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Canterbury premiership-winning player Braith Anasta has named his candidates to replace Trent Barrett, while taking aim at the club’s recruitment and believes the Dogs have “lost their DNA”.
Anasta also believes it’ll be tough for the next coach to “have much trust” in the club after Barrett fell on his sword on Sunday night, less than two weeks after Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould promised his position was safe.
But Anasta still believes it’s one of the best jobs in the NRL, regardless of the pressures coaching the former powerhouse club bring.
Gould said Barrett “poured his heart out” in an emotional late night phone call that led to him reigning on Sunday.
Canterbury won the wooden spoon last year but there was plenty of optimism coming into this season on the back of six star signings.
But the defeats have continued in 2022 and the Bulldogs lost a bottom-of-the-table clash against Newcastle on Friday night.
Barrett won just five of 35 games since taking the reins at the start of last season, one of the worst coaching records in the club’s proud history.
Anasta thought Barrett would be given longer to turn things around but he didn’t blame the club for acting after their shocking start to the season.
“I thought they would give him the opportunity to finish the season after Gus’ comments,” Anasta told foxsports.com.au.
“But I don’t blame them either because their performances have just been well below par for a long time.
“As an ex-Bulldog, I want to see them succeed. The only reason I speak about them so much is because I’m so passionate about it and I don’t like seeing them where they are.
“It was once one of the most powerful clubs in the game on and off the field and definitely with performance you knew what you were going to get out of a Bulldogs team every week.
“For decades you knew what you were going to get out of the Bulldogs and when you play at the Bulldogs you know what the expectations are.
“You don’t let the Bulldogs logo down and the expectations are extremely high and that just seems to not be there anymore.
“What are the Bulldogs right now? What style do they play? What is their DNA? Because at the moment you don’t know what you’re going to get.
“So I understand why the decision has been made and unfortunately for Trent, I do feel sorry for him because he’s worked his butt off and you can tell he’s been putting in 100 per cent and doing everything that he can, but unfortunately it just hasn’t worked.”
Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr, Tevita Pangai Junior, Matt Dufty, Brent Naden and Paul Vaughan headlined the Dogs’ 2022 recruitment class.
Eels star hooker Reed Mahoney and Panthers premiership-winning star Viliame Kikau will arrive at Belmore next summer.
Anasta said they were all skilled players but emphasised the Dogs should be recruiting more than just talent.
“The big thing with the Bulldogs is the personality of the player they buy, you’ve got to buy a Bulldog,” he said.
“That’s why you need a Bulldog in charge (like Gould), someone who knows what it takes to be a Bulldogs player.
“When you’re looking to sign a player, you don’t just go and look at the next one on the market, you don’t just go and buy one of the best players. You buy obviously high-quality talent but are they going to fit into the Bulldogs system, are they going to be a Canterbury Bulldog?
“That’s what they haven’t done I don’t think with their recruitment.”
Gould declared two weeks ago that “Trent Barrett will be the coach of the Bulldogs long after I’m gone – long after I’m gone”.
Anasta praised Gould as one of the most “intelligent minds” in the game but said it will only be natural for the next coach to be walking on eggshells if the losses continue.
“If you’re a coach going in there, let’s be honest, it’d be hard to have much trust walking into the joint with the mixed messages that Baz would have received, well all of us received, over the last few months,” Anasta said.
“But you didn’t have to be Einstein to work out what was going to happen soon if there wasn’t results and I will defend Gus and say nobody ever says the coach is gone until they’re gone.
“So even know he’s told a bit of a Furphy, it’s not like he’s the first one to ever do it and he won’t be the last.
“As intimidating as Gus is, if the coach goes in and has the support of Gus and they work together… I actually think if I’m a coach I’d love the job because the Bulldogs are an amazing club.
“They’ve got all the resources, they’re financially secure, they’ve got really passionate supporters and they’ve got one of the smartest, brightest, intelligent minds as a general manager.”
Premiership coach Shane Flanagan leads the list of candidates to replace Barrett, while Paul Green is also keen to coach again and has won a title.
Panthers coaching prospect Cameron Ciraldo is the widely regarded as the best assistant in the game but won’t leave the premiers mid-season.
Anasta believes former Bulldogs captain Mick Ennis has what it takes to be a head coach and could make a case to become an interim this season.
“Obviously Flanno wants it, I think that’s been quite evident,” Anasta said.
“There’s been a lot of noise around Flanno as a possibility for a long time now. He’s a premiership-winning coach you know and I think there’s Ciraldo whether he wants to go in there and take it on.
“Paul Green, and no disrespect to Paul I think he’s a really good coach, I just don’t know if he’s a Bulldogs coach. I just can’t see that happening.
“I think Mick Ennis could be keen, he might want to dip his toes in at some point as a coach, he’s definitely got the bug there.
“It’s like Dessy at Manly. Dessy is Manly and I think the Bulldogs are that type of club and I think they really need someone like that because there was a Bulldogs way for such a long time there, it was just entrenched into the joint.
