News Phil Gould delves into Bulldogs issues as pressure mounts on Cameron Ciraldo
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djdeep4172
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Rugby league legend Braith Anasta believes Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould “took some shots” to take pressure off rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo after their 66-0 embarrassment in Round 18.
Gould made a shock admission following the game, explaining he told Ciraldo to join the club in 2024 because the Bulldogs “weren’t ready for him”.
However, Ciraldo insisted he wanted to be a part of the rebuild, leaving Ivan Cleary’s Panthers coaching team to join the Belmore-based club.
While the Bulldogs have made several high-profile signings - including Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton and Reed Mahoney - they are currently languishing in 15th place.
“It was a part of the conversation, he could have easily stayed at Penrith and won another premiership,” Gould told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was always a tough ask, particularly as his first job as a head coach but he’s handling it really well.”
Anasta explained that Gould fronted the media to “take the heat off” Ciraldo after his side were flogged by the Knights.
“I believe today Gus just put the bulletproof vest on, took some shots and gave Ciraldo some time,” Anasta said.
“He is just trying to take the onus and take it off Cameron.”
“I’ve spoken to Ciraldo, it’s fact. Gus said ‘you don’t have to come this year’, but Ciraldo is that sort of character where he wants to turn the wheel slowly and now,” The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio added.
Anasta, who played 110 games for the Canterbury club, believes the Bulldogs have lost their identity and labelled Ciraldo’s side defence “pathetic”.
“It’s not the Bulldogs way, they’ve lost their DNA. You just want to see that toughness, that tenaciousness,” Anasta said.
“They’ve lost it, this is my point. You watch a 66-0 and the attempts of tackling were pathetic.
“You question, ‘hang on, are we really creating a dynasty?’.
“Have we got values and systems in place where regardless of who has that jersey on they are playing with pride and they want to win that game? I saw none of that.”
“I don’t think there’s anyone out there who thinks Cameron Ciraldo’s position is under pressure, but what we did watch was a team who capitulate,” The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley added.
“Defence is attitude, this season they have conceded the most points of any team. To get beaten by a team who is running 14th on the ladder 66-0 is an embarrassment any way you look at it.”
But for league legend Gorden Tallis, Bulldogs fans have every right to be frustrated.
He pointed to the Broncos who won the wooden spoon in 2020 but are now flying high at the top-end of the ladder in 2023.
Tallis believes the Bulldogs rebuild should be happening at a faster rate, especially considering the players who have been recruited to arrive in Belmore.
“You’ve got to be frustrated, Brisbane got the wooden spoon and look at them in three years? They turned it around quickly,” Tallis said.
“You can turn it around quickly and it is sustainable in Brisbane, you’d think.”
Gould made a shock admission following the game, explaining he told Ciraldo to join the club in 2024 because the Bulldogs “weren’t ready for him”.
However, Ciraldo insisted he wanted to be a part of the rebuild, leaving Ivan Cleary’s Panthers coaching team to join the Belmore-based club.
While the Bulldogs have made several high-profile signings - including Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton and Reed Mahoney - they are currently languishing in 15th place.
“It was a part of the conversation, he could have easily stayed at Penrith and won another premiership,” Gould told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was always a tough ask, particularly as his first job as a head coach but he’s handling it really well.”
Anasta explained that Gould fronted the media to “take the heat off” Ciraldo after his side were flogged by the Knights.
“I believe today Gus just put the bulletproof vest on, took some shots and gave Ciraldo some time,” Anasta said.
“He is just trying to take the onus and take it off Cameron.”
“I’ve spoken to Ciraldo, it’s fact. Gus said ‘you don’t have to come this year’, but Ciraldo is that sort of character where he wants to turn the wheel slowly and now,” The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio added.
Anasta, who played 110 games for the Canterbury club, believes the Bulldogs have lost their identity and labelled Ciraldo’s side defence “pathetic”.
