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CC is a master coach. What he said at halftime? What a turnaround. This man knows how to get into the players heads. That champion stuff. It's my Birthday today - 69. Yes I saw Les Johns play!! Thanks Bulldogs, its 10am in Mombasa Kenya and I'm off to coach my team the Mombasa Bulldogs now.

Looks like CCs had a chat and we've decided to play. Go Dogs.

The defense is being torn apart. Embarrassing. And we have no answer in attack. Not competitive. First the Broncos, now these guys.

Error, error, error. Looks like they turned up. We are yet to arrive.

Too many errors by us today. A lot of turnovers & penalties. Lot to do.

Most intimidating pack i’ve ever seen at any club was our 1985 - terrorised other teams. Really scary. And they could play ball. Next is 2004 - what a pack, what a bench. Elite skills and very hard men with electric passion.

Hopefully top 4 in 2025. Premiership in 2026.

Our '25 squad hopefully will make the 8, maybe push into top 4. We sure do need two more props to be premiership contendors. Can't believe this Papenhausen thing - man plays half a season at best and pulls a million bucks.

Get well Ogre we love you make a full recovery mate.

Thanks for the memories Kevin Goldspink - many times I watched you play, including the '67 GF, and was inspired to love the game. All the best to the family.

We need forwards. And when we have enough, get two more. Forwards win games, over the season injuries and suspensions come. Add a young O'Meley, Willie, Badger, Frank the tank, James G...to our team and away we go. Take a look at the 2004 pack & bench.

It already is a distraction. What a sad limelight steeler this is.

We might just grow bigger ny being whacked tonight. TBH all the hype was getting a bit much. We all know finals is another level - we are yet to learn whether we have it in us. No matter what I'm amazed at how far we have come this year. We could potentially finish 5th or 7th, but we made the...

Manly's backs are to the wall after last week. Predictable they would show up this week. Do we have a finals gear?

This game has started to slip away. We just handed the advantage straight back to them. They have another gear that our D isn't handling.

Its a tough game. Manly off a bad loss to the referee (oops I mean Tigers). Critta & Mann out. Says a lot if we win this one.

We are in the finals. Certain to finish 5th. 4th is possible IF Sharks falter. Its an amazing achievement and tbh that'll do me for 2024. The Bulldogs are back, am so excited as all of us are. Not expecting miracles in the finals - especially with Kurt Mann gone. Fantastic experience for our...

Yes it was beautiful to watch. Long way from Tolman on the 5th.

This is a blow.

Just read this is Sean Johnson's last game at their home ground. They might be up for the fairytale farewell. Hope not.

I’d agree with your Dad. Irvine. Coote. Sterlo. Les Johns doesn’t seem to be rated. He was a force of nature.

Ken Irvine was incredibly quick. A sprinter. What a record, most tries, still stands, he made a big mark. He ought to get it. Ron Coote played lock. Tall, skinny, fast, wicked side-step in attack. Especially good in cover defense. He could get across and cut people down. Integral part of the...

Immortal thing to do! I’d go: Ken Irvine. 50 year record still holds. That’s amazing. Les Johns not mentioned? Peter Sterling ought to be there.

This is written by someone who has never played the game. A grade mug? What is that anyway? Its a brutal game - if ya can't handle a sledge, let alone a hit or two, best if you take up badminton or knitting.

Agree with Novdoggie. Grand finals are won by Big Willies and Ogres. And in this injury era depth is King. We need at least two scary forwards. That might be all we need.

We have the 3rd best F/A record in the comp currently +77. Better than 3 of the top 4 teams. And second best D in comp! Something big is cooking. Hopefully we smash the eels, then a bye - we will be in the 8 with a top 4 coming into reach. Ciraldo has worked wonders.

I’ll take this result. We turned up and had a go!

We are learning to play 80 mins. I’m so proud of the team. Massive turnaround under CC.

In the top-8 for the first time since 2016! Thats impressive - well done CC. Well done Bulldogs.

Nigel Vangana.

We could be in the 8 after this Anzac weekend!

He will get us there. Soon as we have a 7 and two prop forwards. We lack forward depth. We should have won today and if we had bench depth we would have.

Obvious truth. Forwards win games. Not a lot our stellar backs can do until we have the power up front. 2004, the 80’s, 1995, ‘88 - each team a brutal pack, including a frightening bench. Made us relentless and un-stoppable.

Forwards win games. Whan we have them, our stella backline options become effective.

