News COACH Pay will make up to six alterations to the team which lost to Manly

[B-Train]

It's a decent start, but Reimis shouldn't be at centre at all, Lewis shouldn't be in the team at all while Wakeham should get a run and Renouf deserves to start. JMK also shouldn't be playing 80. So there are still more changes required.

 

[Natboy]

Canterbury coach Dean Pay has made widespread changes to his backline in a bid to spark his team’s lacklustre attack.

The Saturday Telegraph has learnt Pay will make up to six alterations to the team which lost to Manly last Sunday ahead of their match against St George Illawarra on Monday.

Only winger Nick Meaney will keep the exact role he filled on the wing during the Bulldogs 32-6 loss to the Sea Eagles.


Among the changes Pay is expected to make include;

*Shifting Kiwi skipper Dallin Watene-Zelezniak from fullback to wing.

*Will Hopoate moving from the centres to fullback.

*Reimis Smith swapping from left centre to right.

*Boom youngster Jake Averillo earning his first career start at centre.

*Winger Christian Crichton axed.


Kieran Foran will also return in the No. 6 jersey Lachie Lewis wore last start with Lewis moving into the halfback role to play a desperate Dragons team. Halfback Jack Cogger was dropped earlier this week.



The changes need to spark the Bulldogs attack which has netted just 24 points from the opening three matches. Only the hapless Titans have scored less and 16 of the Bulldogs points came in their round two loss to the Cowboys.

The Bulldogs’ attack has been an ongoing problem for the side which featured last season scoring the league’s lowest average of 13.5 points per game. The losing coach on Monday will come under intense scrutiny. A planned training session yesterday was cancelled after club great Terry Lamb breached the NRL’s strict biosecurity protocols. Lamb shook hands with a host of players and officials on Thursday and was forced to undergo a COVID test before the players were allowed to return to Belmore. Lamb, who apologised for his actions, was cleared of the coronavirus, enabling the team to train again today.

“I would like to apologise to the Bulldogs and the NRL for breaching COVID protocols at training,” Lamb said. “I was over excited about getting to Belmore again and wanting to wish Kieran Foran all the best for his 200th game and in doing so I breached the protocols by shaking the hands of several players to wish them all the best.

That should dry some eyes here

 

[Natboy]

LOLLLL listen you miserable bastard relax. SIX positional changes. He has listened and he will keep listening hopefully. This is massive. Find some positivity and work with it LOL.

Great post mate but we could announce a team with the next 17 immortals and he’d still be negative

 

[albatross]

We have a fullback that can actually ball play and Foran, that should make a major difference to the side alone. If everyone does there jobs then I can see us snagging a win.

and DWZ can still pretty much do the same thing on the wing as he does at fullback - run the ball back hard from our own 20.

 

[SPEARTAKVIDREFS]

None of our fullbacks have strike in the position to date. I would have preferred Meaney there for that reason and strengthened the wings. Hoppa is reliable in the centres and is that bit of class needed in attack when its on. But Im no coach soo...
Anywhos, good to see some changes.

 

[Sandra's Bollocks]

Meh, even if we win the band aid will eventually fall off.

 

[DinkumDog]

None of our fullbacks have strike in the position to date. I would have preferred Meaney there for that reason and strengthened the wings. Hoppa is reliable in the centres and is that bit of class needed in attack when its on. But Im no coach soo...
Anywhos, good to see some changes.

Agree. I quite like the changes and looking forward to seeing if Foz and Averillo can combine/spark but I also thought Meaney was pretty safe out back before he moved to wing. I’d also be happy with a back 5 of Meaney / DWZ / Averillo / Hoppa / Reimis.

 

[Blueandwhiteblood1968]

Canterbury coach Dean Pay has made widespread changes to his backline in a bid to spark his team’s lacklustre attack.

The Saturday Telegraph has learnt Pay will make up to six alterations to the team which lost to Manly last Sunday ahead of their match against St George Illawarra on Monday.

Only winger Nick Meaney will keep the exact role he filled on the wing during the Bulldogs 32-6 loss to the Sea Eagles.


Among the changes Pay is expected to make include;

*Shifting Kiwi skipper Dallin Watene-Zelezniak from fullback to wing.

*Will Hopoate moving from the centres to fullback.

*Reimis Smith swapping from left centre to right.

*Boom youngster Jake Averillo earning his first career start at centre.

*Winger Christian Crichton axed.


Kieran Foran will also return in the No. 6 jersey Lachie Lewis wore last start with Lewis moving into the halfback role to play a desperate Dragons team. Halfback Jack Cogger was dropped earlier this week.



The changes need to spark the Bulldogs attack which has netted just 24 points from the opening three matches. Only the hapless Titans have scored less and 16 of the Bulldogs points came in their round two loss to the Cowboys.

The Bulldogs’ attack has been an ongoing problem for the side which featured last season scoring the league’s lowest average of 13.5 points per game. The losing coach on Monday will come under intense scrutiny. A planned training session yesterday was cancelled after club great Terry Lamb breached the NRL’s strict biosecurity protocols. Lamb shook hands with a host of players and officials on Thursday and was forced to undergo a COVID test before the players were allowed to return to Belmore. Lamb, who apologised for his actions, was cleared of the coronavirus, enabling the team to train again today.

“I would like to apologise to the Bulldogs and the NRL for breaching COVID protocols at training,” Lamb said. “I was over excited about getting to Belmore again and wanting to wish Kieran Foran all the best for his 200th game and in doing so I breached the protocols by shaking the hands of several players to wish them all the best.

Meaney needs to be the FB, and Smith, Tolman are shit.

