- Joined
- Oct 1, 2013
- Messages
- 17,736
- Reaction score
- 31,795
Bulldogs coach Dean Pay is set to spring a round one selection shock by handing a starting halves spot to local product Brandon Wakeham, who hails from the same junior club as Canterbury legend Terry Lamb.
The 21-year-old is expected to partner Lachie Lewis ahead of the opening match of the NRL season when Canterbury play Parramatta on Thursday.
Wakeham made his NRL debut last season. Picture by Brett Costello.
Other surprising team selections include;
*Outside back Kerrod Holland to be back-up hooker off the interchange bench.
*New recruits Joe Stimson and Sione Katoa battling to make the round one side.
*Dean Britt to follow in his dad Darren’s footsteps in making his Bulldogs debut.
*Nick Meaney and Jeremy Marshall-King winning the battle to be passed fit to play.
Wakeham and Jack Cogger were in contention to play alongside Lewis after the long-term injury to Kieran Foran but Pay is expected to go with the more flamboyant Wakeham.
The Chester Hill Hornets product made his top-grade debut last year playing three games. He has played as many Tests for Fij
Canterbury will also feature a new-look centre combination with Reimis Smith joining Will Hopoate.
Wakeham played three Tests for Fiji last year. Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images.
A position where the Bulldogs have certainly, though, is in the No. 1 jersey with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak about to feature in his first full season as the club. He said he is a world away from the problems he faced last year before his mid-season switch from Penrith.
“I had a shocking start to the season,” Watene-Zelezniak said. “I wasn’t enjoying my football. I was really unhappy. Six months before I was captaining my country and was at the peak of my career and then to get where I was six months later it shoots
“I got to a club like this and found my joy for the game again. It took me back to when I was a kid and really loving football.
“You can’t put a price on happiness and what it does for your game. Having someone who believes in you (like Pay) and has faith in you as a player is pretty underrated. That’s all you really want. It brought the best out of in me.”
“Dean has brought the best out of me.”
Watene-Zelezniak returned the faith shown by Pay inking a two-year extension with the club in November.
“From day dot, the feelings I got from this club I knew I wanted to stay here,” Watene-Zelezniak said. “It was a no-brainer for me. I’m happy, you can’t put a price on happiness.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...a/news-story/1b373729abab01621c3a26efea88db77
The 21-year-old is expected to partner Lachie Lewis ahead of the opening match of the NRL season when Canterbury play Parramatta on Thursday.
Wakeham made his NRL debut last season. Picture by Brett Costello.
Other surprising team selections include;
*Outside back Kerrod Holland to be back-up hooker off the interchange bench.
*New recruits Joe Stimson and Sione Katoa battling to make the round one side.
*Dean Britt to follow in his dad Darren’s footsteps in making his Bulldogs debut.
*Nick Meaney and Jeremy Marshall-King winning the battle to be passed fit to play.
Wakeham and Jack Cogger were in contention to play alongside Lewis after the long-term injury to Kieran Foran but Pay is expected to go with the more flamboyant Wakeham.
The Chester Hill Hornets product made his top-grade debut last year playing three games. He has played as many Tests for Fij
Canterbury will also feature a new-look centre combination with Reimis Smith joining Will Hopoate.
Wakeham played three Tests for Fiji last year. Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images.
A position where the Bulldogs have certainly, though, is in the No. 1 jersey with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak about to feature in his first full season as the club. He said he is a world away from the problems he faced last year before his mid-season switch from Penrith.
“I had a shocking start to the season,” Watene-Zelezniak said. “I wasn’t enjoying my football. I was really unhappy. Six months before I was captaining my country and was at the peak of my career and then to get where I was six months later it shoots
“I got to a club like this and found my joy for the game again. It took me back to when I was a kid and really loving football.
“You can’t put a price on happiness and what it does for your game. Having someone who believes in you (like Pay) and has faith in you as a player is pretty underrated. That’s all you really want. It brought the best out of in me.”
“Dean has brought the best out of me.”
Watene-Zelezniak returned the faith shown by Pay inking a two-year extension with the club in November.
“From day dot, the feelings I got from this club I knew I wanted to stay here,” Watene-Zelezniak said. “It was a no-brainer for me. I’m happy, you can’t put a price on happiness.
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...a/news-story/1b373729abab01621c3a26efea88db77
