News Canterbury’s off-contract stars will use next 10 games to impress new coach Trent Barrett

[2144superman]

Players at Canterbury are taking the next 10 games as a chance to audition in front of their new coach and the club’s off-contract stars have a message for Trent Barrett. FULL LIST OF DOGS’ OFF-CONTRACT PLAYERS

Canterbury star Raymond Faitala-Mariner knows he’s got 10 games to prove to new coach Trent Barrett he deserves a deal at Belmore so he’s put a target on the back of former teammate, David Klemmer.

The Samoan international gets his first chance to impress Barrett on Sunday when the Bulldogs take on Newcastle’s form forward pack, led by former Bulldogs prop Klemmer.

“It would be good to get a shot on Klemmer,” he said with a laugh.

“They’re second for post contact metres and elbows and knees, they have a strong pack with a lot of representative players in the team. It’s a good challenge for us.”

Off-contact players like Raymond Faitala-Mariner are urging Barrett, who doesn’t arrive at Belmore until November, to keep a close eye on Canterbury’s remaining matches so they can convince the coach they deserve a new deal.

“Hopefully Trent Barrett is watching,” Faitala-Mariner said.

“It’s 10 weeks to prove to Trent Barrett that I’m willing to stay, to put my best foot forward ... that’s my goal for the next 10 weeks.”

Faitala-Mariner is one 10 players, including Kieran Foran and Aiden Tolman, without a deal for season 2021. There are another 15 players off contract at the end of season 2021.

The Bulldogs are armed with a $3 million war chest to bolster their roster but with the club poised to clear the decks as part their rebuild, players know they are fighting for their futures at Belmore.

“Obviously there’s some spots in our roster that we need to strengthen in that team and fortunately based on what we’re hearing and reading there will be available cap space to spend,” Barrett said on Fox League.

The new Bulldogs boss is yet to reach out to any of the players at Belmore, which Faitala-Mariner is worried could turn into a source of anxiety.

Without “feedback” from Barrett over the back end of the season, there is no way for Faitala-Mariner and his fellow off-contract players to know if they are doing enough.

“It would be good to have some sort of feedback from the coach himself but [not having contact with him] it gives you doubt about what Trent Barrett is wanting from his players, especially from a backrower and for him not be here and not [be able to] ask for that feedback is quite tricky,” he said.

Nick Meaney, who is contracted until the end of 2021, said players were well aware that even positions were up for grabs over the next 10 weeks.

Meaney came to the Bulldogs in 2019 with the intention of being the side’s first choice fullback but was shifted out to the wing after 13 rounds. The outside back wants to show Barrett why he deserved the No.1 in season 2021.

“I think when you look at the contract up at the end of the year, everyone is sort of playing each week to prove why they should be in the team. Not just this year but for next year also so it’s always a bit of pressure playing for that [positions], if that’s the circumstance,” he said.

Both Faitala-Mariner and Meaney welcomed the signing of Canberra star Nick Cotric and news exiled winger Jayden Okunbor will return to the field in the Blue and White this season.

Off-Contract 2020: Jack Cogger, Adam Elliott, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Kieran Foran, Kerrod Holland, Tim Lafai, Marcelo Montoya, Sauaso Sue, Isaiah Tass, Aiden Tolman.

Off-Contract 2021: Jake Averillo, Dean Britt, Christian Crichton, Will Hopoate, Sione Katoa, Lachlan Lewis, Jeremy Marshall-King, Nick Meaney, Dylan Napa, Ofahiki Ogden, Jayden Okunbor, James Roumanos, Chris Smith, Reimis Smith, Renouf To‘omaga.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...t/news-story/fefb8c463627e25a6abd890cf999090a

 

[Raysie]

You could let go of all those off contract players and I wouldn't blink an eye.

 

[Spoonman84]

Averillo and Renouf are the only off contract players we MUST keep over the next two years. It would be nice to keep a few more but the majority can go.

 

[Blueandwhiteblood1968]

Tolman, Foran, Elliot, Holland, Montoya all need their marching orders!!

 

[2144superman]

Averillo and Renouf are the only off contract players we MUST keep over the next two years. It would be nice to keep a few more but the majority can go.

Averillo AT ANY COST must remain at Belmore.

 

[bradyk]

Elliott and Foran left to re-sign for me.

Too early for some of the 2021 players, Averillo and To'omaga look certainties. We need to assess Hopoate every year.

 

[Baseball Furies]

Will be interesting what happens with Tolman, I don’t think he has a future with us at all but for some reason I can see the club offering him something...

He just doesn’t suit the modern game and hasn’t done for some time.

Need to put him out to pasture...

 

[bradyk]

Will be interesting what happens with Tolman, I don’t think he has a future with us at all but for some reason I can see the club offering him something...

He just doesn’t suit the modern game and hasn’t done for some time.

Need to put him out to pasture...

imo we shouldn't be keeping Tolman even for minimum wage, I think he's a massive liability these days.

