Wanna double recommend this. I remember when he came back from England to have a final crack with Canberra. Had smoked too much, no athleticism left, still tough and was a joy to watch because of how clever he was.

Way too young to have seen him, but when i was a Bulldogs obsessed kid, i would read all i could about their history and Greaves became a bit of a mythic figure for me. He was talked about like he really had something special – kinda like L Johns. Pity those 60’s guys didn’t get the gf win.

I was wondering about this, but never saw Peponis play. Just think that Hetherington is great.

I give it to Britt in my team from when i started following late 80’s/ early 90’s. Might be able to accept that some of the 80’s props would beat him out, but i rate him over pretty much all the more recent you’ve named.

Yes, to finding a spot for Darren Britt. Criminally overlooked despite playing for Aus with us, winning a gf, and captaining in a losing gf. And his ball skills.

Gotta agree with others in putting a big ??? on the Dallas selection though.

Don’t think SBW can be included. And i’m not a hater. Also c’mon, JMoz deserves some credit – 10years with us, played for Aus, twice centre of the year, all those tries. It’s not like the era was exactly terrible either – 2 (losing) gfs.

Did O’Meley get to 100 games? I remember loving his time at the Dogs but think of it as quite short, unfortunately like too many of the 2004 pack.

Melbourne-based Bulldogs fan here. I’ll be one of the few neutrals cheering for the Storm on Sunday. Not even because i’m in Melb, but just that they’re a great team to watch. Plus i have my own reasons for not jumping on the Penrith as underdogs bandwagon. The anti-Storm sentiment is ridiculous.

I just mentioned Napa too. If the Dogs were relevant enough for anyone to care he’d be getting slammed a whole lot more. I’m not into vicious slamming of players, but obviously as fans we’re gonna do things like these disappointing lists.

Dylan Napa needs to be number 10. Supposedly on about 650k/ year, brought in to replace Klemmer he has been terrible.

Also Mbye was really never particularly good at the Dogs. He only ever showed ‘promise’ occasionally.

Nice article anyway.

Ha. Yeah i just mentioned Brenko Lee in a comment as THE example of the Storm’s system too.

Good writing, a great defence of the team and organisation, which i don’t think reads too biased. I wish this site had more pieces like this. I think you’ll cop a bit of bitterness in response, but as a fan of a Sydney team (the Bulldogs) who now lives in Melbourne (for one year), i’ve never had a problem with the Storm’s place in the comp – even if i do hope they’d lose a bit more. I think over the years they’ve mostly been exciting to watch when at their best, and tbh even if we give them the stripped titles that’s still only 5 premierships in 20 years, so it’s a dynasty but it’s not ridiculous.

A couple of quick points:
1. Despite the weather, Melbourne is an easy town to live in (well not at the moment, ha!) and i can’t imagine why players wouldn’t want to play here. I mean, i understand wanting to be close to family and friends, but if players are willing to move to Sydney from elsewhere, why not Melbourne? I’d be sus on players who prefer to be in a ‘rugby league’ town. But it seems to work out well, the players who come here know they’re coming to improve their game, know they won’t be celebrities in this town and know they have to put in.
2. You mention Brenko Lee. If he really has become a decent first grade center than lock him in as one of the best examples of point 1.

I knew there was talk of Blake Green leaving, but when the heck did he suddenly pop up at Newcastle as a starter? I thought Kurt Mann was going well, but i guess all those injuries to hookers means that is probably the best reshuffle. Could work out well for the Knights if Mann is able to carry his form into the centre of the park.
Madge is kidding right? I’d be worried if i was a Tigers fan with all these constant changes. Surely Grant is injured… because Mbye is no dummy half, has no creativity at all.
Panthers vs Raiders looks like game of the round. The improving Dogs a chance against injury-hit Storm.

I’d totally forgotten about AJ Brimson! He’s injured this year? Maybe the Titans have more potential than i thought. Also, agreed with ya about Walters and Brooks in the comment i just posted.

Always, look forward to these wraps at the end of the round. Even better when my team actually gets a win! (But will try not to just talk about the Dogs).

1. Yep, kind of. Or they’ve got a lot of talent but just need the right players around them? I think you’ve identified it – a couple of workhorse forwards and an organising half. Croft isn’t it. Milford needs to go.
2. Brooks has had a lot of time and he looks distinctly average. I’m not sure how much he’s on and if that makes him ‘undroppable’ but i’d stick with Marshall and Walters. Maguire is obviously a decent coach, but for a team challenging for the 8 they really need to decide their best halves.
3. Yeah, mid-season slump but they’ll be fine (unfortunately).
4. Michael Morgan’s injury is a pretty good excuse. They need to get the right coach in.
5. Strange to not think of the Sharks as a gritty team. They’ve actually been exciting to watch. But yeah, they aren’t contenders.
6. Ooh i hope so. I wasn’t sure about Meaney, but i also think Pay didn’t give him enough of a go at making the fb spot his own. I know you’re meant to have a superstar fb, but maybe just becoming a very good one is enough? I’m hoping for someone along the lines of Luke Patten, who also had a difficult start to his Bulldogs career but ended up a club legend (in my eyes at least).
7. Agreed about the captain thing. I’ve always liked Croker and he’s a Raiders legend. But at the same time i think he’s just below the level of the players who make rep games. He’d definitely be fine if called up. To draw another Dogs comparison, he reminds me of El Masri – club legend, great goalkicker, fun to watch, overcame limitations (height and speed for El Masri, size for Croker). For mine, El Masri was also just below rep level but would’ve been fine if called up (i think he might have once got one game only?)
8. I’d like to see it, but i’m worried if what they’re doing is an actual plan or just desperation. There’s some potential there though and i think Holbrook might be a good coach.

