Canterbury fans, can you handle the truth?
Your team, by general manager Phil Gould’s own admission, has been the worst in the NRL this year.
They are trying to turn the team’s culture around after a woeful campaign which will be put out of its misery on Sunday afternoon on the Gold Coast.
More than a few players, not just the one who walked out on the club after he was subjected to “shark bait” wrestling punishment for being late to training last month, will be jettisoned as coach Cameron Ciraldo tries to instil a hard edge to the club which became famous for its mongrel pedigree.
First of all, the club, the NRL and Rugby League Players Association need to do all they can to protect and help the mental health of the player involved.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
This time of year is a high-stress period for players on the fringe of first grade who don’t know if they’ll have a job next season, whether they have a contract for 2024 or not.
It can lead to the worst of consequences among young players in particular.
Former Bulldogs skipper James Graham’s theory that being a player in a professional rugby league team is akin to being a soldier in the army is spot on.
The pressure on players is enormous and there is an overwhelming expectation that they fall in line to adhere to whatever standards are set by the club.
Footy teams use words like “honour,” “code,” “loyalty.” They use those words as the backbone of a career spent defending something, not as a punch line.
Coaches have neither the time nor the inclination to explain themselves to anyone who doesn’t rise and sleep under the blanket of the inner sanctum or those who question the manner in which they provide it.
They would rather that outsiders just said “thank you” and went on their way. They don’t give a damn what critics think they’re entitled to say.
Their inner sanctum is a tough place where only the strongest survive and anyone who thinks otherwise, can’t handle the truth.
With apologies to Colonel (retired) Nathan R Jessop, wherever he may be, the climactic speech from A Few Good Men pretty much sums up the state of play, what’s right and wrong, at Canterbury.
And while the 15th-placed Bulldogs are in the spotlight because they’re losing and there has been a dramatic incident which has dominated the news cycle this week, this kind of retribution for indiscretions happens frequently in the NRL.
Not that it makes it right, but you’d be hard pressed to find an NRL club that doesn’t have an attitude of punishing those who step out of line while also testing players to their physical and mental limit on the training field.
It’s their way of building up the trust that is required on the playing field of knowing a teammate is going to keep giving it their all even when they think they have used every ounce of fuel in their tank.
Going back generations it’s a common refrain among old players how they were pushed to the brink when first brought into the senior squad for pre-season training.
They tell tales of how their veteran teammates or their drill sergeant trainer would literally make them vomit by pushing them to a physical limit they didn’t think they were capable of reaching.
(Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)
And then make them train some more, so they know they are never fully spent and can always make that extra tackle, hit-up or whatever is needed in the hurly-burly of the playing arena when the chips are down.
The Bulldogs believe they have a soft underbelly and many of their fans will be thankful that the off-field staff are not compromising on standards.
But they would like to see some results rather than constantly hear excuses about the previous administration or a continuation of the blame directed at the past few coaches.
At some point they’ve got to be accountable. Just like they are demanding from their players.
After all the lavish spending on recruits over the past few years, the Dogs are now banking on the arrival of Panthers star Stephen Crichton next year to give them the attacking fullback every team needs.
With Toby Sexton a reliable option at halfback alongside Matt Burton at five-eighth and Reed Mahoney tackling everything that moves at hooker, they potentially have a potent spine.
Whether they have enough class in the rest of their squad is very much up in the air. Penrith’s Jaeman Salmon, ex-Sharks centre Bronson Xerri and Souths utility Blake Taaffe are their only other signings of note for next year so to get up the ladder, they’re going to be relying largely on existing talent improving.
Josh Addo-Carr looks continually frustrated on the wing and the early signs are there that The Foxx may not retain his electrifying pace as he enters the veteran class.
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
At 28 he is hardly in the twilight of his career but wingers who rely on blinding pace can have a steep decline once they lose that ability to burn past rivals.
Letting local junior Jake Averillo go to the Dolphins next year while bringing Xerri in to replace him at centre is a gamble to say the least.
Xerri was impressive in his one NRL season for Cronulla in 2019 but after four years out due to his performance-enhancing drugs ban, there is no guarantee that he will be effective. At a minimum it’s going to take a few months before he’s anywhere near the player he was or promised to be.
After the Des Hasler era ended in tears and then the club cycled through the Dean Pay and Trent Barrett experiments, the Bulldogs can’t afford to continue treading water with Ciraldo at the helm.
He’s now had a season to establish the standards, reshape the roster, build a culture and whichever other buzzwords you care to name.
