News Bulldogs great Graeme Hughes says that 2019 will make or break Kieran Foran

[Dognacious]

Making the 8 in 2019 and being better in 2020 are not mutually exclusive. I expect us to make the 8 next year, and be better again in 2020.

 

[no1bulldog]

Are we really going to pretend that finishing 10th would be a pass mark? Lol

10th would be over achieving......our top 30 is fucking sad

 

[Howard Moon]

10th would be over achieving......our top 30 is fucking sad

whatever you say man

 

[no1bulldog]

whatever you say man

ok its star studded and loaded with talent...…………………. i'll have whatever your on

 

[GDR]

It is bible. We are the Bulldogs and missing the 8 for a 3rd consecutive season is no way a pass. We should be building on this season and finishing 10th tells me otherwise. it's not like the NRL is currently stacked with great teams.

is our squad better in 2019, then it was 2018, based on personnel?? If your answer is yes, then you have no clue..
if our squad has not progressed with talent, but rather regressed, how are we to be "expected" to improve...
also lets just breeze past the fact that weve had an absolute mess with salary cap and "expect" to improve..

I still believe its possible to make the 8.. but we are going to have to have a fully fit team without "injuries" and also a few standout seasons from key players.. as well as unearthing some youth..

 

[CrittaMagic69]

is our squad better in 2019, then it was 2018, based on personnel?? If your answer is yes, then you have no clue..
if our squad has not progressed with talent, but rather regressed, how are we to be "expected" to improve...
also lets just breeze past the fact that weve had an absolute mess with salary cap and "expect" to improve..

I still believe its possible to make the 8.. but we are going to have to have a fully fit team without "injuries" and also a few standout seasons from key players.. as well as unearthing some youth..

Lol @ regressed.

 

[Howard Moon]

Let's face it, we had an old, tired team with terrible play makers... Our rookies have brought much needed confidence and enthusiasm... I don't think people realise how big of a difference it will be going into 2019 with an actual half who can produce, maybe two.... you can't win games without scoring tries, and as we saw towards the end of 2018, with the injection of Prince, Smith, Martin and co, we actually started showing signs of a good attacking team, and that can only grow as we enter the new season.

 

[Dognacious]

ok its star studded and loaded with talent...…………………. i'll have whatever your on

Its too early to call the squad shit, or star studded.

A lot depends on Foran and nobody can predict how that will go in 2019. He could play every game and be awesome, or get injured in game 1 for the season. Who knows? Obviously i hope the first option happens.

At worst our squad is ? at this stage. But unfair to call them shit before we see how it goes next year at least. You just never know. May as well be a supporter since its pretty much up in the air atm, how we will go next year.

We needed a cleanout, and no club has ever had a bigger one. Whole new board, CEO, coach, support staff, and half the team. All changed. All we can really expect going forward is that we trend in the right direction and improve more and more as time goes on.

 

[no1bulldog]

I can see there's going to be some really disappointed people on here next year having a meltdown demanding to know why we aren't playing finals footy...…..NFI

 

[GDR]

Lol @ regressed.

you cant pull 100hp out of a drag car and expect it to do a better E.T... (in most cases)

 

[no1bulldog]

Its too early to call the squad shit, or star studded.

A lot depends on Foran and nobody can predict how that will go in 2019. He could play every game and be awesome, or get injured in game 1 for the season. Who knows? Obviously i hope the first option happens.

At worst our squad is ? at this stage. But unfair to call them shit before we see how it goes next year at least. You just never know. May as well be a supporter since its pretty much up in the air atm, how we will go next year.

We needed a cleanout, and no club has ever had a bigger one. Whole new board, CEO, coach, support staff, and half the team. All changed. All we can really expect going forward is that we trend in the right direction and improve more and more as time goes on.

yeah shit might have been a tad harsh, but we are lacking genuine quality all over the park, our backline has been decimated, we have 1 half and another that could fall apart at any moment, we have lost a lot of meters with Klemmer leaving making things harder for our halves.

our pack is what i'd call honest toilers and not what would worry opposition coaches, Nappa I think will disappoint many being gassed early and giving away many penalties, our young backline could be really shown up in defence when they come up against quality..... I think we will be in many matches until the 30 minute mark (a bit like NZ used to be when playing Australia)