 

[Bulldogs09]

Tolman offers nothing anymore. Any successful team... jwh, tko, Brommy, Nelson, Papalii, Paulo, rcg, jfh, etc etc.

It was good when he could make 40 tackles and we needed it 4-6 years ago. Now days no. He can’t bend the line. He doesn’t sting in d and what’s worse is he leaves holes. He was directly responsible with jacko for that dufty try last week with a shocking hole between them.

Napa and Tolman better not be extended. Go and get some hard ***** ffs

 

[Art Vandelay]

Surely Tolman won’t be re-signed...

 

[Spoonman84]

Hopefully Tbaz has the whiteboard out and has plenty of lines through these names. It would be great if we could move on some of the 21 dead wood a year early.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Tolman offers nothing anymore. Any successful team... jwh, tko, Brommy, Nelson, Papalii, Paulo, rcg, jfh, etc etc.

My view is that most clubs have an "alpha" prop (an enforcer with a mongrel streak) and a "workhorse" prop (who has a bog motor plays close to 80 minutes) and often an "explosive" prop who comes off the bench and plays shorter minutes.
The Chooks have JWH and Collins then Faamausili
Canbra have Papali and Lui, and this week Sutton (no Soliola)
The Storm are different this week, they have BSmith and Welch then NAS off the bench (no Bromwich)
etc

Our problem is we haven't had an "alpha" prop since Jammer and to a lesser extent Klemmer, Napa seems like he just doesn't have it in him. I see Thompson as having the right amount of "mongrel", size might be his only issue, and then Napa off the bench might suit him more. That leaves the need for a "workhorse" prop which Tolman has been ours for a long time. Maybe too long, but comparing him to "alpha" props is illogical as that is not what he brings to the table and never has been.

Go Dogs

 

[Interestingg]

If Barrett doesn’t re-sign Tolman, he deserves a statue outside Belmore

 

[Pappydog]

My view is that most clubs have an "alpha" prop (an enforcer with a mongrel streak) and a "workhorse" prop (who has a bog motor plays close to 80 minutes) and often an "explosive" prop who comes off the bench and plays shorter minutes.
The Chooks have JWH and Collins then Faamausili
Canbra have Papali and Lui, and this week Sutton (no Soliola)
The Storm are different this week, they have BSmith and Welch then NAS off the bench (no Bromwich)
etc

Our problem is we haven't had an "alpha" prop since Jammer and to a lesser extent Klemmer, Napa seems like he just doesn't have it in him. I see Thompson as having the right amount of "mongrel", size might be his only issue, and then Napa off the bench might suit him more. That leaves the need for a "workhorse" prop which Tolman has been ours for a long time. Maybe too long, but comparing him to "alpha" props is illogical as that is not what he brings to the table and never has been.

Go Dogs

Problem is he stifles attack. Other work horses keep out of the opposition 20. Ours (what you call a work horse the rest call a plodder) seems to always find the 4th tackle touch up when we’re 10m out. It’s a touch up not a hit up because he drops as soon as he’s touched

 

[TwinTurbo]

Problem is he stifles attack. Other work horses keep out of the opposition 20. Ours (what you call a work horse the rest call a plodder) seems to always find the 4th tackle touch up when we’re 10m out. It’s a touch up not a hit up because he drops as soon as he’s touched

Seriously, watch the other teams, all of them often use a prop on the 4th to centre the play and get a quick play the ball (hence the flop) to give the dummy half and the halves space to set up for the 5th tackle play. Our problem isn't what happens on the 4th tackle, the simple fact is we don't have enough options (skilled and experienced players aside from Foran) on the 5th and we end up wasting it. That's not to say that we don't go to the hit up on the 4th far too often, but not every time is inappropriate.

Go Dogs

 

[Family Guy]

Peter Griffin here. Let me help Trent and Lynn out with recruitment. You wonder why we're such a reserve grade side - look at the fucking quality of that list. How in God's name are we even spending $3M on these plodders. Where is the other $6M? There needs to be an investigation.

Keepers
If you lose any of these players, the board WILL be ousted. Out of 25 players off contract in the next 2 years, we ONLY have 2 keepers....how sad.

