Bulldogs Player Movements, Re-Signings, and Rumour Mill: 2012 Edition

[Karat]

apparently MG said that he heard whispers from the game yesterday that Des wants Mason..

If this was last year I would of said yes, but there are quality in the kids coming through ( Jackson, Finucane, Taupau, Sopoaga etc), it will be a shame if they leave because of Mason.

 

[Allan]

Mason is not coming back. He played so badly for the Roosters and Cowboys only an idiot would put him on the roster. Mason could have been a great player but his work ethic on the field is one of the worst I have seen. In defence he may as well not be there. The other players have to play like a 12 man team. In attack he hangs around behind the line waiting for the opportunity to bash a little bloke. If that chance doesn't come then he does nothing.

When hep was young and played for the Dogs he was sensational but just fell away as his head got bigger not older.

 

[Karat]

Mason is not coming back. He played so badly for the Roosters and Cowboys only an idiot would put him on the roster. Mason could have been a great player but his work ethic on the field is one of the worst I have seen. In defence he may as well not be there. The other players have to play like a 12 man team. In attack he hangs around behind the line waiting for the opportunity to bash a little bloke. If that chance doesn't come then he does nothing.

When hep was young and played for the Dogs he was sensational but just fell away as his head got bigger not older.

TBH, we were getting steamrolled in the forwards in the trial, and Mason can put a bit of grunt in the pack (that is of course he plays to his potential)

but like I said, I don't think we should sign him at the expense of the kids coming through

 

[cookieman909]

Honestly wouldn't mind Mason. Our depth in the front row isn't too deep. One or two injuries and we'll struggle in the front row. Sign him cheap only for depth

 

[Allan]

Honestly wouldn't mind Mason. Our depth in the front row isn't too deep. One or two injuries and we'll struggle in the front row. Sign him cheap only for depth

Mason is not a front rower. He is a 2nd rower. He has played front row but it is not his position. In the front row we have Tolman, Graham, Gavet, Kasiano, Brown, Finucane and others. Plenty of numbers and bags of potential. In a squad of 25 that's 5 specialist props.

In the 2nd row we have an even greater number of riches: Pritchard, Eastwood, Foster etc etc. I wouldn't swap Pritchard for Mason. Eastwood has to show something I guess or he may be someone I would substitute but one trial appearance of 15 mins is not enough for me to judge.

 

[We Want Moore]

ben roberts please come back!!!

What drug's r u on,sure Keating not the answer and either was Roberts.

 

[Alan79]

What drug's r u on,sure Keating not the answer and either was Roberts.

Roberts was able to set up his outside backs as well as run the ball. Keating only ever wants to run the ball from the matches i've seen him play. If he doesn't improve this aspect of his game then i can't see the club resigning him. If Stephen Kearney can get Roberts playing as well as he did in 2009 the Eels will have picked up a very good 5/8.

 

[cookieman909]

Mason is not a front rower. He is a 2nd rower. He has played front row but it is not his position. In the front row we have Tolman, Graham, Gavet, Kasiano, Brown, Finucane and others. Plenty of numbers and bags of potential. In a squad of 25 that's 5 specialist props.

In the 2nd row we have an even greater number of riches: Pritchard, Eastwood, Foster etc etc. I wouldn't swap Pritchard for Mason. Eastwood has to show something I guess or he may be someone I would substitute but one trial appearance of 15 mins is not enough for me to judge.

Mason played prop in the 2004 GF and led from the front winning the Clive Churchill medal. IMO over the last 10 years he has by far been our most passionate player by far. The amount of times he would fire the boys up was inspiring. Could have easily been a captain. If we get him back he could really teach the current crop of players about what it means to be a bulldog. This guy is a bulldog at heart, this could rub off on the current crop of guy, cos some of these guys jus don't kno wat it means to be a bulldog. Sign him up to play NSW cup. But this guy could help our pack get that but of mongrel about them, something that IMO we lack severely!

 

[100% bulldog]

What drug's r u on,sure Keating not the answer and either was Roberts.

if it wasnt for ben roberts we wouldnt have scored our 53 tries down that left side in 2009, im not saying ben roberts was our savior but i wish it was kris keating playing for parramatta this year not ben roberts.

 

[boggie23]

For 90k mason would be a great pick up. Fair enough his defence is suspect but he can still run hard and make breaks setting up his outside men. Does he deserve a lifeline? Probably not, he left the club to go to the biggest rivals at the time, we let him go at his peak, we shouldn't pick him up at his lowest point.

I am still a mason fan. I would watch him play for a rival team interested to see how he goes. We have a young mason in kasiano, for mason to come in and deny one of the younger kids getting a run would not be right.

If mason had stayed at the dogs he would have still neen on over 300k, would have never been released due to poor gorm and would have finished up a life member and most capped/decorated forward to ever play for the dogs. He stupidly walked out on all that.

