TalDog
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JAMES PHELPS, The Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
Subscriber only
DES Hasler’s Bulldogs are just three defeats away from racking up the second-highest number of losses in the club’s proud 82-year history.
In a damning statistic that proves Canterbury is officially a club in crisis, there have only been three seasons worse than the Bulldogs of 2017 when it comes to the number of losses suffered.
Their loss on Thursday to South Sydney was their 14th of the year, making them the equal-fourth worst since the club was founded in 1935.
Despite fielding a team featuring eight players who have represented at Origin or Test level, they have finished on the wrong end of the scoreline as many times as the infamous foundation side of 1935 which still holds the unwanted record for the two heaviest defeats of all time — a 91-6 flogging at the hands of St George and an 87-7 thumping by the Roosters a week later.
They could even end up with the wooden spoon after cellar dwellers Newcastle upset Parramatta on Friday night.
The 2008 Bulldogs were the last Canterbury team to win the wooden spoon.
The Bulldogs must win at least one of their remaining three games to avoid dropping below the 1964 team’s second-worst mark of 16 defeats.
Only the diabolic Sonny Bill Williams walkout team of 2008 — who lost 19 games — will save them from suffering the most defeats in club history.
A Sunday Telegraph investigation has revealed that complicated match plans, controversial selection decisions and contract uncertainty can be blamed for the dramatic fall from grace that continued on Thursday night when Canterbury were thumped 28-14 by Souths at ANZ Stadium.
According to players, the club’s collapse began mid-season when Hasler responded to calls for his sacking by making a series of unconventional positional changes.
“We were going OK at the start of the year,’’ said a Canterbury NRL player.
“I mean, we weren’t winning a lot but we were in games and we thought it was only a matter of time until we clicked. We were confident. But then Dessy started making changes and we had a lot of blokes playing out of position. It was really disruptive.’’
The Bulldogs are anchored to the bottom of the ladder.
Hasler has gambled his coaching career with several controversial selections that include playing halfback Matt Frawley of the bench, moving regular No. 7 Moses Mbye to hooker, switching outside back Chase Stanley into the halves and dumping $700,000-a year Kiwi international Greg Eastwood to the NSW Cup.
Another club source suggested “complicated’’ and “overthought’’ game plans were to blame for the year from hell.
“At times there are 25 points scribbled on the whiteboard before a game,’’ said the insider.
“How are players supposed to take on that much instruction? They have gotten to a point where they are trying so hard to do these things that they have forgotten the fundamentals.’’
It is understood Hasler has fallen out with a number of players this year, including Melbourne-bound prop Sam Kasiano and Eastwood.
Canterbury can’t buy a win at the moment.
Hooker Michael Lichaa is also hunting a new club after being dumped from the NRL squad.
The free-fall accelerated when the club began shopping high-profile players to other clubs, including Josh and Brett Morris, James Graham, Aiden Tolman, and Mbye after making a salary cap miscalculation that has them facing a $1 million blowout.
The decision not to re-sign fan favourite Josh Reynolds was another blow.
“It is very much unwanted history,’’ said club stalwart Reni Maitua.
“And we had some things go against us in 2008. We lost our best player (Williams) to rugby union and Luke Patten was injured for the entire year. We also were still suffering the salary cap effects of winning the premiership in 2004.
“I don’t think the current side have too many excuses. They have had a reasonable run with injuries. Compared to 2008 it is a very contrasting set of circumstances. They aren’t two many reasons for them to not be successful this year.’’
Players now speaking out surely he is gone I reckon lichaa is spilling the beans
an hour ago
Subscriber only
DES Hasler’s Bulldogs are just three defeats away from racking up the second-highest number of losses in the club’s proud 82-year history.
In a damning statistic that proves Canterbury is officially a club in crisis, there have only been three seasons worse than the Bulldogs of 2017 when it comes to the number of losses suffered.
Their loss on Thursday to South Sydney was their 14th of the year, making them the equal-fourth worst since the club was founded in 1935.
Despite fielding a team featuring eight players who have represented at Origin or Test level, they have finished on the wrong end of the scoreline as many times as the infamous foundation side of 1935 which still holds the unwanted record for the two heaviest defeats of all time — a 91-6 flogging at the hands of St George and an 87-7 thumping by the Roosters a week later.
They could even end up with the wooden spoon after cellar dwellers Newcastle upset Parramatta on Friday night.
The 2008 Bulldogs were the last Canterbury team to win the wooden spoon.
The Bulldogs must win at least one of their remaining three games to avoid dropping below the 1964 team’s second-worst mark of 16 defeats.
Only the diabolic Sonny Bill Williams walkout team of 2008 — who lost 19 games — will save them from suffering the most defeats in club history.
A Sunday Telegraph investigation has revealed that complicated match plans, controversial selection decisions and contract uncertainty can be blamed for the dramatic fall from grace that continued on Thursday night when Canterbury were thumped 28-14 by Souths at ANZ Stadium.
According to players, the club’s collapse began mid-season when Hasler responded to calls for his sacking by making a series of unconventional positional changes.
“We were going OK at the start of the year,’’ said a Canterbury NRL player.
“I mean, we weren’t winning a lot but we were in games and we thought it was only a matter of time until we clicked. We were confident. But then Dessy started making changes and we had a lot of blokes playing out of position. It was really disruptive.’’
The Bulldogs are anchored to the bottom of the ladder.
Hasler has gambled his coaching career with several controversial selections that include playing halfback Matt Frawley of the bench, moving regular No. 7 Moses Mbye to hooker, switching outside back Chase Stanley into the halves and dumping $700,000-a year Kiwi international Greg Eastwood to the NSW Cup.
Another club source suggested “complicated’’ and “overthought’’ game plans were to blame for the year from hell.
“At times there are 25 points scribbled on the whiteboard before a game,’’ said the insider.
“How are players supposed to take on that much instruction? They have gotten to a point where they are trying so hard to do these things that they have forgotten the fundamentals.’’
It is understood Hasler has fallen out with a number of players this year, including Melbourne-bound prop Sam Kasiano and Eastwood.
Canterbury can’t buy a win at the moment.
Hooker Michael Lichaa is also hunting a new club after being dumped from the NRL squad.
The free-fall accelerated when the club began shopping high-profile players to other clubs, including Josh and Brett Morris, James Graham, Aiden Tolman, and Mbye after making a salary cap miscalculation that has them facing a $1 million blowout.
The decision not to re-sign fan favourite Josh Reynolds was another blow.
“It is very much unwanted history,’’ said club stalwart Reni Maitua.
“And we had some things go against us in 2008. We lost our best player (Williams) to rugby union and Luke Patten was injured for the entire year. We also were still suffering the salary cap effects of winning the premiership in 2004.
“I don’t think the current side have too many excuses. They have had a reasonable run with injuries. Compared to 2008 it is a very contrasting set of circumstances. They aren’t two many reasons for them to not be successful this year.’’
Players now speaking out surely he is gone I reckon lichaa is spilling the beans