Jake Averillo
Renouf To‘omaga

Backups
Signing these players depends on their form and what other options we have in reserves or that we can buy

Adam Elliott
Tim Lafai
Sauaso Sue
Will Hopoate
Ofahiki Ogden

Cheapies
Jayden Okunbor (ONLY if he gets the errors out of his game and stops trolling for high school chicks you fucking creep)
James Roumanos (need to see much more of him)
Jack Cogger (only if we can't get Burton for next year)
Isaiah Tass (never heard of him)
Nick Meaney (only if he shows massive improvement)

God/Hell/Fuck No Category (my favourite category)
These are the plodders that are KILLING US and MUST go. Most of these players shouldn't have been signed to begin with or should have retired years ago. Re-signing these duds is just asking for an EGM

Kieran Foran (made of glass)
Kerrod Holland (park footballer)
Marcelo Montoya (park footballer)
Aiden Tolman (should have retired 3 years ago)
Dean Britt (daddy's boy)
Christian Crichton (midget who is only being used as bait to lure his better brother over. Even if we get Stephen, fuck him off)
Sione Katoa (CC player)
Lachlan Lewis (how the fuck is the moron even allowed to play NRL. He lacks the basic skills of an NRL player let alone a halfback yet he carries on as if he's Thurston. Needs to STFU!)
Jeremy Marshall-King (park footballer)
Dylan Napa (Justin Beiber loving pussy)
Chris Smith (great CC player but not in NRL)
Reimis Smith (fucking lazy. Still living off the one good game he had years ago)

Sign Now
Burton
A good 9 (duh)
Prop with mongrel

 

[Scoooby]

Averillo is a MUST stay, he’s good now an has a lot of potential to be a superstar, Trent can work with that, an he could be our massive x-factor at fullback, and To’omaga is a MUST keep also..!!

 

[Mak Dogs]

What do these players mean they have 10 games to prove to Barrett they are worth keeping. The shit they have dished up for 3 years wasn’t even time to prove they aren’t first graders. I hope Barrett puts a broom through the whole place

 

[GDR]

Seriously, watch the other teams, all of them often use a prop on the 4th to centre the play and get a quick play the ball (hence the flop) to give the dummy half and the halves space to set up for the 5th tackle play. Our problem isn't what happens on the 4th tackle, the simple fact is we don't have enough options (skilled and experienced players aside from Foran) on the 5th and we end up wasting it. That's not to say that we don't go to the hit up on the 4th far too often, but not every time is inappropriate.

Go Dogs

The problem is his settlers are impotent... other teams take a settler and get the team on the front foot with a quick play the ball. Tolman will win a quick play the ball once in 300 hitups.. he gets monstered the rest of the time.. not to mention that he likes taking setlers when weve actually won the ability to play on the front foot. He is one of the biggest issues in attack and no one has had the balls to do anything about it because his stats appear good..

 

[bulldogsmyte]

Peter Griffin here. Let me help Trent and Lynn out with recruitment. You wonder why we're such a reserve grade side - look at the fucking quality of that list. How in God's name are we even spending $3M on these plodders. Where is the other $6M? There needs to be an investigation.

Keepers
If you lose any of these players, the board WILL be ousted. Out of 25 players off contract in the next 2 years, we ONLY have 2 keepers....how sad.

Jake Averillo
Renouf To‘omaga

Backups
Signing these players depends on their form and what other options we have in reserves or that we can buy

Adam Elliott
Tim Lafai
Sauaso Sue
Will Hopoate
Ofahiki Ogden

Cheapies
Jayden Okunbor (ONLY if he gets the errors out of his game and stops trolling for high school chicks you fucking creep)
James Roumanos (need to see much more of him)
Jack Cogger (only if we can't get Burton for next year)
Isaiah Tass (never heard of him)
Nick Meaney (only if he shows massive improvement)

God/Hell/Fuck No Category (my favourite category)
These are the plodders that are KILLING US and MUST go. Most of these players shouldn't have been signed to begin with or should have retired years ago. Re-signing these duds is just asking for an EGM

Kieran Foran (made of glass)
Kerrod Holland (park footballer)
Marcelo Montoya (park footballer)
Aiden Tolman (should have retired 3 years ago)
Dean Britt (daddy's boy)
Christian Crichton (midget who is only being used as bait to lure his better brother over. Even if we get Stephen, fuck him off)
Sione Katoa (CC player)
Lachlan Lewis (how the fuck is the moron even allowed to play NRL. He lacks the basic skills of an NRL player let alone a halfback yet he carries on as if he's Thurston. Needs to STFU!)
Jeremy Marshall-King (park footballer)
Dylan Napa (Justin Beiber loving pussy)
Chris Smith (great CC player but not in NRL)
Reimis Smith (fucking lazy. Still living off the one good game he had years ago)

Sign Now
Burton
A good 9 (duh)
Prop with mongrel

re Keepers - Agree but only at a sensible price.
re Backups - Sloth Hoppa and butterfingers and penalty liability Elliot only if at under 300k each. If the Morris boys are at the Eastern Bulldogs for reportedly that sum of money then no way should Dogs pay more for those two.
re Cheapies- only if they're at the minimum wage or thereabouts and Okunbor either does an Origen or the board enforces a chastity belt on him 24/7.
re last category - I have a soft spot for Reimis Smith because he looks a bit like my nephew and he has natural ability, speed and athleticism. He just needs a smack on the head and kick up the rear end every week to keep him in check. Foran only if under 300k. LL, JMK, Napa, Montoya good riddance. The rest on that list can depart unless they are willing to accept the minimum wage and nothing more.