 

[Dognacious]

yeah shit might have been a tad harsh, but we are lacking genuine quality all over the park, our backline has been decimated, we have 1 half and another that could fall apart at any moment, we have lost a lot of meters with Klemmer leaving making things harder for our halves.

our pack is what i'd call honest toilers and not what would worry opposition coaches, Nappa I think will disappoint many being gassed early and giving away many penalties, our young backline could be really shown up in defence when they come up against quality..... I think we will be in many matches until the 30 minute mark (a bit like NZ used to be when playing Australia)

Despite the youth in our side, a good year from Foran / Lewis, and the hooker role being sorted would be enough to make the 8. However the hooker role is sorted. Either making Lichaa finally be consistant or blood someone else there. I dont care as long as they sort it out. We would have kept Cook if we didnt have Lichaa, so yeh, to me he has a lot to pay for. He needs to kick ass next year or fuck off

 

[Mr Invisible]

We've got a faster backline than many years in the past, and we got rid of Woods and Mbye as well.

Let's ont pretend that the teams not drastically changed for the better (on harmony alone).

Lets not forget about CHN in all this.. as well as RFM missing most of the year, and Montoyas defence costing us games.

I'd be interested to see where we conceeded the most points last year, but I feel that will be resolved next season.

 

[Kennelnator]

Our forward pack would rate in the top 6 of the comp

Our spine would rank 15-16 along with Parra

Our backline would rank 15-16 along with Parra

If we make it anywhere between 8-10 i will chop my cock off

 

[Kurrupt78]

Make or break is if the club pulls the pin on Foran if he fails once again. I hope he has a strong year for the sake of the club and it’s fans. If he doesn’t, the club will let him go. I have no doubt.

Fuck we need a draft! Dumb sport is dying a slow death.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Make or break is if the club pulls the pin on Foran if he fails once again. I hope he has a strong year for the sake of the club and it’s fans. If he doesn’t, the club will let him go. I have no doubt.

Fuck we need a draft! Dumb sport is dying a slow death.

If letting him go was a possibility then he would already be gone. No other club is dumb enough to take him off our hands.

 

[SweetFA]

2018 CONS
1. We lost Josh and Brett Morris - however the twins lost us at least 2 games this season playing absolute rubbish.
2. We lost Klemmer - who was a penalty magnet, and replaced him with a premiership winning (twice?) Qld rep whose hungry for more minutes.

2018 PROS
3. Lachlan Lewis and Reimis Smith played less than half a season for the Dogs this year.
4. Rhyse Martin and Holland were firing the end of last season.
5. We have more competition for backs now (underperform and get dropped).
6. Many games we lost by less than 6 points.

In terms of satisfaction vs test results:

16th 25%
15th 30%
14th 35%
13th 40%
12th 45%
11th 50%
10th 55%
9th 60%
8th 65%
7th 70%
6th 75%
5th 80%
4th 85%
3rd 90%
2nd 95%
1st 100%

I'd consider 10th an absolute minimum, but I would expect us to be 55-75% in my opinion, depending on injuries.

I've got a real good feeling about next season... Underdogs.

Couldn’t agree more re the Morris twins they were more rocks than diamonds last season.
Our backline is a huge concern- no established NRL player other than Hopoate. Smith, Crichton, Holland,Meaney,Okinbur, Cogger,Montoya & Lewis are all yet to play 1 consistent Season in the NRL. Consider also Foran has not played anywhere near a full season since 2015.
This the reality and challenge for our coaching staff and players.

To be brutally honest re our roster top 30: you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear

 

[DoggyStyla]

10th would be over achieving......our top 30 is fucking sad

Have faith.. No1 my ass

We will finish in the 8

 

[The DoggFather]

Imagine if The GOAT took over and we won a Premiership under him....my ego would be out of control and I'd probably be permanent for the sake of everyone's mental health hahahaha.

If we won a GF,do you really think we would give a fuck what you said? Lol I'd probably forget everones name because I'd be too busy celebrating lol

 

[The DoggFather]

Would you guys be happy with a 8th-10th finish in 2019 and a 4th-8th finish in 2020?