News Canterbury chairman John Khoury urges fans to be ‘patient’ with new-look Bulldogs

[D- voice]

Canterbury faces a horrid draw over the opening eight games, playing North Queensland, Brisbane, Manly, Melbourne, Penrith, Souths, Brisbane and then the Roosters.

Worst case 0-8
Best case 2-6 (we fluke a win against NQLD and BRI)

If we play like we played against the Silver Breams it will be 0-8

 

[D- voice]

While punters have jumped off the Bulldogs after a lacklustre final trial, Canterbury chairman John Khoury has urged the club’s fans to be “patient and supportive” of Trent Barrett’s new-look side.

Canterbury chairman John Khoury has urged passionate yet concerned Bulldogs fans to be “patient and supportive” but refused to offer excuses for his side’s 30-6 trial match loss to Cronulla.

Amid increasing expectation and hype, the new-look Bulldogs stepped out for the first time on Monday night to be whacked five tries to one.

While it was a trial, and most stars were rested throughout the second half, social media went into meltdown questioning Canterbury’s promised new dawn.

Punters also jumped off, the loss prompting an immediate change to the TAB betting markets with the Bulldogs drifting from $23 to $26 to win the premiership.

And in the club’s round one game against North Queensland in Townsville, Canterbury moved in betting from $1.73 to $1.80 with the Cowboys tightening from $2.10 into $2.

Star recruit Tevita Pangai Jnr was sin-binned during the trial — and placed on report twice — but avoided being charged by the NRL match-review committee. He was in trouble for a striking incident and high tackle.

Speaking about the loss, an honest and open Khoury said: “There are a lot of expectations but the big thing is we need to be supportive and be patient with the staff and players.

“It was a trial. That’s not an excuse but that is why you have trials, so you can shake off those cobwebs and be ready for round one.

It will come down to playing together and the chemistry. You build that chemistry. All good things take time. I’m not saying it’s going to take a long time but it is chemistry that has to be built by players playing together.

“We’re not going to make excuses – it was disappointing – but the good news is that I’m glad it happened in a trial and not in round one.

“Look at the Penrith-Parramatta trial (Eels won 36-0). I’m not making any comparisons here but you’re talking about the grand final side who will still, arguably, be in the top two or three sides.

They will go into camp and I’m very confident they will be ready for round one. There has been a lot of hard work that has gone into this pre-season. It is a happy camp.”

The Bulldogs missed 20 tackles against Cronulla, committed nine errors (the Sharks made 13) and conceded nine penalties, according to Fox Sports Stats.

“There were a lot of handling errors and penalties, so just poor discipline,” Khoury said.

“To compete in a game of rugby league in the modern era, you need to play error-free footy, be disciplined and reduce your penalties. Everyone needs to do their job, in terms of each player has to at least reduce the amount of errors.

If we reduce our errors and play more disciplined footy then we will be right. The focus now is improved discipline.”

Canterbury faces a horrid draw over the opening eight games, playing North Queensland, Brisbane, Manly, Melbourne, Penrith, Souths, Brisbane and then the Roosters.

“Sometimes these challenges are what brings out the best in individuals and teams,” Khoury said. “We will get that opportunity, no doubt.”

The TAB’s Gerard Daffy added: “Canterbury were at a very cautious $23 since the market first went up in September.

“Most agree Canterbury could be the big movers up the ladder this year. But that trial loss does raise a couple of question marks and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Cowboys ended up starting favourites in round one.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-2022-canterbury-chairman-john-khoury-urges-fans-to-be-patient-with-newlook-bulldogs/news-story/ac1461d3195b0b69384b750cf6e06181

John, I truly respect you on your commitment and passion to the club and its supporters and know things won't magically get fixed but promise us this, if you and Gus know someone is failing in his duty don't let it drag on !!!

 

[Flanagun]

Attention seeker/pest

That’s a bit rude, I’ve never said a bad word about you.

 

[2144superman]

You can’t be this stupid. I refuse to believe that you’re this stupid.