Time will tell next year whether this late-season upheaval is a watershed moment which proves to be a turning point for Canterbury or yet another spin in their cycle of mediocrity.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
I note that after a few days of disparaging News Ltd the sources of the previous stories, you are now citing Danny Weidler as a source of truth. I take it that you now accept that 24 players were involved? Having said that - the fact that the punishment was essentially extras of the training activity that the player was (sort of/kind of/not really) late for is more acceptable than if it was purely implemented as a method of punishment. Also, it would appear that Ciraldo wasn’t directly involved, so he’s not fully responsible. On the other hand, the article indicates that there was apparently a standard set for tardiness (go home) that was abandoned on the fly at the suggestion of some players and a new disciplinary procedure implemented on the spot. So the idea that expectations and standards being clearly set and communicated is evidently not true. Misunderstandings are likely to occur when change is being implemented, but competent management can mitigate any potential damage, and they failed in this instance. And that last sentence is yet another example of Weidler bungling an attempt to weave a narrative favourable to the person who gave him the story. The player went on leave weeks before the story broke, so the idea that his mental health problems were triggered by external reaction is ridiculous.
The Barry
Roar Guru
To be honest SST and alike Thompson are probably the best of the front rowers available atm though They certainly wouldn’t want SST out there for more than 40 minutes
The Barry
Roar Guru
From this morning’s SMH: “The Bulldogs have established a rule about punctuality under Ciraldo. It’s simple: if you are late, ring or text the coach or the footy manager. If you don’t have a good reason, turn around and go home. There had been a couple of punctuality issues earlier in the season and when the player in question arrived late for an off-site wrestling session, it was felt this was the time to take a stand. Trainer Travis Touma initially wanted to send the player home. He can’t be blamed for what took place. He consulted two senior players, who felt that course of action was unfair and that he should have to complete the gruelling wrestling session like everyone else. So it was decided the player should take part in the session, then complete an extra penalty afterwards. If a player is late for a running session, the penalty is usually extra runs. If it’s a gym session, the penalty might be extra gym work. This was a wrestling session. So the player was asked to complete extra wrestling. To the best of my knowledge, it lasted for just over four minutes. One by one, there were 24 players, who had very quick wrestles, on their knees, with the player. Each individual wrestle lasted between five and 10 seconds. The player was spent after the session. It’s exhausting work. It’s supposed to be. Afterwards, he was sitting against a wall near the wrestle mats, smiling because he had completed the task. He wasn’t broken, bruised or bleeding. He kept training with the side for the rest of the week and did not miss a session. His mental health issues, which were not known then, were triggered by external reaction to his punishment.”
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Taukeiaho, Big and good, but old and slow
The Barry
Roar Guru
I don’t think he’s that good. Can’t play more than 10 minutes in a spell. Also, apparently one of the guys that doesn’t like hard training. I guess I probably should have said big and good…
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Matt Burton
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
But Punted Pele ?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Hahaha… beat Dragons, Broncos, Raiders and Manly - all the gun teams of the era - in successive weeks The asterisk should be to signify how awesome it was… greatest month of footy of all time
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Maybe, but the days of the Sharks rosters being made up entirely of recruits is over. They’ll never be completely self sufficient, that’s unrealistic, but they are investing in juniors now.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
When did I say Gus was responsible for every team’s improvement ?
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Sharks look at the halves they’ve developed at the club & decide that they’re no good. Then buy more from Penrith lower & junior grades. As they just have.
Blings
Roar Rookie
absolutely agree - he’s surprisingly good - concise, no waffle, gives a lot of detail that others don’t (strategy etc) but not using buzzwords - just in easy to understand language
Blings
Roar Rookie
this period coincided with Bullfrog - a one off lightning bolt of an administrator and leader the likes of which Canterbury will never see again. Gould’s regime will never come close. Better to look to some new ideas implemented by those with experience with current sports industry best practice. Penrith got nowhere with Gould and neither will Canterbury - it’s Brian Fletcher that’s the key out west and Bulldogs should look for an equivalent quiet achiever. Another eg is Parramatta - 5-6 years ago they brought in administrators with recent success (albeit with the help of head office at first) from the Roosters and winning clubs in the UK and those quiet achievers have now rebuilt Parramatta into a stable club that wins more than they lose, makes a profit etc etc… Gould’s old ways and a rookie coach with no record of success is not the answer to rebuilding a basket case of a club (same story at the Tigers - rookie coach in Benji with old ideas from Sheens)
Ghosthound
Roar Rookie
Who’d want to play for the Wallabies right now :silly:
Ghosthound
Roar Rookie
‘put Valium to sleep’ :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Ghosthound
Roar Rookie
The Warriors have improved and Gus wasn’t there long enough to lay any groundwork - just saying :silly:
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Well, if the Chooks were to cut him loose, and if he wanted to stay in the NRL for another year, and if it didn’t cost them a talented youngster, and those are all big ifs, a one year of Sualli’i might energise the club. It’s not a complete waste. But as I said, those are all big ifs.
Johnny Conspiro
Roar Rookie
1995 Premiership needs to have a massive asterisk.
andrew
Roar Rookie
I think it's a stupid idea to even contemplate signing Suaalii. What's the point when he's leaving the NRL. Hope Harran knocks it on the head.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Burton to 7 was a puzzler. As was Keary to 7 for the chooks.