Why was Kiks try disallowed?

Talaki drops it, then kicks the dropped ball. It got called a 'drop kick'. Bit weird but maybe in the rules.

Blah blah. One thing is clear. We're all looking for a win over Sharks. We fans are ready for some wins.

Burto was magic at centre for Panthers. Outside the games best halves. (Arguably). He has under-whelmed at 6 for us. And it does not seem to be improving.

Me too KiwiDog7. Unforgettable. i had never heard of him - what was he, 19 yeara old? Instant ‘who is this guy?’ Impact.

Is Kikau doing enough?

Another we don’t have prop forwards thread.

Best part of today’s result was the no points by Melbourne in the second half.

From Kenya am exploring VPN solutions. Says it will link my computer direct to TV station so I can watch as if I’m in Australia. Anyone overseas know about this? Recommendation?

Our '23 defence was leaking through the middle. That's the most humiliating thing that can happen on a field. RFM was one of several players who just stopped showing up for us in '23, more than anything D is an attitude thing. If Ciraldo has the right D structure being applied by players with...

And i hate Rugby League my parents forced me to play.

The pathway development is exciting because the pricetag of a devleopment player is much lower than buying stars. We are on track for some good stuff.

Thanks RFM. Hope this is the best for the player and team. What are the financials? Are we paying freight?

Xerri, four years out of the game...and has beefed up a lot. Maybe he is still fast, maybe not.

Les Johns - genius ahead of his time Johnny Greaves (centre, v tough) Johnny Rhodes (fast winger) Kevin Ryan (prop forward) scary tough captain - became a Barrister. These idols kept me going to Belmore week in and out and made me want to play. Then: Turvey Baa Kelly Tunks Cement was my hero...

This is good. If Ciraldo can post some wins in 2024 and at least get to 8, 9, 10 on the ladder, quality players will start to come cheaper. Paying overs is not sustainable. Ask Des.

I reckon he might be leaving - we have bought so many backs - like maybe the club has been preparing.

Vagana, Tonga, J Mos, Darren Smith, Tony Currie Liked Talau and Matthew Ryan a lot (Ryan was hard)

100% - been going on for years. Its not about we need ONE forward. Take a look at our 2004 pack and bench - demonstrates how thin we are now. O' Meley Willie Mason Steve Price Roy Asotasi SBW Andrew Ryan Grimaldi Corey Hughes Adam Perry Reni Maitua

This clandestine meeting shit is juvenile. So what - the man has meetings - with players - because that is his job. And the media, most of whom are negative towards our rise, post this shit. Yaaaaaawn

Another outside back - just what we need...? Forwards? In particular prop forwards?

No prop forwards. Not expecting much. Buy the best back line in the world, But forwards win games.

Don’t want Luai - Cleary makes him look better than he is.

We need depth. 2023 showed that. 2004 GF forward pack 8 Mark O’Meley 9 Adam Perry 11 Willie Mason 12 Andrew Ryan (C) 14 Reni Maitua 13 Tony Grimaldi This was our 2004 GF bench. 15 Corey Hughes 16 Roy Asotasi 17 Sonny Bill Williams 18 Johnathan Thurston

This is good news. Hopefully some of our girls from the Mombasa Bulldogs, Kenya will play for the team.

Wow mate this is wonderful. Really appreciate this. Will dm you after training today

Will do I’m on it now mate.

Great idea - if anyone knows how to get a short email / photos to Gus or his team. Loads of images mate - just a bit hesitant to post them out of repect for the kennel and it’s rules? Anyone know a mod we can ask. Thanks for the encouragement. The kids are v poor and the game is enriching...

Hope this is ok mods - photos of our U14 girls - Mombasa Bulldogs (yes we need blue and white kits).

Can anyone put me in touch with the store? Would love donations or equipment (used is fine) and kits, training shorts etc for our kids teams here in Kenya.

We should not have let Meaney go, and letting Avarillo go is not good. Local junior etc....nooooooo.

Same feeling here mate. Some of the players want out - while the coaching team reflect and prepare. Currently our team costs too much and delivers too little.

Davey’s comments are the noise of a resentful ‘also ran’. Who cares? Another poor performance by the team today. Their heart is not in it. Things have not jelled yet with the players & the coaching staff.

“Because they’re losing they find things to whinge about.” Hits home. “Some of these players have checked out.” Hoping the club sticks together and asks the whingers to leave. Regardless of who they are. it will be faster if we deal with it now - short term pain, for medium term gain. Our...