LOLLL I am, I am far more stupid than you could imagine. It’s a talent.

 

[Flanagun]

Baz would make a great assistant coach at best .. we went after Baz out of desperation and there's no surprise that the team hasn't improved.

Agreed. I think he cares and he tries, but he’s not head coach material.

 

[2144superman]

Not if Gus locks him up long term first.

I hope he does, Burton even in the hand full of games he has played looks special.

 

[Bulldogsteve]

I hope he does, Burton even in the hand full of games he has played looks special.

he has played one game for us

 

[2144superman]

he has played one game for us

I agree bro, but he played a hand full of games for the Panthers and all the good analysts are raving about him. You’ve seen enough football and been around the game long enough to recognise a special talent.

 

[Bulldogsteve]

I agree bro, but he played a hand full of games for the Panthers and all the good analysts are raving about him. You’ve seen enough football and been around the game long enough to recognise a special talent.

handful ? he has played 32 games for penrith, thats more than a handful, of course he is a special talent any niff nuff on here can see that

 

[finchie]

You had two teams with new personel take the field last night, one with a brand new coach....Cronulla didn't need time to gel to demolish us. They just fucking did it!!! They wanted it more and we were a fucking shambles. That is the difference between a well drilled side and one that has no clue.

brilliant post
100% spot on
Needs more time my arse
Tackling a midget half from a scrum should be a given
Playing players in their rightful positions doesn’t need time
Every Cronulla player that took the field knew where to stand and what their role was. Fitzy has only been there months yet he didn’t ask for more time

 

[Bulldog John]

Hi John,

Find a halfback and coach please.


Thanks.

 

[AlzzBulldog]

brilliant post
100% spot on
Needs more time my arse
Tackling a midget half from a scrum should be a given
Playing players in their rightful positions doesn’t need time
Every Cronulla player that took the field knew where to stand and what their role was. Fitzy has only been there months yet he didn’t ask for more time

We beat sharks last year in Barretts first trial, were we jizzing?

 

[2144superman]

You had two teams with new personel take the field last night, one with a brand new coach....Cronulla didn't need time to gel to demolish us. They just fucking did it!!! They wanted it more and we were a fucking shambles. That is the difference between a well drilled side and one that has no clue.

BOOM! Nailed it!

 

[Bulldogsteve]

We beat sharks last year in Barretts first trial, were we jizzing?

comps arent won in trial games, coaches have a certain approach and goals they want to achieve from them. what were manly last year? 0-4 or something like that, we are trusting that TB has a plan in place. TB is my biggest issue not the roster, is he good enough, i hope so and trust he is

 

[finchie]

We beat sharks last year in Barretts first trial, were we jizzing?

Speak for yourself but I definitely wasn’t
And what’s that got to do with the fitzy coached Cronulla and how quick he’s turned them around ?

 

[Vlasnik]

brilliant post
100% spot on
Needs more time my arse
Tackling a midget half from a scrum should be a given
Playing players in their rightful positions doesn’t need time
Every Cronulla player that took the field knew where to stand and what their role was. Fitzy has only been there months yet he didn’t ask for more time

Spot on brother.....it's time for honesty not excuses.

 

[Rassayri]

Funny he wants us to be patient we have been patient for years and years how much more longer patient can we be

 

[Vlasnik]

According to every single source within the club - we trained the absolute house down. We’ll be okay!

New season same rhetoric...we've been hearing that for years and for half a decade we've been languishing at the bottom of the ladder.

 

[2144superman]

New season same rhetoric...we've been hearing that for years and for half a decade we've been languishing at the bottom of the ladder.

BUT "every single source within the club" said so LOLLL and they said it to him

 

[AlzzBulldog]

Speak for yourself but I definitely wasn’t
And what’s that got to do with the fitzy coached Cronulla and how quick he’s turned them around ?

We won in trent Barrett’s first hitout, everyone would have been optimistic after that result and look what happened… it’s not an indication