Official Bulldogs sign respected assistant coach David Furner

[Jackson_1994]

The Bulldogs have capped arguably their best 24 hours of the year by signing highly respected coach David Furner for 2021.The morning after a superb win over South Sydney that should see them dodge the wooden spoon, the Bulldogs came to terms with Furner on a two-year deal.The former Raiders coach will work as an assistant to Trent Barrett.Furner came close to snaring the head coach job at the Dragons, just missing out to former Broncos and Panthers coach Anthony Griffin
.Currently working with the Knights, Furner beat several contenders for the job at the Bulldogs.A former premiership-winning player and Test forward, Furner coached the Raiders from 2009 to 2013.He had a brief stint at English club Leeds in 2019 before returning to Australia where he has worked as an assistant at both the Cowboys and now the Knights

 

[c-b-b]

We're excited to unveil part of our new Coaching and High Performance Staff for 2021, with the experienced David Furner named as Trent Barrett's Senior Assistant Coach.

After a long and successful playing career that took in 300 games with the Canberra Raiders, Wigan Warriors and Leeds, Furner moved into coaching and immediately showed himself to be a shrewd football brain.

After starting as an Assistant Coach with the Raiders in 2006, Furner was appointed Head Coach in 2009, a position he held for the next four years.

In 2013, Furner joined the North Queensland Cowboys as Assistant Coach and was part of their Premiership winning campaign of 2015, before further stints at South Sydney as Assistant Coach (2017-18) and Leeds Rhinos as Head Coach (2019), preceded a return to his current position as Assistant Coach with the Newcastle Knights.

Furner looked forward to joining up with the Bulldogs for season 2021 :

“I have been impressed with the vision that the Bulldogs have for the future and the plan that they have put together to get there. They are a proud club that are looking to re-build and I am excited about what lies ahead for them.

I am looking forward to working with Trent and the rest of the staff that are arriving for 2021 and I know that there is a strong will to turn the club around to create the results that the Members and fans expect.

I appreciate the Knights for their support through this process and I have a job to do for the rest of this season that is crucial and where my focus will be 100 per cent.”

Bulldogs Chief Executive Andrew Hill was delighted to be able to announce that Furner was going to be part of the Bulldogs staff next season :

"One of the things that was important to both Trent and the club during the process of putting together this new team was to find the right mix of coaching experience, skills, personality and character.

David brings all of those qualities with him and has vast experience both in the NRL and Super League.

We are delighted that he will be joining us for next season and believe that he will add a great deal to our overall coaching group.”

2021 – Bulldogs Coaching and High Performance Staff

Trent Barrett - Head Coach
David Furner - Senior Assistant Coach
Mick Potter – Mounties Head Coach

 

[boggie23]

Hopefully he can get the best out of Elliot, Thompson, RFM, and hopefully he can do something/anything with Napa. Can’t wait until his contract is up. One of the many horrible signings we have had to live with over the last decade.

 

[Spoonman84]

This is a great signing he is a terrible head coach but one of the best assistant coaches in the game.

 

[c-b-b]

Good signing to work alongside Trent. I'm glad they're starting fresh next year with coaching staff.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

2021 – Bulldogs Coaching and High Performance Staff

Trent Barrett - Head Coach
David Furner - Senior Assistant Coach
Mick Potter – Mounties Head Coach

Is sandcock not official yet?!

 

[BULLDVGS]

This is a great signing he is a terrible head coach but one of the best assistant coaches in the game.

Im intrigued as to how different the roles are, something ill probably never know.

 

[Spoonman84]

Im intrigued as to how different the roles are, something ill probably never know.

There’s just heaps more involved being a head coach where an assistant can usually focus on the football side of things.

 

[berries1935]

Great signing. Pay didn't put enough experience around him. Good coaching will change this team.

 

[Raysie]

That's a damn good coaching line up there. Really liking Barrett's vision so far.

 

[Howie B]

Great signing. Pay didn't put enough experience around him. Good coaching will change this team.

Very good point regarding Pay. He was a rookie coach so it was even more important to put good assistants around him

Hopefully a lesson learned

 

[Dog4life77]

This signing is just as important as signing Cotric

 

[DinkumDog]

There’s just heaps more involved being a head coach where an assistant can usually focus on the football side of things.

Agree. Among other things apart from football, Head Coach needs skills in: Man and Roster Management, Communication to executive office, board and stakeholders such as sponsors and media.

Some people have these abilities, some don’t, no matter how good their football smarts, so this is a good appointment based on those realities.

The overall structure with Barrett, Furner and Potter is looking stronger with more to come.

 

[ddt192]

Great signing. No slouch as a player back in the day either. We need a few hard old bastards round the club. This is a good start.

 

[Bazildog]

Positive signing.

 

[Dognacious]

Our coaching staff look a lot more experienced as a team than what we have had lately. Its got to help

 

[Bazildog]

Can he play hooker Baz? .

He was tough as and hopefully adds attraction to a good hooker. I was hoping for either him or Carty, both would help give Barrett some tougher D while he hopefully rebuilds our attack.

 

[Cappuccino]

Everywhere hes been has done well
Very happy with this
Also gives us a solid interim coach if TBaz drops the ball

 

[Dogsville]

Slowly things are becoming more positive for the club. Good news.

 

[Powerslide]

One of the better assistants around, happy with this appointment. I know that Furner wanted to come back to Sydney so its not all Bulldogs, but the fact that he has come aboard knowing what Barrett has planned gives me a little more confidence we may be heading in the right direction.