This is encouraging. Stick with it CC.

Braidon Burns as far as I know.

I support Ciraldo 100%. The wrestling incident seems ike fair game. Suspect fringe players are using it as a weapon - I imagine this sort of stuff goes on at other clubs? Of course Ciraldo will be reflecting and learning. He is smart. He might be trying to impose Premiership winning standards...

“The days were longer at the place I was previously.” Wake up Dogs. If this is what it takes, get on with it.

Just saw an interview with Willie Mason. His colourful expletive laden response was basically "F... them. If they can't handle the training, then they can't be a Bulldog." I like that.

The pressure on Ciraldo is enormous. It will take a lot to turn this around.

There are people on here who watched the team crush opponents in the 80’s - most of those players played for love and got little out of it. I’ve met Baa, Dave Gillespie, Willie Mason, Peter Mortimer and to me they were humble heroes. Like many of you I cherish every moment I spent playing the...

That’s the right question mate.

Comparing it to our collective real world isn’t helpful. I haven’t played first grade so wouldn’t know what works with athletes / bodies / injuries / mental fatigue etc Time is running for Ciraldo - we failed to attract Haas, Tino - is that because they also do not believe in CC? He has next...

Ciraldo sounds as of he has lost repect for (some) of the players. Guessing its a two way street.

‘Okunbur’, ‘defensive’ and ‘effort’

Teams can now run straight through the middle of our forward pack. Everyone knows how humiliating that is and that it means the forwards have given up. They don’t want to play for Ciraldo or the Dogs. There is no question that after $ millions have been spent on new players & coaches, we have...

And another team puts 40 on us. As we once again fall apart in the last 20.

Yes Kempsey Dog, the Vegas games are a bink wank - will do nothing for the game - not sustainable. Keep the gambling out of the game.

Nice post mate. As it is now, we are short on forwards. We possibly need another 5 to have enough depth.

A grade level defence by Dogs. Good to get a win.

Hey very cool Noosa Dog - thanks for reaching out. Yes I’ve been here since 2007 - started a Sports NGO in schools - many kids now play Rugby League! Been all over, now based in Mombasa. Where is she from? How long in Oz? Have you been here mate? Tell her ‘Uta baki poa’ from me (stay cool /...

To win you at least need two things. A plan. And the team that will go through the pain - set standards and execute. Two weeks ago Assassin posted about some players...RFM was mentioned...dissent...reckon he might have been spot on. Note that media is saying RFM is free to go. Weed 'em out is...

We need a starting pack, A solid bench And depth. He’s signed until end of ‘24, so basically he’s being given a shot to earn a contract and fit into one of the above.

Inconceivable that after all the signings, the Bulldogs can slip this far in defence. After some initial positive signs, we have plummeted to new lows in the second half of this season. Questions need to asked of Ciraldo, his strategies and relationships with players.

I agree Northern BD Our points against record is by far the worst in the league. We finished 12th last year and are running at 16th after this weekend (unless we beat Panthers). We are not clear of the wooden spoon yet. We had early signs of improvement under Ciraldo. That has stopped, since...

Agree. And without a dominating pack to run behind, the best backs in the world can't fire. We have paid too much for too little upfront - Thomo, TPJ.

Wow dogluva! I was at that game - 12 years old Yep he sure could kick thanks for the memory.

His signing shows us what not to do. Buying players on what we think we can make them, instead of what they are. He was a big potential under-achiever at other clubs also.

The current team has only a couple of players out injured. Kikau and Thompson. Pele seems to have dropped to reserve grade. (?) Yes we had a horror run with injuries but that is not the case now - we have dipped since last year. We have dipped in the last 6 weeks. Missed tackles have been...

This feels right Assassin. Thanks for the post. Now we wait for the bubble to burst and the explosions.

This is a disaster. Ciraldo is becoming a question mark.

All great players James. Stan Cutler was poetry to watch. Johns was a freak - who commanded attention because he could just do stuff and was electrifying to watch. His kicking game seemed that he could make the ball bounce any way he chose.

That’s so true Moedogg - have always considered myself fortunate and have a lot of gratitude to have seen Les Johns play and the stunning rise, under Bullfrog, of the frightening power of our 80’s forward pack and the 4 GFs we won in that decade. i am certain we will rise again.

We have half a spine. And at best half a forward pack. We lack depth - our great teams had bench players who were as good as the run on players.