“It’s not the Bulldogs way, they’ve lost their DNA. You just want to see that toughness, that tenaciousness,” Anasta said.
“They’ve lost it, this is my point. You watch a 66-0 and the attempts of tackling were pathetic.
“You question, ‘hang on, are we really creating a dynasty?’.
“Have we got values and systems in place where regardless of who has that jersey on they are playing with pride and they want to win that game? I saw none of that.”
“I don’t think there’s anyone out there who thinks Cameron Ciraldo’s position is under pressure, but what we did watch was a team who capitulate,” The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley added.
“Defence is attitude, this season they have conceded the most points of any team. To get beaten by a team who is running 14th on the ladder 66-0 is an embarrassment any way you look at it.”
But for league legend Gorden Tallis, Bulldogs fans have every right to be frustrated.
He pointed to the Broncos who won the wooden spoon in 2020 but are now flying high at the top-end of the ladder in 2023.
Tallis believes the Bulldogs rebuild should be happening at a faster rate, especially considering the players who have been recruited to arrive in Belmore.
“You’ve got to be frustrated, Brisbane got the wooden spoon and look at them in three years? They turned it around quickly,” Tallis said.
“You can turn it around quickly and it is sustainable in Brisbane, you’d think.”
04 Dreaming
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Tallis and Anasta were having no bar of Gusses rubbish spin in the press conference. They called his bs out and it was a very refreshing listen after reading all the Gus cucks on here gobbling up his every word.
D0GMATIC
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Hassler did the same at manly before he was at the Dogs
Interesting
chihuahua dog
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I get the feeling you don't like Gus?
They definitely considered both sides of the argument.
As fans, we need to do the same.
Nothing wrong with being critical of the direction.
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Playing reserve grade for much of his last year too!
Noosa Dog
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Agree that both sides need to be considered.
In saying that, is there situation related to junior pathways the same? Did they have Des screw there salary cap and poor management during there rebuild? All good questions
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And bought T-Rex in to boot.
Howie B
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I never thought I would say this but geez I miss Paul Kent.
Tallis has the footy iq of a bar stool. The broncos should have never got the spoon in 2020. Their squad was way too good for that. They had also made the finals the previous 10 years.
To make that comparison is ridiculous
Tallis has the footy iq of a bar stool. The broncos should have never got the spoon in 2020. Their squad was way too good for that. They had also made the finals the previous 10 years.
To make that comparison is ridiculous
Moedogg
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Agree but we're sick of watching the same shit for close to a decade. Saying we're going to be in this position for a couple more years is not what we want to hear. That's what the Anderson's told us as well.
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He’s only referencing the start of the rot.
Similar mistakes were repeated under Barrett.
Add in a 17th team and raising of the cap to compensate for pay cuts during Covid (clubs pay players more to stay) and it’s been a perfect storm to bite us on the arse.
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I'd buy what Gus is selling if there was some actual improvement happening, but there simply isn't. Players come here and seemingly go backwards. I feel there's more to it then just the head coach and cattle. Whole system seems broken.
I'm not expecting a grand final, but at least being slightly competitive would be nice.
I'm not expecting a grand final, but at least being slightly competitive would be nice.
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It wasn’t millions. Not even half a million.
But what choice was there after Dib reneged on signed ‘heads of terms’ and Des was going to sue the club?
D.O.W.
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Bennett needed some instant success, Dolphins couldn’t end up like Gold Coast in previous years being duds from the get-go and folding twice before becoming the Titans… buying 3x Storm international forwards was a smart move. He is also only competing with 1 other team in the Brisbane catchment, so his pathways are organically good… our objective is to grow players within and surround them with some marquees, this is the only way to have consistent success through cap management - otherwise we ride a roller coaster every 5-10yrs (which is why Gus was hired to address).