“I don’t know why but they’ve lost their DNA and it’s frustrating because it was so clear and evident as a player when you stepped foot in the door there at Belmore what your expectations are from the club and teammates.”
Anasta also believes it’ll be tough for the next coach to “have much trust” in the club after Barrett fell on his sword on Sunday night, less than two weeks after Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould promised his position was safe.
But Anasta still believes it’s one of the best jobs in the NRL, regardless of the pressures coaching the former powerhouse club bring.
Gould said Barrett “poured his heart out” in an emotional late night phone call that led to him reigning on Sunday.
Canterbury won the wooden spoon last year but there was plenty of optimism coming into this season on the back of six star signings.
But the defeats have continued in 2022 and the Bulldogs lost a bottom-of-the-table clash against Newcastle on Friday night.
Barrett won just five of 35 games since taking the reins at the start of last season, one of the worst coaching records in the club’s proud history.
Anasta thought Barrett would be given longer to turn things around but he didn’t blame the club for acting after their shocking start to the season.
“I thought they would give him the opportunity to finish the season after Gus’ comments,” Anasta told foxsports.com.au.
“But I don’t blame them either because their performances have just been well below par for a long time.
“As an ex-Bulldog, I want to see them succeed. The only reason I speak about them so much is because I’m so passionate about it and I don’t like seeing them where they are.
“It was once one of the most powerful clubs in the game on and off the field and definitely with performance you knew what you were going to get out of a Bulldogs team every week.
“For decades you knew what you were going to get out of the Bulldogs and when you play at the Bulldogs you know what the expectations are.
“You don’t let the Bulldogs logo down and the expectations are extremely high and that just seems to not be there anymore.
“What are the Bulldogs right now? What style do they play? What is their DNA? Because at the moment you don’t know what you’re going to get.
“So I understand why the decision has been made and unfortunately for Trent, I do feel sorry for him because he’s worked his butt off and you can tell he’s been putting in 100 per cent and doing everything that he can, but unfortunately it just hasn’t worked.”
Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr, Tevita Pangai Junior, Matt Dufty, Brent Naden and Paul Vaughan headlined the Dogs’ 2022 recruitment class.
Eels star hooker Reed Mahoney and Panthers premiership-winning star Viliame Kikau will arrive at Belmore next summer.
Anasta said they were all skilled players but emphasised the Dogs should be recruiting more than just talent.
“The big thing with the Bulldogs is the personality of the player they buy, you’ve got to buy a Bulldog,” he said.
“That’s why you need a Bulldog in charge (like Gould), someone who knows what it takes to be a Bulldogs player.
“When you’re looking to sign a player, you don’t just go and look at the next one on the market, you don’t just go and buy one of the best players. You buy obviously high-quality talent but are they going to fit into the Bulldogs system, are they going to be a Canterbury Bulldog?
“That’s what they haven’t done I don’t think with their recruitment.”
Gould declared two weeks ago that “Trent Barrett will be the coach of the Bulldogs long after I’m gone – long after I’m gone”.
Anasta praised Gould as one of the most “intelligent minds” in the game but said it will only be natural for the next coach to be walking on eggshells if the losses continue.
“If you’re a coach going in there, let’s be honest, it’d be hard to have much trust walking into the joint with the mixed messages that Baz would have received, well all of us received, over the last few months,” Anasta said.
“But you didn’t have to be Einstein to work out what was going to happen soon if there wasn’t results and I will defend Gus and say nobody ever says the coach is gone until they’re gone.
“So even know he’s told a bit of a Furphy, it’s not like he’s the first one to ever do it and he won’t be the last.
“As intimidating as Gus is, if the coach goes in and has the support of Gus and they work together… I actually think if I’m a coach I’d love the job because the Bulldogs are an amazing club.
“They’ve got all the resources, they’re financially secure, they’ve got really passionate supporters and they’ve got one of the smartest, brightest, intelligent minds as a general manager.”
Premiership coach Shane Flanagan leads the list of candidates to replace Barrett, while Paul Green is also keen to coach again and has won a title.
Panthers coaching prospect Cameron Ciraldo is the widely regarded as the best assistant in the game but won’t leave the premiers mid-season.
Anasta believes former Bulldogs captain Mick Ennis has what it takes to be a head coach and could make a case to become an interim this season.
“Obviously Flanno wants it, I think that’s been quite evident,” Anasta said.
“There’s been a lot of noise around Flanno as a possibility for a long time now. He’s a premiership-winning coach you know and I think there’s Ciraldo whether he wants to go in there and take it on.
“Paul Green, and no disrespect to Paul I think he’s a really good coach, I just don’t know if he’s a Bulldogs coach. I just can’t see that happening.
“I think Mick Ennis could be keen, he might want to dip his toes in at some point as a coach, he’s definitely got the bug there.
“It’s like Dessy at Manly. Dessy is Manly and I think the Bulldogs are that type of club and I think they really need someone like that because there was a Bulldogs way for such a long time there, it was just entrenched into the joint.
“I don’t know why but they’ve lost their DNA and it’s frustrating because it was so clear and evident as a player when you stepped foot in the door there at Belmore what your expectations are from the club and teammates.”