 

[Mr Invisible]

Has Mason matured though, or is he still a ticking time bomb like Carney?

 

[Malla]

Has Mason matured though, or is he still a ticking time bomb like Carney?

If the Dogs sign Mase, they need to approach it the same way Sharks have approached the Carney situation. You can't tell a grown man what to do off the field, so many clubs make this mistake only to see the players getting into **** again. They should just ask for 100% attendance at training, 100% effort during games - anything else, up to you, as long as you do it in your own time.

Mase would be an asset for us. He loves the bulldogs, theres no doubting that, and he will definitely be a player that can nurture the talents of Taupau, Kasiano, Tillman etc. He had agression, but it was controlled. Something our big poppers NEED, and we lacked a lot of it last season. This is where Mase would be very beneficial for us.

 

[BankstownBulldog]

if it wasnt for ben roberts we wouldnt have scored our 53 tries down that left side in 2009, im not saying ben roberts was our savior but i wish it was kris keating playing for parramatta this year not ben roberts.

I was spewing when we let Roberts go for Keating..

I, like you, don't think Roberts was ever going to be a "great" but he probably has exactly what we will probably miss sorely this season and that is attacking flair.

Who knows.. Hasler may of even been able to stop his brain explosions.. I could handle the odd mistake here or there in Roberts case anyway because atleast he was always trying to do something with the ball and he had a pretty good short kicking game imo..

In any case that is all history now but I can't see Keating doing any better than what Roberts would have offered.

I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Doggiezbrah]

Roberts was able to set up his outside backs as well as run the ball. Keating only ever wants to run the ball from the matches i've seen him play. If he doesn't improve this aspect of his game then i can't see the club resigning him. If Stephen Kearney can get Roberts playing as well as he did in 2009 the Eels will have picked up a very good 5/8.

I better hope we don't resign him! I rather see eastwood or stagg play 5/8 than keating.
As for mason, i hated the way he left us. I hated that game where he scored 2 against us. However, he was ace for us! Whatever, the choice the clubs makes i will support it.

 

[tomisbester]

I better hope we don't resign him! I rather see eastwood or stagg play 5/8 than keating.
As for mason, i hated the way he left us. I hated that game where he scored 2 against us. However, he was ace for us! Whatever, the choice the clubs makes i will support it.

Yeah I totally agree, surly Romelo or Renolyds are far better options at five eighth than keating!
Mason would bring a lot to the forward pack and would be a great asset for the younger guys, let him do whatever he wants off the field, as long as he plays well who cares

 

[Qld-Dog]

I was spewing when we let Roberts go for Keating..

I, like you, don't think Roberts was ever going to be a "great" but he probably has exactly what we will probably miss sorely this season and that is attacking flair.

Who knows.. Hasler may of even been able to stop his brain explosions.. I could handle the odd mistake here or there in Roberts case anyway because atleast he was always trying to do something with the ball and he had a pretty good short kicking game imo..

In any case that is all history now but I can't see Keating doing any better than what Roberts would have offered.

I hope I'm wrong.

I only remember one good game that Roberts ever played and that was against Brisbane when he had a blinder however it is sad to say it has never happened again. Had one reasonable game every 10 and very injury prone.
We will soon see what Keating is made of being coached by DH so lets give it a few more weeks before we start Sh!t canning him, he never ever was given the right instructions from the previous looser of a coach we had did he???

 

[BulldogzLegend]

I only remember one good game that Roberts ever played and that was against Brisbane when he had a blinder however it is sad to say it has never happened again. Had one reasonable game every 10 and very injury prone.
We will soon see what Keating is made of being coached by DH so lets give it a few more weeks before we start Sh!t canning him, he never ever was given the right instructions from the previous looser of a coach we had did he???

i hate this bs

he killed it all 2009

roberts also killed it in 2010 round 3 vs the roosters and i ca't say that I can remember one game even where keating would've shown up roberts in either of their careers

if anyone thinks keating is in the same league as roberts your off your nut

i could never imagine keating reproducing what roberts did for us in 2009

 

[nassman]

I was never a huge fan of Roberts because of his inconsistency, sure he was amazing at times but he was also amazingly average just as often. I do think however that Roberts on an average day is still better than what Keating has to offer, or at least what we've seen of him so far. Roberts had a good kicking game and knew when to pass and when to take the line on. I would have Benny back in the team in a heartbeat atm.

 

[doggieaaron]

the thing that alot of people forget is that as crap as kevin moore was,roberts like keating are both inconsistant so they tried keating and then the moment roberts was in reserve grade he spits his dummy and signs with parra.Had he been a little more patient he would have forced his way back into 1st grade and got a new contract.Some of these players are far to precious and sometimes a wakeup call in reserve grade actually makes them a better player

 

[Karat]

as per the Telegraph, we are chasing Lussick.....