Do we have the makings of a successful team?

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Pity Fool

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After watching the team go from bad to worse over the last few seasons playing very unbulldog like football and being an absolute self confessed pessimist in the process, I think it’s finally time to look ahead with a fair bit of optimism and enjoy being a tragic Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs fan again!


I know there are a few question marks coming from all of us true blue and white fans but that all stems from having a coach that certainly did not understand our pedigree.


Being an astute lover of all sports in general, and listening to various players and coaches from sports in Australia and abroad, the single most important ingredient they all agree on in order to have a successful team and season is happiness! If a club, it’s coach, and the support staff create an environment for it’s players to be happy to come to work everyday with a smile on his face then the rest will fall into place accordingly, and from what I have seen and heard since the board appointed Dean Pay as head coach Canterbury is just that! I think that Dean has not only addresses the short comings in our roster, the lack of Bulldog culture, but most importantly the miserable place it had become under Des Hasler’s tenure, he has turned it around in a very short period of time and I truly think it will resinate on the field.


I have read many comments on here debating whether our roster can lift with some of our recruits we have bought in the off season, particularly Keiran Foran! It has been well publicised that yes, he’s had a few personal issues the last few seasons, and his body isn’t what it used to be etc but the bloke looks to be extremely happy, he is back in Sydney and is seeing his kids more frequently, he skipped the world cup to focus on getting his body right for his new club and upcoming season, we as fans must at least give him the benefit of the doubt! Personally, I think he will be a gun for us this season being that it looks like he has left his past behind .


Firstly, with Woods and Klemmer starting in the front row together we will finally have a great forward pack that will bend opposition defenses back, ( No offense to Graham and Tolman but they weren’t exactly big lumps of lads that could do this ) Woods has plenty of footy in him and might even teach Klem how to offload the ball and get that second phase play going!


Lichaa is finally going to be let off Des’ leash and play his natural game which is running the ball and catching opposition defenses napping!


We have a great backline with a couple of good new young aquisitions added to our roster, if Pay can introduce Moses Suli onto the wing to start with and gradually coach him to realise his potential he will be a destructive force for years to come! Certainly helps that he was a Bulldogs fan growing up and now that he is playing for the team he naturally supported as a youngster he may just apply himself better to reach his potential.


We couldn’t have appointed a better captain for this club! Josh Jackson leads by example like so many other captains from days past, this leadership will rub off on the talented, skillful and young backrowers we have like Elliot, RFM and co.


Lastly, the missing cog we haven’t had since Brent Sherwin, we have a signed,sealed and will be delivered in 2019 a great little halfback in Jack Cogger, this kid comes with great expectation and loads of potential and with the foundation that is currently being laid at the club there is no reason he cant thrive in this new happy environment.


All these things to me point to a new successful era, so let’s all drop the pessimistic attitudes and support these bastards to the hilt and maybe, we can all be happy little Bulldogs again.
 

Alan79

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Compared to this time last year I think that people have been pretty positive overall. Like you say people still have some questions that can't be answered until we see how the team performs. But last year people were critical of nearly every aspect of the upcoming season imaginable. The biggest area of polarized opinion right now is about which ticket should be voted for in the election.
 

Pity Fool

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Compared to this time last year I think that people have been pretty positive overall. Like you say people still have some questions that can't be answered until we see how the team performs. But last year people were critical of nearly every aspect of the upcoming season imaginable. The biggest area of polarized opinion right now is about which ticket should be voted for in the election.
Yes, unfortunately very true. The sooner the elections are over the better and we can all concentrate on what matters most, the Bulldogs belting other teams especially the Roosters!!!
 

_G-Dog_

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Main question marks for me is:

Our halves - who will step up to partner Foran this year

Our depth - forward depth seems light if we get an injury or 2

Fullback - will Mbye do well at fullback? Im confident he will, we will find out soon enough
 

c-b-b

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I think we'll see a different attitude this year. But it will be hard to judge Pay this season as the team is one he inherited. Having said that he's made some good signings in a very short space of time. Can't believe there's only a few weeks to the start of the season.
 

Trafford10

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I am looking forward to the start of the season and seeing how the team goes with new players and players in new positions.

1. Who will play with Foran in the halves. One area of weakness I think.
2. How will Mybe cope of the defensive duties at fullback especially under the high ball? I think he will be good in attack.
3. Who is the goal kicker?
4. How will the team cope with origin time with Klem, Woods & Jacko out with the NSW team.
 

Malla

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Any successful team you need excellent leadership and I am confident we have that box ticked with Pay at coach and Josh as captain.

In saying that, I think we are still a few years off being a top 4 team talent wise, but we've made the right steps forward to get there.
 
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Moey

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Main question marks for me is:

Our halves - who will step up to partner Foran this year

Our depth - forward depth seems light if we get an injury or 2

Fullback - will Mbye do well at fullback? Im confident he will, we will find out soon enough
We have plenty of forward depth if we have injuries across the forward pack. Tualau fualalo Martin Rfm Elliott priest Eastwood etc etc
 

Flanagun

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Premiers within the next few years.....this year is not by any means an impossibility.
 

