Cameron Ciraldo has laughed off claims of a divide between he and Phil Gould, comparing his relationship with the Canterbury football boss to that of a father and son.
The Bulldogs coach said it was only natural the pair could clash on matters such as team selection but that “healthy disagreements” were part of any trusting relationship.
Reports this week that NRL tycoon Gould had been controlling selection decisions followed similar accusations made during Trent Barrett’s time leading Canterbury from 2021 until 2022.
Like Barrett, Ciraldo was a young coach poached from Penrith’s staff to help lead a turnaround at the success-starved Bulldogs.
Ciraldo said he expected Gould to have an opinion on football matters, and that those conversations could morph into healthy debate.
“Me and Gus have robust conversations nearly every day,” Ciraldo said.
“We agree on some things, we disagree on a lot of things but that’s the relationship we have that’s been built over 10 or 12 years.
“What’s good about it is we can have those disagreements then talk two hours later and get on with it.
“We’ve got a good relationship. I wouldn’t have come here if we didn’t.
“If we’re going to agree on everything, then what’s the point of us being here? It’s healthy disagreements, like in any trusting relationship.”
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Claims that Gould had been picking the team followed a handful of changes to the ‘Dogs’ 17 for Friday’s clash against the Sydney Roosters.
Samuel Hughes will start in the front row for the first time in his young career, replacing the benched Liam Knight, while Kitione Kautoga earns a club debut from the interchange.
Josh Curran and Blake Wilson also join the starting side as injury replacements for Jacob Preston and Josh Addo-Carr.
Ciraldo said he always had the final say on selection.
“If (Gould) was doing it, I’d make him have the tough conversations with the blokes we’re dropping,” Ciraldo quipped.
“Talking to Gus is like talking to your dad. Sometimes he’s got a point and you walk away and go, ‘He makes sense there’.
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“Sometimes I disagree and he trusts me and the way we’re going.”
Drew Hutchison will face his former club for the first time since joining Canterbury in pursuit of a full-time spot in the halves this season.
The Bulldogs’ new halfback developed a reputation as a utility during five years at Moore Park.
Both Ciraldo and Roosters coach Trent Robinson insisted Hutchison was an out-and-out playmaker, despite Canterbury’s mixed start to the year in attack.
“He’s a genuine half,” Robinson said.
“You can see he’s running their system so it’s good to have intimate knowledge of him.”
Former Gold Coast playmaker Toby Sexton is waiting in the wings but Ciraldo is comfortable Hutchison is their best choice at No.7 for the time being.
“Drew’s our halfback right now and we’re backing him,” Ciraldo said.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Sorry to hear that mate. It’s well worth watching. The second half may give you some heart palpitations…
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Didn't watch mate. My mum is losing her sense of reality and needed assistance at the nursing home. Maybe I'll catch the replay.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Any question marks tonight Stu? Were you celebrating the win or still cursing Gus and Cam… :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
The Barry
Roar Guru
Cheers… it’s optimism that it translates to something in the future, but the Dogs juniors results are fact and having quality pathways producing players is a long standing recipe for success… lots can go pear shaped in the meantime, but it’s at least moving in the right direction…
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Admire that optimism, TB.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Has it failed? Dogs won Flegg and Harold Matts last year Currently second in Flegg and finished 4th in SG Ball and 1st in Harold Matts That’s Gus’s strategy, not buying utilities. They’re just place holders…
The Barry
Roar Guru
This whole article is about the selection tackle so I assumed your comments were relevant to that and not just grubby muck raking Maybe I was wrong Stu - maybe have a look at the junior rep results from last year to this year. Gould has put that in place in a very short period of time… just as he did at the Panthers. It might have taken slightly longer than five years, but exactly what he said he’d deliver at the panthers is what has happened He’s delivering at the Bulldogs as well I can understand anyone not liking Gould - I’ve got mixed feelings about him myself at times, but to write off all of his achievements in rugby league as a fraud and taking credit for other people’s work is churlish at best I bumped into Gus at Canterbury Friday night races a few months ago. His horse had just won the first rate. I stopped him for s as chat. He was very giving of his time, friendly and engaging Writing him off for having a punt 30 years ago is petty ordinary form
The Barry
Roar Guru
No question mark We are more competitive. There’s still a long way to go. In 3 of 4 gages we’ve lost a player before half time. The other game we won handsomely The problem is we’ve been ‘competitive’ at various stages of seasons for a lot of years. We’ve got two tough games coming up and conceivably could be 1-5 I’m just not expecting this team to go out and win every week. It’s unrealistic to. I’m expecting them to play tough and compete and I’ve been happy with that so far…
Stuart Thomas
Expert
You left out the question mark.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Fair point. I do have plenty of other stories yet very few can be put to print.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
When did I say anything about the selection table?
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
So now that the "In Gus we Trust " strategy for the Dogs has failed - Where to now for the Club?
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
While I do support your positions here Stuart, judge not lest he be judged. You were sitting in the TAB too. He wouldn't have been the first gambling addict to crack. He won't be the last. I'm no Gould fan but depicting him as a fraud for having a gambling addiction is harsh. Ray Warren fought every day to not place another bet despite being surrounded by advertising. But not everyone can be that strong.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately, no Bulldogs fan can say they weren't warned though... Gould cannot help himself.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Not sure who made the call to finally start Sam Hughes and Josh Curran, but they should be selecting the team each week and the other bloke needs to get out of the way and let the adults make the decisions. Anyone know if that was that Ciraldo or Gus selecting this week?
The Barry
Roar Guru
So because of that one day seeing Phil Gould have a few bets at a pub, some 30 years later you know what’s going on at the Bulldogs selection table…? “…off the back of rumours” Ah, I see why you’ve been so quick to jump all over this… just like Kenty you like a bit of rumour and gossip… :laughing: :laughing:
The Barry
Roar Guru
We are…
Stuart Thomas
Expert
But at least we are improving and getting so much more competitive.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
I once sat in the TAB of the Coogee Bay Hotel in Sydney and watched Gould and Craig Field fling $50 note after $50 note at the nags after reading just a few weeks earlier that he had gone off the punt. From that day on I thought of him as a fraud. That was off the back of the rumours that his most recent coaching move and arrival at the Roosters was necessitated by a pay out to clear some debts. He has done well for himself and somehow convinced the league world that he is the bees knees. Hope he sleeps well at night.
The Barry
Roar Guru
In the article that originally brought this up, Paul Kent wrote “it’s all just gossip” but it went to print anyway. The state of modern journalism. I doubt his boss considered pulling the story… “Claims that Gould had been picking the team followed a handful of changes to the ‘Dogs’ 17 for Friday’s clash against the Sydney Roosters.” The changes were made because they have Preston, Ado-Carr and Morrin are out injured and suspended. Liam Knight - who played the first two games of the year in reserve grade is the only other change to the 17. Hardly Gus coming in and wielding the axe What a joke…