News Canterbury could overcome outrageous NRL finals odds

Spoonman84

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Seven days ago, Canterbury were paying $101 to make the NRL finals. But nobody, it seems, told the players.

“Oh, a lot’s changed at our club in a few weeks,” Bulldogs winger Nick Meaney said.

“You can feel it too. At training, all of the boys are smiling, laughing, joking around.

“And yet at the same time, we’re also serious, realising we have a job to do in these last two games. It’s a job we can get done too.

“We know that on our day, we’re a team can go with anyone.”

Unthinkable only a fortnight ago, Canterbury are suddenly headed into a Thursday Night Football showdown with North Queensland looking to secure not only a fifth straight win, but also the most unlikely of NRL playoffs appearances.

Now paying $29 in TAB top-eight betting, the Dogs must beat the Cowboys, plus Brisbane in Round 26 — and then have a range of other results fall favourably — to have any hope of making the finals on 24 points.

Specifically, Canterbury needs Brisbane, Wests Tigers and Penrith to each go winless over the final fortnight.

The struggling Newcastle Knights would also need to lose to Gold Coast this weekend but then beat Penrith away in the final round.

“And all of the boys, they’re really positive,” Meaney said of a side that has resurrected its season under coach Dean Pay.

“Early on in the year, we weren’t winning too many games and you could see the pressure and stress on everyone at the club.

“But at the same time, you could also see that everyone still wanted to be successful.

“That’s something I’ve noticed really since switching to Canterbury — this is a club that doesn’t accept anything but success. And that’s where our team wants to be.

“So even when things weren’t going well on the park, when we weren’t winning games, things were still positive because everyone was so keen to see where we could get to.”

Still do.

Which is why the Bulldogs are now looking to revive the ghosts of 2015, when under coach Des Hasler the side won six games on a run to the finals. A year earlier, the Dogs also won seven straight in a season that eventually saw them lose the grand final to South Sydney.

Apart from their own games, Bulldogs fans will also be keeping a close eye on the final two matches of Brisbane (Parramatta, Canterbury), Wests Tigers (St George Illawarra, Cronulla), Penrith (Roosters, Knights) and Newcastle (Gold Coast, Penrith).

But first, and most importantly, Canterbury must overcome a Cowboys side sat way down in 14th on the NRL ladder.

“We just need to keep things going,” Meaney continues. “In recent wins, our defence has been a stand out.

“Last week we kept Parramatta, who are a strong attacking side, to only the one try. But we need to do it again against the Cowboys, which won’t be easy against the likes of Jason Taumalolo, Michael Morgan and Scott Drinkwater at fullback.

“But if our defence is on, we’ll win.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/845c60feba3347d1f0c27cd53f92d284
 

Ribo Flavin

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it will be a dream run if it becomes a reality..something that all league players can aspire to.
 

Scoooby

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They could .. bit of a fairy tale ending to 2019 would be a bonus..!!
 

Scoooby

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Titans losing to the Knights will be our undoing
Nah titans will beat knights, they are gone for this year with ponga an klemmer spreading the poison lol. There’s still hope yet !!
 

flamebouyant

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Nice read. Good to hear an ex Newcastle player explain how our club doesnt accept losing as the norm.
 

belmore_utd

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Titans losing to the Knights will be our undoing
If anyone I think it will be st merge. They have more talented players than Titans and not as much drama surrounding their coach.

But it wouldn't surprise me to see them tank it to spite us.
 

bricktamland

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This is our danger game . Then again everyone has tipped against us even Brett kimmorley.. will be a great effort to beat the cows for their final home game, I see us popping the broncos cause it’s not at Suncorp
 

Bertsgod Neb

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What a great achievement from this club

No one can argue we have the worst current squad in the NRL. The mistakes
Of the Dibb and Coorey era have left us with nothing. Compare us to squads like NTh Qld and St George.

We are so lucky to have a great coach who was described by Craig Bellamy to
Have a great coaching future leading us forward.
 

Sleeky

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What a great achievement from this club

No one can argue we have the worst current squad in the NRL. The mistakes
Of the Dibb and Coorey era have left us with nothing. Compare us to squads like NTh Qld and St George.

We are so lucky to have a great coach who was described by Craig Bellamy to
Have a great coaching future leading us forward.
Got something stuck in his throat
 

Headmix

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Nice read. Good to hear an ex Newcastle player explain how our club doesnt accept losing as the norm.
Ironically Klemmer has gone to the knights...I bet he has a few regrets about that decision. Especially come next year
 

Kempsey Dog

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Titans losing to the Knights will be our undoing
Knights may attack better in stages, but given their attitude and complacency it's easy to see them taking the Titans easy and being lazy in defence. Hopefully players like Brimson, Peacehy and Cartwright can make them pay late in the contest
 

_G-Dog_

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Now wheres that Rainbow Icon gone for the Optimistic post rating..
 

Pappydog

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On the ‘odd chance’ Knights beat Titans, let’s hope we put 34 points on Cowboys and Roosters do the same against Panthers to give us another avenue
 

Bad Billy

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Nah titans will beat knights, they are gone for this year with ponga an klemmer spreading the poison lol. There’s still hope yet !!
Yea, but then we need the knights to bounce back in the final round and win.
 

DT

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Let's be real, we won't make the 8 nor should we after this appalling season...it is great that we have strung a few wins together but this season just needs to finish and hopefully stringing a few more wins will be wonderful but overall it has been another terrible season but hopefully we are now on the way up rather than down where we've been for far too long...personally I think the cowboys might towel us up for their final game at their home ground...boys could make some serious coin too..
 

sideswip

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This Statement from Nick after Leaving Newcastle, says it all! “That’s something I’ve noticed really since switching to Canterbury — this is a club that doesn’t accept anything but success. And that’s where our team wants to be"
 

Nano

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NRL would be riding this is it happens, also the final series needs a team like us in it to help the NRL with its meh numbers...
 
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