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And, let’s face it, the attraction of living on the coast near Brisbane probably (can’t imagine why) outweighs Belmore. Yes most of our squad live in the Sutherland Shire and commute but it’s still an issue in attracting players to an already struggling club.
djdeep4172
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Phil Gould has delivered some much-needed clarity for Bulldogs fans, with the club in tatters after their 66-0 loss to Newcastle last weekend.
Canterbury came into the season with plenty of optimism after adding the likes of Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney to their roster, as well as a new coach in Cameron Ciraldo, but still find themselves lingering in the bottom-four.
The defeat at the hands of the Knights, who only sit a couple of spots ahead of the Bulldogs on the ladder, was the tipping point for many fans to vent their frustration both at the ground and on social media.
In the wake of the loss, Gould has gone to market and landed a solution to the club's playmaking woes, adding out-of-favour Titans halfback Toby Sexton on an immediate deal until the end of 2024.
The decision leaves question marks over a number of players at Belmore, with the likes of Kyle Flanagan and Bailey Biondi-Odo both off-contract and teenage sensation Karl Oloapu looking at a potential switch to the middle.
Bulldogs boss Phil Gould explains Toby Sexton signing
In a rare press conference on Tuesday, the club's head of football detailed the decision to sign Sexton, but believes the next great No.7 at the Bulldogs will come from their own system.
“Toby will be a great addition to the club," Gould said.
"He probably got his pathway blocked up there a little bit at the moment and we’re looking for a No.7 and a game manager. He gets his opportunity down here and we’re looking forward to him coming down.
"We’ve signed him for two years, so he will get his opportunity. No.7s are very hard to come by and they’re very expensive if you want the best around… we’re gonna have to develop our own.
"We’ve got some good young kids in the system that we’re really happy with, but they’re some years away yet and we need to build the right culture and development system here."
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RUGBY-LEAGUE
CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Bulldogs halfback future: Phil Gould provides clarity over Toby Sexton signing, Karl Oloapu plans
Author Photo
Liam O'Loughlin
2 hours ago
•
6 min read
(Getty Images)
Phil Gould has delivered some much-needed clarity for Bulldogs fans, with the club in tatters after their 66-0 loss to Newcastle last weekend.
Canterbury came into the season with plenty of optimism after adding the likes of Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney to their roster, as well as a new coach in Cameron Ciraldo, but still find themselves lingering in the bottom-four.
0 seconds of 6 seconds
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The defeat at the hands of the Knights, who only sit a couple of spots ahead of the Bulldogs on the ladder, was the tipping point for many fans to vent their frustration both at the ground and on social media.
In the wake of the loss, Gould has gone to market and landed a solution to the club's playmaking woes, adding out-of-favour Titans halfback Toby Sexton on an immediate deal until the end of 2024.
The decision leaves question marks over a number of players at Belmore, with the likes of Kyle Flanagan and Bailey Biondi-Odo both off-contract and teenage sensation Karl Oloapu looking at a potential switch to the middle.
MORE: Brad Fittler's coaching career clouded ahead of final Origin game
Bulldogs boss Phil Gould explains Toby Sexton signing
In a rare press conference on Tuesday, the club's head of football detailed the decision to sign Sexton, but believes the next great No.7 at the Bulldogs will come from their own system.
“Toby will be a great addition to the club," Gould said.
"He probably got his pathway blocked up there a little bit at the moment and we’re looking for a No.7 and a game manager. He gets his opportunity down here and we’re looking forward to him coming down.
"We’ve signed him for two years, so he will get his opportunity. No.7s are very hard to come by and they’re very expensive if you want the best around… we’re gonna have to develop our own.
"We’ve got some good young kids in the system that we’re really happy with, but they’re some years away yet and we need to build the right culture and development system here."
One young player that Gould is likely referring to Mitchell Woods, who has become a highly sought-after talent in both NRL and AFL circles after impressing in junior rep competitions.
The teenager led the Bulldogs to the Harold Matts title earlier this year and the club are hopeful of locking him down long-term, despite his jump to first grade still likely a number of years away.
