Bulldog Bandit
Kennel Established
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- May 11, 2008
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ANDREW Ryan and a few of his Bulldogs teammates will head bush next week to escape civilisation.
There will be plenty of beers. A few lop-sided tents. Campfires. A few laughs. But no footballs to be kicked around. No way.
"I'm going to forget about footy and want to get away. I'd love to find a hole to climb into," Ryan said.
"I've got a combination of feelings at the moment. Commiseration, disappointment, frustration. I just want to get away."
Forward Jarrad Hickey, who will also board the bus for the remote destination, said: "There won't even be phones when we get away. I won't be watching a game of football until the start of next season."
Prior to yesterday, the Dogs had not collected the dreaded wooden spoon since they were deducted points for salary-cap breaches in 2002.
Before that, the proud club had not seen the bottom of the ladder at season's end since 1964.
This season, 2008, will be a year every single player and official in those cement change rooms at Canberra Stadium yesterday will put a giant red pen through.
Like a Hollywood superstar who features in a box-office flop, the Dogs are determined to move forward and focus on the next script.
"It's all about 2009. It's been about 2009 for most of 2008," a dejected Bulldogs supremo Todd Greenberg said, as he joined his players.
Canterbury's latest campaign was doomed from the start.
Willie Mason defected to the Sydney Roosters after slagging coach Folkes before Christmas. Folkes was later told he would not be needed beyond 2008.
There were injuries. Off-field indiscretions. Then Sonny Bill Williams snubbed his mates to selfishly chase the almighty dollar in France.
Trying to remain upbeat at Belmore is like being a Labor backbencher happy to work under Morris Iemma.
The Dogs started yesterday's game well. Hazem El Masri crossed the white line 90 seconds into the match. He did not look too excited being one week into the holy Ramadan and unable to eat or drink during daylight hours.
Not even tap water will be allowed at today's Mad Monday celebrations.
The Dogs crossed three more times to go into the break all locked up at 16-apiece. But things quickly went downhill.
At his last ever press conference as Bulldogs coach, Folkes said the injury toll could not be overlooked when it came to his side's woeful season.
"If you had told me at the start of the year that the 17 who were out there today would be my 17 at any stage of the season, it would have been unbelievable," he said.
He looked at his watch when asked how much longer he would remain at the club. Folkes' time is up. Camping and beers are now on the agenda.
There will be plenty of beers. A few lop-sided tents. Campfires. A few laughs. But no footballs to be kicked around. No way.
"I'm going to forget about footy and want to get away. I'd love to find a hole to climb into," Ryan said.
"I've got a combination of feelings at the moment. Commiseration, disappointment, frustration. I just want to get away."
Forward Jarrad Hickey, who will also board the bus for the remote destination, said: "There won't even be phones when we get away. I won't be watching a game of football until the start of next season."
Prior to yesterday, the Dogs had not collected the dreaded wooden spoon since they were deducted points for salary-cap breaches in 2002.
Before that, the proud club had not seen the bottom of the ladder at season's end since 1964.
This season, 2008, will be a year every single player and official in those cement change rooms at Canberra Stadium yesterday will put a giant red pen through.
Like a Hollywood superstar who features in a box-office flop, the Dogs are determined to move forward and focus on the next script.
"It's all about 2009. It's been about 2009 for most of 2008," a dejected Bulldogs supremo Todd Greenberg said, as he joined his players.
Canterbury's latest campaign was doomed from the start.
Willie Mason defected to the Sydney Roosters after slagging coach Folkes before Christmas. Folkes was later told he would not be needed beyond 2008.
There were injuries. Off-field indiscretions. Then Sonny Bill Williams snubbed his mates to selfishly chase the almighty dollar in France.
Trying to remain upbeat at Belmore is like being a Labor backbencher happy to work under Morris Iemma.
The Dogs started yesterday's game well. Hazem El Masri crossed the white line 90 seconds into the match. He did not look too excited being one week into the holy Ramadan and unable to eat or drink during daylight hours.
Not even tap water will be allowed at today's Mad Monday celebrations.
The Dogs crossed three more times to go into the break all locked up at 16-apiece. But things quickly went downhill.
At his last ever press conference as Bulldogs coach, Folkes said the injury toll could not be overlooked when it came to his side's woeful season.
"If you had told me at the start of the year that the 17 who were out there today would be my 17 at any stage of the season, it would have been unbelievable," he said.
He looked at his watch when asked how much longer he would remain at the club. Folkes' time is up. Camping and beers are now on the agenda.
