Ciraldo's challenges 2023

[Wolfdog]

Can Ciraldo turn around Bulldogs fortunes?

Bulldogs have had a poor record in the following key areas for a decade or more:

1. Salary cap mismanagement
2. Overpaying substantially for non-spine players: eg Pangai Jnr, Woods, Thompson, Watene-Zelezniak
3. Poor recruitment (albeit some recent exceptions: Burton & JAC)
4. Stagnant junior and pathway development with very few players of NRL standard coming through the system.

To have reasonable success in 2023 I think at least the following needs to happen:

1. Pangai Jnr and Thompson have to really step up and justify their big salaries.
2. Flanagan needs to upscale his kicking game. He has to incorporate well-executed grubber kicks earlier in tackle counts to provide attacking opportunities on RHS. Kicking game is paramount for NRL standard halfback. Particularly important for teams with limited attacking weapons.
3. Perham needs to justify Ciraldo's faith as fullback quickly. Averillo has been given the short straw as centre, he is far better suited to fullback (needs coaching in defensive organisation at fullback: defensive organisation is Ciraldo's strength). Averillo at fullback is 2nd to JAC in try scoring potential, provided the halves can execute the attacking kicking game (not bombs).
4. Will younger players graduate to NRL standard (eg Topine, Alamoti, Rajab, Preston)?

How Reed Mahoney works with his halves will be fundamental to success or failure. Will halves adopt structure similar to Parramatta, where wide passes off the ruck from Mahoney were common place? Will Mahoney provide another kicking option?

It seems to me that it is unlikely that he or any other coach can overcome problems of the past in 1 year. Supporters should allow him some leeway to turn things around. Do we have the patience!

 

[Flanagun]

Ciraldo's challenges? Don't expect too much of him. Holding the clipboard right way up might be a good start.

 

[bradyk]

There are realistic expectations Ciraldo has to meet otherwise he'll be critisied by almost everyone. A certain level of team performance and a footy team we can actually cheer for. We can't be dwelling at the bottom of the ladder anymore regardless if it's his 1st year or not.

 

[MirandaDog]

New clown

 

[dawso047]

Ciraldo's challange
1. Overcoming having no reliable middle forwards who are enforces.
2. 1 and 7 are way behind that of nearly every other club. So agreed.
3. Lack of experienced strike players in the backs.
4. Pehram, Kiraz, Alamoti?, Averillo, Flannagan, Preston, Waddell, Topine, Davey, Pele, Patolo, Casey, Burns, Okanbor, Brown, Reynolds and possibly King are NSW/QLD Cup at most other clubs, yet manybwill spend slot of time playing NRL this year.
Some players need to develop and fast, particularly middle forwards and 1 and 7.

 

[D.O.W.]

Add Crichton to the list of overpaid non-spine players.

Everything else, we’ve been on-pointe.

 

[GoTheDoggies]

I am 100 percent behind Ciraldo & Gould

My criticism of the last few remaining big money duds is not questioning their process. 2023 is the last year of the clean up of previous regimes destruction of our salary cap. By clean up I mean we just have to run those contracts down and either not renew or significantly reduce the salary in the clubs favor.

Ciraldo issued a challenge to TPJ, get yourself into origin contention. If he isn't in the frame for rep duties he will have no bargaining power in his next contract.

 

[XR6T]

Ciraldo's challenges? Don't expect too much of him. Holding the clipboard right way up might be a good start.

He was holding it upside down cause he was trying work out Flopagain's attacking game plan....

 

[Caveman]

Ciraldo's challenges? Don't expect too much of him. Holding the clipboard right way up might be a good start.

He holds it upside down to stop the crayons rolling off the bottom of the board, we learnt this in kindergarten you amateur.

 

[Kenya]

We lack depth.
The re-build is going well, but our bench is wobbly.

One or two injuries and we are in strife.

 

[Chris Harding]

Ciraldo's challenges? Don't expect too much of him. Holding the clipboard right way up might be a good start.

It only looks wrong way up to Flanangan because he's usually on his back, instead of upright at half.

 

[Bigkev05]

We lack depth.
The re-build is going well, but our bench is wobbly.

One or two injuries and we are in strife.