Sexton has assumed the halfback role for the Round 19 clash with South Sydney, with the aforementioned Flanagan named on the bench and Khaled Rajab dropped from the side.
Karl Oloapu set to move to lock for Bulldogs
In the lead-up to the 2023 season, Canterbury splashed the cash on the untested schoolboy standout from Brisbane, paying a hefty $500,000 transfer fee in order to sign Oloapu to a long-term, big-money deal.
The 18-year-old has now made seven NRL appearances in his rookie campaign, featuring alongside Matt Burton in the halves, before succumbing to a neck injury in recent weeks.
Gould admitted Oloapu's transition into the first grade lineup came prematurely, and believes his future may be closer aligned to that of a NSW and Kangaroos representative.
"He’s done a really good job – 18 years of age and before he got here, the only football he had really played was at schoolboy level," Gould said.
"He didn’t do the off-season with us and he was blooded before his time a little bit, in a position that he’s not going to play long-term. We used him as a halfback there, just to give us a little bit of control, and I thought he did an outstanding job.
"I see him as a lock-forward, very much in the Cameron Murray mould, and I think he’s gonna be a really great player for this club for a long time."
Hayze Perham dropped by Bulldogs for Round 19
One of the casualties from the horror performance against Newcastle was fullback Hayze Perham, who has been axed in favour of departing utility Jake Averillo.
Perham joined the Dogs on a cut-price deal heading into the season, but was immediately thrown into the crucial No.1 jumper and has featured in the role for the majority of the season.
Gould responded to the recent criticism of Perham's performances and praised him after a tough first year in the blue and white jersey.
“Hayze Perham has been outstanding for us this year," he said.
"He’s a minimum wage kid who came here for an opportunity with no real position in mind. He’s a versatile player and the reason he was put to fullback is because he had the best voice in the team.
"He was a confident young kid and that was something that we lacked, real direction from the back. He’s probably not a fullback, but he’s made a good fist of it and done a really good job.
Canterbury came into the season with plenty of optimism after adding the likes of Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney to their roster, as well as a new coach in Cameron Ciraldo, but still find themselves lingering in the bottom-four.
The defeat at the hands of the Knights, who only sit a couple of spots ahead of the Bulldogs on the ladder, was the tipping point for many fans to vent their frustration both at the ground and on social media.
In the wake of the loss, Gould has gone to market and landed a solution to the club's playmaking woes, adding out-of-favour Titans halfback Toby Sexton on an immediate deal until the end of 2024.
The decision leaves question marks over a number of players at Belmore, with the likes of Kyle Flanagan and Bailey Biondi-Odo both off-contract and teenage sensation Karl Oloapu looking at a potential switch to the middle.
Bulldogs boss Phil Gould explains Toby Sexton signing
In a rare press conference on Tuesday, the club's head of football detailed the decision to sign Sexton, but believes the next great No.7 at the Bulldogs will come from their own system.
“Toby will be a great addition to the club," Gould said.
"He probably got his pathway blocked up there a little bit at the moment and we’re looking for a No.7 and a game manager. He gets his opportunity down here and we’re looking forward to him coming down.
"We’ve signed him for two years, so he will get his opportunity. No.7s are very hard to come by and they’re very expensive if you want the best around… we’re gonna have to develop our own.
"We’ve got some good young kids in the system that we’re really happy with, but they’re some years away yet and we need to build the right culture and development system here."
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RUGBY-LEAGUE
CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Bulldogs halfback future: Phil Gould provides clarity over Toby Sexton signing, Karl Oloapu plans
Author Photo
Liam O'Loughlin
2 hours ago
•
6 min read
(Getty Images)
Phil Gould has delivered some much-needed clarity for Bulldogs fans, with the club in tatters after their 66-0 loss to Newcastle last weekend.
Canterbury came into the season with plenty of optimism after adding the likes of Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney to their roster, as well as a new coach in Cameron Ciraldo, but still find themselves lingering in the bottom-four.