Oi, i live in ‘miserable’ Melbourne and am quite capable of enjoying overpriced, alley coffee while still having more informed opinions than the guy who wrote this piece. One thing doesn’t rule out the other! (Also between the weather and the lockdown i got a great reason to watch 3 games of NRL this arvo.)

Maybe no megastars, but they got so many players playing at a level that could be considered worthy of Origin – and i don’t think too many of them are just having flukey seasons, i think they’ve improved to this point. Off the top of my head Gutho, Fergo, Jennings (obvs not getting in, but is amazingly back at career-best form), Moses (also not getting in ahead of Cleary/Keary), Brown, Lane (yes, i mean it), Paulo and RCG. I’d say Mahoney and Brown could be future considerations and i’m still leaving out Sivo, Blake and Matto. Is that 1- 13? That’s a strong team.

Mahoney’s off-the-ground spiral pass (and i’m pretty sure he can go either way) is a thing of beauty. Oh for the Dogs to have a dh with good passing skills!

I agree, i think Moses – who was always talented – has improved nearly all the little things that he had to and is in career best form. I think it’s a bit harsh to still refer to him as a selfish player. I think his game management abilities have really improved, maybe not Cleary level, but still very important for the team. Hope he keeps it up in the finals to put away the criticisms that he’s only a good frontrunner.

I think Gutho is at the level where he should be talked about around the same level as Tede and Trbo. Not saying he’s as good/ better than them but that we should talk about them as the 3 outstanding fullbacks of the comp. They all have slightly different things that make them special, but the one possibly contentious thing i’d say is that Gutho is the most influential of the 3 on his own team. If the Blues and Roos carry a back as no.14 it should be him.
(ps – i’m not a Parra fan).

Averillo at 5/8, Foran at half? Heard some people suggest he’s a fullback, which i could also see, but like you i’m into giving Meaney more of a go there. (Dreams of 21 year old Meaney with his speed working out at fb and 19 year old Averillo with his speed working out at 5/8…)

Cotric is 21! He’s got heaps of time to improve.

Haha, yeah look one my worries is that we end up like the Dragons with McGregor. It’s obviously a tough balance about not constantly changing coach but also knowing when things just aren’t going to improve. Are you worried that the Dragons recent bounce – and you’re likely gonna beat us this week, unless the sacked coach effect comes into play – is going to save McGregor? You’re suddenly going to be pushing up on the top 8. As a fan, that’s obviously better than not but…

You’re a Dogs fan too yeah? So i want to respect what you’ve been seeing out there, but for me i can’t really hear these lines about ‘giving their best on the field’ anymore. We aren’t losing close games, where it’s just our attack failing to score that costs us, anymore. We’re getting run off the field more often than not. By teams like the Cowboys, the Tigers, the Bronx. If it was Pay’s coaching that saw our improved finish to last season, then i wanted to see that follow into this year. I didn’t need us to be top 8 – i would have been happy with top 12ish – but we’ve regressed as a team and individuals aren’t improving as players. And we’re stone cold last. It was Pay’s third year, he was no longer a rookie coach, i think he had to go.

I was going to post a comment saying i disagreed with Scott around his point about the Dogs forwards but i think you’ve nailed it here saying we’ve got no starch in the middle. Our forwards getting rolled so easily has become just about as big an issue as every other one we have. Napa and Tolman are past it. Currently i rate Sue above them, at least he brings a bit of aggression, leg-drive, potential to offload and punishing defence.

Forward packs aren’t just one thing, the best one’s are a mixture of different qualities and ours has very few. We don’t get basic service, let alone creativity at hooker, we don’t have an enforcer type in the middle or someone who can get the 2nd phase going, our edge forwards don’t help make metres, run good lines or have ball-playing skills (whatever happened to Jackson?).

With all that said, we did need Thompson. I see him as potentially our Nathan Brown – toughness, good leg speed, keeps pushing after contact and strong in the tackle. Hopefully we’ll see some evidence of ball skills too, though i’m starting to think Pay has something to do with our forwards not showing any capacity to use the ball. The only other forward i really like is Toomaga, but Pay still insists on starting Napa over him.