djdeep4172
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2014
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In the back end of the season, Canterbury have shown that old Dogs spirit that their club has always been known for.
They said openly that they were trying to find the old Bulldogs DNA by appointing a former player in Dean Pay as coach. It didn't work for them last year, didn't work for them at the start of this season, but it looks like Pay has found that now.
Leaders like Josh Jackson, Will Hopoate, Dylan Napa, Aiden Tolman have stood up. They've unearthed players like Morgan Harper and Jayden Okunbor. Lachlan Lewis had a good back-end to the season and that experience will be invaluable for him next year.
Corey Hawawira-Naera has been a strong signing. There are some good players on the bench, too: big blokes like Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Renouf Toomaga who can come on and cause some damage for short periods of time.
Melbourne's Joe Stimson is a good signing for them, plus South Sydney's Dean Britt. Those guys will be genuine pluses for them next year. They probably need to find another hooker; that position has been an ongoing issue for them.
But if they keep showing that fight, that competitiveness that the Bulldogs are famous for, I think they can challenge for the top eight next year.
Hopefully they can start next year the way they finished this season. It's always a bit easier when there's no pressure on you; Canterbury started throwing the ball around in the back end of the season and it stuck.
It will be interesting to see how they start next year when the pressure is back on. But there are players there who have experienced Test and Origin footy, quality players who should hold them in good stead amongst the new talent.
They said openly that they were trying to find the old Bulldogs DNA by appointing a former player in Dean Pay as coach. It didn't work for them last year, didn't work for them at the start of this season, but it looks like Pay has found that now.
Leaders like Josh Jackson, Will Hopoate, Dylan Napa, Aiden Tolman have stood up. They've unearthed players like Morgan Harper and Jayden Okunbor. Lachlan Lewis had a good back-end to the season and that experience will be invaluable for him next year.
Corey Hawawira-Naera has been a strong signing. There are some good players on the bench, too: big blokes like Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Renouf Toomaga who can come on and cause some damage for short periods of time.
Melbourne's Joe Stimson is a good signing for them, plus South Sydney's Dean Britt. Those guys will be genuine pluses for them next year. They probably need to find another hooker; that position has been an ongoing issue for them.
But if they keep showing that fight, that competitiveness that the Bulldogs are famous for, I think they can challenge for the top eight next year.
Hopefully they can start next year the way they finished this season. It's always a bit easier when there's no pressure on you; Canterbury started throwing the ball around in the back end of the season and it stuck.
It will be interesting to see how they start next year when the pressure is back on. But there are players there who have experienced Test and Origin footy, quality players who should hold them in good stead amongst the new talent.