I've got a couple of cordless drills and plenty of screws so I can fix the wobbly bench

 

[Taylforth]

Ciraldo's challange
1. Overcoming having no reliable middle forwards who are enforces.
2. 1 and 7 are way behind that of nearly every other club. So agreed.
3. Lack of experienced strike players in the backs.
4. Pehram, Kiraz, Alamoti?, Averillo, Flannagan, Preston, Waddell, Topine, Davey, Pele, Patolo, Casey, Burns, Okanbor, Brown, Reynolds and possibly King are NSW/QLD Cup at most other clubs, yet manybwill spend slot of time playing NRL this year.
Some players need to develop and fast, particularly middle forwards and 1 and 7.

Agree. Good steps in nearly all areas. We need a good game manager and short kicker (for repeat sets) @ 7 to support Reed and Burto.

 

[GoTheDoggies]

Halfback is number 1 priority.

if reports are accurate and Leniu is a done deal we’re fine in the forwards department.

backs are fine with Crichton and Xerri joining, plus Alamoti and Skelton will have more experience.

it’s only taken Gould and Ciraldo 1 to 2 years to fix the 5+ years of mistakes. These two are doing one hell of a job.

 

[Scoooby]

With cherry ripe an chrichton coming over that will definitely be a huge plus, we need to land a damn good HB , a proven experienced one on the big stage at that !!

 

[James zac]

Junior investment is huge sadly we lack in that area

 

[TalDog]

Halfback is number 1 priority.

if reports are accurate and Leniu is a done deal we’re fine in the forwards department.

backs are fine with Crichton and Xerri joining, plus Alamoti and Skelton will have more experience.

it’s only taken Gould and Ciraldo 1 to 2 years to fix the 5+ years of mistakes. These two are doing one hell of a job.

Roosters have entered race for Leniu

 

[piggy]

Can Ciraldo turn around Bulldogs fortunes?

Bulldogs have had a poor record in the following key areas for a decade or more:

1. Salary cap mismanagement
2. Overpaying substantially for non-spine players: eg Pangai Jnr, Woods, Thompson, Watene-Zelezniak
3. Poor recruitment (albeit some recent exceptions: Burton & JAC)
4. Stagnant junior and pathway development with very few players of NRL standard coming through the system.

To have reasonable success in 2023 I think at least the following needs to happen:

1. Pangai Jnr and Thompson have to really step up and justify their big salaries.
2. Flanagan needs to upscale his kicking game. He has to incorporate well-executed grubber kicks earlier in tackle counts to provide attacking opportunities on RHS. Kicking game is paramount for NRL standard halfback. Particularly important for teams with limited attacking weapons.
3. Perham needs to justify Ciraldo's faith as fullback quickly. Averillo has been given the short straw as centre, he is far better suited to fullback (needs coaching in defensive organisation at fullback: defensive organisation is Ciraldo's strength). Averillo at fullback is 2nd to JAC in try scoring potential, provided the halves can execute the attacking kicking game (not bombs).
4. Will younger players graduate to NRL standard (eg Topine, Alamoti, Rajab, Preston)?

How Reed Mahoney works with his halves will be fundamental to success or failure. Will halves adopt structure similar to Parramatta, where wide passes off the ruck from Mahoney were common place? Will Mahoney provide another kicking option?

It seems to me that it is unlikely that he or any other coach can overcome problems of the past in 1 year. Supporters should allow him some leeway to turn things around. Do we have the patience!

Averillo is NOT a centre. You need more than pace to bea good centre in today's game. He needs to put some muscle on and learn to defend better. He does not have enough power game to sop heavy traffic coming his way. I don't know where Averillo fits into the team. I predict he will not be re signed next year. his best position is at fullback but obviously Ciraldo doesn't think so at this stage.

 

[piggy]

Roosters have entered race for Leniu

Yep if the roosters have entered the race then that's a guarantee he is off to the roosters. He will replace Hargraves who is tipped to tetire at the end of this year. Surely we get rid of Thompson at the end of this year and make a serious play for him.

 

[piggy]

With cherry ripe an chrichton coming over that will definitely be a huge plus, we need to land a damn good HB , a proven experienced one on the big stage at that !!

What half back are we going to sign? Please explain which elite, experienced half back is available. I just find it hard to understand how KO is ready to take over this year. Our halfback position is the biggest problem. We need someone who can control this team like Hynes from the sharks.