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The defeat at the hands of the Knights, who only sit a couple of spots ahead of the Bulldogs on the ladder, was the tipping point for many fans to vent their frustration both at the ground and on social media.
In the wake of the loss, Gould has gone to market and landed a solution to the club's playmaking woes, adding out-of-favour Titans halfback Toby Sexton on an immediate deal until the end of 2024.
The decision leaves question marks over a number of players at Belmore, with the likes of Kyle Flanagan and Bailey Biondi-Odo both off-contract and teenage sensation Karl Oloapu looking at a potential switch to the middle.
MORE: Brad Fittler's coaching career clouded ahead of final Origin game
Bulldogs boss Phil Gould explains Toby Sexton signing
In a rare press conference on Tuesday, the club's head of football detailed the decision to sign Sexton, but believes the next great No.7 at the Bulldogs will come from their own system.
“Toby will be a great addition to the club," Gould said.
"He probably got his pathway blocked up there a little bit at the moment and we’re looking for a No.7 and a game manager. He gets his opportunity down here and we’re looking forward to him coming down.
"We’ve signed him for two years, so he will get his opportunity. No.7s are very hard to come by and they’re very expensive if you want the best around… we’re gonna have to develop our own.
"We’ve got some good young kids in the system that we’re really happy with, but they’re some years away yet and we need to build the right culture and development system here."
One young player that Gould is likely referring to Mitchell Woods, who has become a highly sought-after talent in both NRL and AFL circles after impressing in junior rep competitions.
The teenager led the Bulldogs to the Harold Matts title earlier this year and the club are hopeful of locking him down long-term, despite his jump to first grade still likely a number of years away.
Sexton has assumed the halfback role for the Round 19 clash with South Sydney, with the aforementioned Flanagan named on the bench and Khaled Rajab dropped from the side.
Karl Oloapu set to move to lock for Bulldogs
In the lead-up to the 2023 season, Canterbury splashed the cash on the untested schoolboy standout from Brisbane, paying a hefty $500,000 transfer fee in order to sign Oloapu to a long-term, big-money deal.
The 18-year-old has now made seven NRL appearances in his rookie campaign, featuring alongside Matt Burton in the halves, before succumbing to a neck injury in recent weeks.
Gould admitted Oloapu's transition into the first grade lineup came prematurely, and believes his future may be closer aligned to that of a NSW and Kangaroos representative.
"He’s done a really good job – 18 years of age and before he got here, the only football he had really played was at schoolboy level," Gould said.
"He didn’t do the off-season with us and he was blooded before his time a little bit, in a position that he’s not going to play long-term. We used him as a halfback there, just to give us a little bit of control, and I thought he did an outstanding job.
"I see him as a lock-forward, very much in the Cameron Murray mould, and I think he’s gonna be a really great player for this club for a long time."
Hayze Perham dropped by Bulldogs for Round 19
One of the casualties from the horror performance against Newcastle was fullback Hayze Perham, who has been axed in favour of departing utility Jake Averillo.
Perham joined the Dogs on a cut-price deal heading into the season, but was immediately thrown into the crucial No.1 jumper and has featured in the role for the majority of the season.
Gould responded to the recent criticism of Perham's performances and praised him after a tough first year in the blue and white jersey.
“Hayze Perham has been outstanding for us this year," he said.
"He’s a minimum wage kid who came here for an opportunity with no real position in mind. He’s a versatile player and the reason he was put to fullback is because he had the best voice in the team.
"He was a confident young kid and that was something that we lacked, real direction from the back. He’s probably not a fullback, but he’s made a good fist of it and done a really good job.
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This ..
…….the Bronco’s problems weren’t junior pathways, development retention or recruitment … it was mostly a coaching management problem .. they fixed that and bought a 7 and it was back to business as usual .. The negative Nancy’s saying see both sides is laughable, I’ve only seen one side from them, the clubs doomed, the players suck, Gould & CC are crap .. what other side than that do they present ?