Flanagun

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Any successful team you need excellent leadership and I am confident we have that box ticked with Pay at coach and Josh as captain.

In saying that, I think we are still a few years off being a top 4 team talent wise, but we've made the right steps forward to get there.
I'll actually be surprised if we don't finish top 4 this year. Not disappointed, but a bit surprised. Our roster is easily top four quality if coached properly IMHO.
 

Malla

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I'll actually be surprised if we don't finish top 4 this year. Not disappointed, but a bit surprised. Our roster is easily top four quality if coached properly IMHO.
Actually think its a possibility this year but only because of the quality of the opposition - Roosters and Storm still fair ways ahead of the rest - there will be a log jam of teams between 3-10 and we will be one of them.
 

Papa Emeritus

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So many unknowns for mine. On paper we are a much better looking side than last season, so theoretically we should see improvement.

However this hinges on so many unknowns:
  • How will Foran go?
  • Will the team gel with Foran?
  • Will our new "play what is in front of you" style actually work?
  • Who will Forans partner be and how will they go?
  • What happens if a few people get injured considering our depth is pretty ordinary?
  • Will Lichaa's new running style improve things or will other teams shut him down?
  • How will Mbye go at fullback?

I have high hopes for a better season than last, hopefully this year we build a really nice new foundation that we can build on for the next few seasons and build a really strong premiership threat.
 

Flanagun

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Actually think its a possibility this year but only because of the quality of the opposition - Roosters and Storm still fair ways ahead of the rest - there will be a log jam of teams between 3-10 and we will be one of them.
I think the Storm will miss Cronk and if they are the biggest threat to us this year, we will win the comp. Hell we even managed to beat the Storm playing Desball a lot of the time. They will go to water with our pack playing hard and direct. We'll smash them. I don't rate the roosters much of a chance either. Still trying to solve all its problems with a cheque book. Ruffled a few feathers among the playing ranks....I'd think.

I honestly don't think there are any teams to fear this year. If we can get our shit together I don't see why we couldn't potentially win it all. I agree the quality of the opposition won't be that great. I include the storm and roosters in that evaluation. This year is there for the taking for any team with a half decent roster that wants it enough..
 

CroydonDog

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I think the Storm will miss Cronk and if they are the biggest threat to us this year, we will win the comp. Hell we even managed to beat the Storm playing Desball a lot of the time. They will go to water with our pack playing hard and direct. We'll smash them. I don't rate the roosters much of a chance either. Still trying to solve all its problems with a cheque book. Ruffled a few feathers among the playing ranks....I'd think.

I honestly don't think there are any teams to fear this year. If we can get our shit together I don't see why we couldn't potentially win it all. I agree the quality of the opposition won't be that great. I include the storm and roosters in that evaluation. This year is there for the taking for any team with a half decent roster that wants it enough..
+1

I'm not expecting to in the comp so much, but we can absolutely in it, and we, as supporters should (but i'm not forcing you to :grinning: ) go into the season with that mentality.
 

Freakzilla

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If Mbye and Lichaa play to their potential and Foran is 80% what he use to be then we will have 1 of the better spines in the NRL. A good spine with the go forward our pack will get us puts us in the top 8.
 

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Everyone seems super worried about Foran so much so that you would think he hasn't been on the paddock for a couple of years. He still played even when he was only half fit and did an OK job. Not great but OK. Now he has had the best part of 6 months rehab he should be almost bullet proof. I don't have any worries about him at all. Not only that he showed in going to Parra and the Warriors that he could take control quickly and efficiently so again I have no concerns about him running the side and getting combos working. I don't care who Foz's partner is because he will be a junior partner and have a specific set of tasks which each of them can already execute. Lichaa and Mbye? Can't see anything other than success there. Lichaa is a tackling machine even if they shut down his running occasionally and Mbye is a footy player. He will adapt quickly to the role. Only has to make 2 of 3 tackles a game so that's not draining and I've never seen a half that couldn't catch a ball at this level.
 

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I think the Storm will miss Cronk and if they are the biggest threat to us this year, we will win the comp. Hell we even managed to beat the Storm playing Desball a lot of the time. They will go to water with our pack playing hard and direct. We'll smash them. I don't rate the roosters much of a chance either. Still trying to solve all its problems with a cheque book. Ruffled a few feathers among the playing ranks....I'd think.

I honestly don't think there are any teams to fear this year. If we can get our shit together I don't see why we couldn't potentially win it all. I agree the quality of the opposition won't be that great. I include the storm and roosters in that evaluation. This year is there for the taking for any team with a half decent roster that wants it enough..
I personally don't see the Storm falling from grace until Cameron Smith quits. He has a far biggest impact on their form than Cronk did (especially in the last few seasons).

Munster is an absolute gun and I am sure Bellyache will have chosen a decent halfback replacement.
 
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