 

[shaun5150]

Is Pay coaching or are the team coaching themselves now?
As earlier reports had 4 members telling him to change things. FFS

 

[GoTheDoggies]

Pay will tweak the line up right before kick off, McGregor will get out coached.

 

[wendog33]

Is Pay coaching or are the team coaching themselves now?
As earlier reports had 4 members telling him to change things. FFS

Someone had too, couldn't work it out for himself sadly.

 

[wendog33]

It's a decent start, but Reimis shouldn't be at centre at all, Lewis shouldn't be in the team at all while Wakeham should get a run and Renouf deserves to start. JMK also shouldn't be playing 80. So there are still more changes required.

Has this been confirmed?...or just another bone thrown to fans to make us feel better, and give us some hope, for a few days, before the game.

 

[albatross]

None of our fullbacks have strike in the position to date. I would have preferred Meaney there for that reason and strengthened the wings. Hoppa is reliable in the centres and is that bit of class needed in attack when its on. But Im no coach soo...
Anywhos, good to see some changes.

Agree about Meaney - we should be letting him develop at fullback - but at least Hoppa is better at creating an extra man in backline moves and can throw a good pass. We just need some go forward and then quick and direct ball out of our dummy half and halves.

If the changes happen, I can't wait to see how Averillo goes. We know he can attack and create, but he's gonna have some big boys running at him and our edge communication and structure is always a worry.

 

[B-Train]

Has this been confirmed..or just another bone thrown to fans to make us feel better and give us some hope, for a few days, before the game.

No it hasn't been confirmed. We're only meant to trust disreputable sources if they're saying something positive about the club or Dean Pay remember?

 

[B-Train]

Agree about Meaney - we should be letting him develop at fullback - but at least Hoppa is better at creating an extra man in backline moves and can throw a good pass. We just need some go forward and then quick and direct ball out of our dummy half and halves.

If the changes happen, I can't wait to see how Averillo goes. We know he can attack and create, but he's gonna have some big boys running at him and our edge communication and structure is always a worry.

Fucked if I know what Meaney was brought to the club for. Pay saw him as a fullback initially. They moved him to the wing for DWZ. Now DWZ is on the wing, our best winger is still in the centres and Meaney is still on the wing with Hoppa at fullback.

People can defend Pay all they want but trying to make sense of his logic can be impossible at times. If Meaney wasn't seen as a better fullback than Hoppa, then why was he recruited in the first place?

 

[wendog33]

No it hasn't been confirmed. We're only meant to trust disreputable sources if they're saying something positive about the club or Dean Pay remember?

Oh yeah forgot

The fact it's out there, that it makes sense to put them back in their best positions and its been recognised that the positional changes havent worked, the four players giving their input on how to try for some success says probably more than if its true or not.

At least the silly coaching decisions are now up for public and fan discussion.

 

[Howie B]

So Remis is somehow still centre... Pay is a silly c***, just shuffling the deck chairs with no purpose. Hoppa has flashes of brilliance at fullback but we've been there done that, leave him at centre and play either Meaney or Averillo there ffs

I think you will find Remis plays totally different at right centre . He is a right hand ball carrier which makes it tough for him to be any attacking threat at all on the left . Look at Josh Morris when he played right centre at origin . He defended ok but was never an attacking threat.

 

[SPEARTAKVIDREFS]

Agree. I quite like the changes and looking forward to seeing if Foz and Averillo can combine/spark but I also thought Meaney was pretty safe out back before he moved to wing. I’d also be happy with a back 5 of Meaney / DWZ / Averillo / Hoppa / Reimis.

Yep.
I think Meany has improved and strengthened since playing fullback. I still think he looks awkward on the wing. He has improved there but nothing to write home about. I just dont think he is a winger but I think he's given it a crack so credit to him.
He was ok at fullback. He just got dominated due to his size then and lack of confidence. He is quick and if he can find open space, well we've seen glimpses in the past. DWZ never finds open space and Hoppa is slow. I just think its time for Meaney to return to fullback (well given another shot atleast) which will help strengthen other positions in the team. He might actually thrive there now with a bit more confidence and first grade experience.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

and DWZ can still pretty much do the same thing on the wing as he does at fullback - run the ball back hard from our own 20.

Exactly. Called it like this from day one, he was never a fullback and was never going to be good enough there, yet I got the "oh you're so negative blah blah" nonsense because he ran the ball hard an we won a few games.

Problem is we signed him as a fullback and as a result we're probably paying him far more money than we need to be. But it is what it is, we have to persist with him on the wing and simply make better decisions moving forward. Hopefully his confidence isn't smashed or he has a little sook like he did at Penrith..

 

[wendog33]

Oh yeah forgot

The fact it's out there, that it makes sense to put them back in their best positions and its been recognised that the positional changes havent worked, the four players giving their input on how to try for some success says probably more than if its true or not.

At least the silly coaching decisions are now up for public and fan discussion.

You really do now have to think that the Board have stepped in to find a way forward. Maybe Reimus' form is all due to knowing the senior players dont think he is a centre either, however, from what DT tell us (yet again our most often only source of club info), Dean is leaving him there.

As most everyone opposed to our poor results and recruitment, say....fine give Pay a fair chance but he needs to put the best team on the park. He isnt. We are poor from dummy half. Its a huge gamechanger now. Coaches are going with 2 hookers. We have the Tongan hooker sitting around in the stands. Give him a try under game conditions. Who knows how he'll go.

We have the Fijian halfback. Pay hasnt picked him either. We cant score. Now we hear Harper not picked cos he has signed with Manly. If we hear Wakeham not picked cos he has signed elsewhere, for a fg start, well it will be tragic.

Pay has not adapted to the new game. A challenged team like us need everything going for us. Give the team a fighting chance Deano and help yourself with some smart decisions as well. Best of luck for Monday.