’ve been losing games.
“We’ve been in front the last couple of weeks and need to win the little things. We need 13 individuals to do their roles so that we can have confidence to do our own roles.
“That’s the biggest things that I can bring to this club and teach them. I thought we did that tonight. We didn’t rely on anyone else to do their job.
“We’re heading in the right direction and playing smarter footy. We’re putting the effort in on the field and it’s key moments in games that we need to fix, and I feel like we’re fixing it.”
JennyFromPenny
Guest
The Dogs and Gus have had worse said about them than me. Go and chew on a bone somewhere else.
The Barry
Roar Guru
More class. Given your constant bottom feeder comments I’d be careful calling anyone a numbskull…
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
On TripleM's pre-match commentary on Sunday afternoon, they commented on the number of poor referee decisions that went in favour of Uncle Nic's boys the night before. They stated that there would have been a lot more commentary on these decisions had the Roosters gone onto win the game.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
I can't believe it took one big numbskull to ask the other numbskulls, if they want to win footy this week. Horrified to think their answer in previous weeks, without being asked, was a resounding no.
mach4
Roar Rookie
Wighton out and up against former Dog Elliott.
Cam
Roar Rookie
True, but you couldn't say that with too much conviction. Don't jump off the Raiders just yet, they have had some very tough match-ups and have been competitive, at least until pretty late in their matches. On last weeks form, the Bulldogs should go in as favourites, but they have been average for so long now, you just don't know if the win vs the Roosters was the tide turning, or just an anomaly with normal transmission about to resume.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Having made my comment, Wighton is out for 2. Doggies looking better already.
Cam
Roar Rookie
The Raiders have locked down a bottom four spot off the back of a very, very poor season. It feels like you could almost do a whip around you local pubs to rustle up players who would give Canberra a run for their money. So it will be interesting to see if the Bulldogs can back up after their win on the weekend, or have they already played their grand final? Next week’s result will speak volumes about the Bulldogs players, Trent Barratt and the culture they are trying to build.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
The list of errors in the Tupouniua try was staggering. If Panthers lost a try due to Cleary interference, cancelling the Tupouniua try was a given, even without the two blatant forward passes in the lead up. There’s been at least one case of the bunker, knowing that an obvious forward pass was missed, finding another possible reason to deny a try. That obstruction was there for that.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Given we won I feel a bit more comfortable refs faulting but the second half from Cummins was disgraceful I’m exaggerating slightly but Keary threw more forward passes than backwards and rarely got pulled up. He threw a blatant metre and a half forward pass to Crichton in the lead up to the Tupouniua try. Tupouniua also ran directly behind Keighran in scoring the try with a Dogs player impeded in the process Crichton clearly lost the ball before the Tedesco try. Ref and touchy missed it Blatant obstruction on Burton in the lead in to the Suaalii no try. The bunker’s performance was gobsmacking. The bunker watched it once and said “in our opinion…” then obviously couldn’t think of anything else to say and just said “we’re playing on…” It’s lucky for the Dogs that Suaalii put his foot in touch which was unarguable. It felt like we were heading for one of the all time great stitch ups… Great effort from Burton to recover from the obstruction and get across to make the game saving tackle…
The Barry
Roar Guru
JAC has been great for the team. You see it every time they get into a huddle A lot of uninformed commentary recently about how he must be wanting out and filthy he moved from the Storm, but I don’t see it. He now has five tries in eight games and revelling in the leadership role. His response after scoring the intercept doesn’t seem to be that of someone wanting out
RLFan
Roar Rookie
The difference being, the Bulldogs defended well for 80 minutes and with good defence, the attack will improve. I can't help to note that for the referee missing forward passes and a knock on which lead to tries, that game would not have ended up the nail biter it did. These are things which could be picked up by the touchies, but I would be interested to know what is in their job description.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Good approach, Raiders at home won't be an easy meal.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
it seems as though Gus knows more then News Ltd reporters