News Dogs aren’t biting

Spoonman84

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YOU’D think it would be a red rag to a Bulldog.

But Canterbury have refused to bite at the fact their once mighty footy club has almost become the afterthought in the build-up to Thursday night’s NRL season opener.

While there has been massive hype surrounding their old archrivals Parramatta, who almost everyone is tipping to be top-four contenders, the Bulldogs have barely rated a mention.

Aside from the fact most rank the Bulldogs as wooden-spoon contenders.

But asked if it annoyed him that his proud club had been almost lost in the conversation ahead of the expected sellout at Bankwest Stadium, Canterbury chief executive Andrew Hill responded like a good old ambush might just be on the horizon.

“No it doesn’t annoy us,” Hill said. “We are a club and a team that is just going about our business. We try not to listen to outside noise.

“That is definitely easier said than done at times. But we are a very tight, united group. Our expectations on ourselves are that we play to our potential.

“Yes, there are a lot more fancied teams, and yes, Parramatta may be fancied by the majority.

“We don’t worry about that. “We are going out there on Thursday to kickstart our season on a positive note.”

Hill was also adamant that despite the lack of outside respect, Canterbury won’t be easybeats this year.

“We are tough and tenacious and everyone who plays against us will know they have played a game this year,” he said.

The Bulldogs have good reason to have some healthy faith in their own ability.

While their start to last season was forgettable, they won seven of their last 10 games, including a 12-6 upset over Parramatta at Bankwest in the third-last round.

But while there is no question the Bulldogs have a really tough pack and some quality outside backs, they lack experience in the vital spine positions.

What certainly didn’t help was the injury to star playmaker Kieran Foran while he was playing for New Zealand last year.

With Foran likely to miss at least half the season, it not only takes a $1.2 million marquee player out of their roster but leaves young Lachy Lewis in charge of directing the team.

Lewis will be supported by an even younger halves partner in rookie Brandon Wakeham, 21, who is likely to get the jump on Jack Cogger.

Another issue is the future of coach Dean Pay, who comes off contract this year.

While Pay has been coaching with one arm tied behind his back given the club’s ongoing salary cap issues, the finish to last season really showed that there is a strong bond growing within.

The Bulldogs have also signed English prop Luke Thompson for next year. But the fact they haven’t made the finals since 2016 puts pressure on everyone.

“We have an enormously talented young squad,” Hill said. “Our challenge is the majority of them have only played somewhere between one and 50 firstgrade games.”
 

Howard Moon

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or maybe we're just used to being an afterthought (besides when one of our players has a slight misdemeanour) under the Greenturd regime
 

Spoonman84

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or maybe we're just used to being an afterthought (besides when one of our players has a slight misdemeanour) under the Greenturd regime
The club has played the biggest part in being an after thought more then anything else including Greenturd.
 
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Howard Moon

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The club has played a biggest part in being a after thought more then anything else including Greenturd.
perhaps, but you still need the people at the top on side, just look at the treatment a team like Souths get
 

Spoonman84

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perhaps, but you still need the people at the top on side, just look at the treatment a team like Souths get
The NRL didn't come in and ruin our cap for 4 years that's been our biggest issue since 2017 and when you aren't winning you're a afterthought.

If you have your house in order it doesn't matter who is in charge at the top.
 

Daustin

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just the way we like it, we've always been at our best when nobody gives us a chance. funnily enough parra have always choked when everyone is talking them up
 

cookieman909

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The NRL didn't come in and ruin our cap for 4 years that's been our biggest issue since 2017 and when you aren't winning you're a afterthought.

If you have your house in order it doesn't matter who is in charge at the top.
I’ll dispute this to an extent. Yes I know Dib, Hasler and Castle fucked up. But how do the NRL register these back ended contracts? Surely they could of seen an issue and tipped us off to the issue that would of been coming. Wouldn’t the NRL want to see us strong? It benefits them as well.
 

Spoonman84

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I’ll dispute this to an extent. Yes I know Dib, Hasler and Castle fucked up. But how do the NRL register these back ended contracts? Surely they could of seen an issue and tipped us off to the issue that would of been coming. Wouldn’t the NRL want to see us strong? It benefits them as well.
The NRL don't care how you spend your cap as long as you're under the cap for that season. I don't think it's the NRL's responsibly to make sure the cap is used efficiently they should just police the laws.

I don't think the club needed to be tipped off either they knew exactly what they were doing with the back ended deals.
 
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Scoooby

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We are underdogs on every occasion, weather it be in the tipping, or cap situation, reff calls etc etc.!! The thing is we are used to it, we shouldn’t have to be but Are. That’s why winning games is so bitter sweet, and that seems to be why we are such passionate supporters.. NRL is a joke an we have to fight harder than most.. so fuck em all..!!
 

Nexus

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yeah yeah, heard all this same BS last year.. then we came out in round 1 and got spanked..

I take absolutely zero notice to all this rubbish.. means diddly squat. Talk is cheap.
 

Psycho Doggie

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If you were Barthur (and yes, we are all glad you are not), hypothetically, on the back of the loss late last year, what would you be trying to get your players to do to prevent having another grinding loss to the Dogs?
 

Vlasnik

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If you were Barthur (and yes, we are all glad you are not), hypothetically, on the back of the loss late last year, what would you be trying to get your players to do to prevent having another grinding loss to the Dogs?
This is what their cheerleaders should be doing, but fish fingers Ferguson would be beside him self.


 
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GrogDog

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perhaps, but you still need the people at the top on side, just look at the treatment a team like Souths get
There should be no illusions that the main people who arrived us to "after thoughts" were the people charged to protect us. They may be gone but their treachery should never be forgotten.
 

Kempsey Dog

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Sorry we didn't cheat the cap and get a slap on the wrist... along with a brand new stadium to boot.
 

dogluva

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I’ll dispute this to an extent. Yes I know Dib, Hasler and Castle fucked up. But how do the NRL register these back ended contracts? Surely they could of seen an issue and tipped us off to the issue that would of been coming. Wouldn’t the NRL want to see us strong? It benefits them as well.

I agree with some of what you say but the NRL most certainly did warn us that we may have issues.Yet as you say they did indeed register deals which left us in a very vulnerable position as we have seen for years to come.In saying that it still bugs me that certain other clubs can seem to be able to sign players with impunity but I guess it depends on the "official" figures they supply to the NRL where third party deals are 'minimal' but they can still stack their sides with players of great calibre. It is like they are saying they can sign Joe Blow for 350k but when push comes to shove and they are moved on for one reason or another they free up a lot more cap space......

https://www.thekennel.net.au/forum/...-into-disarray-with-reckless-spending.107211/

Michael Carayannis, Exclusive, The Sunday Telegraph
August 13, 2017 6:00am Subscriber only

IT is the multimillion-dollar spending spree which has left Canterbury’s salary cap in disarray with their failure to heed multiple warnings by the NRL leaving the game’s governing body unsympathetic to their plight.

It could also cost the club star recruits Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods, whose contracts are yet to be fully ratified by the NRL.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Bulldogs have been in constant discussions with the NRL about strategies surrounding their salary cap dilemma with fears they could have overspent by up to $1 million.

But the NRL has little sympathy for the Bulldogs who have blatantly disregarded a stack of warnings to curb their spending spree.


Canterbury’s poor on-field performances have not helped with the players they were hoping to move on now becoming less attractive.

Rival clubs are also aware of the Bulldogs overspending, so they hope they can capitalise by securing a bargain buy.

On March 30 and again on April 20, the NRL gave all club CEOs salary cap guidance of $9.14 million for 2018 — this despite suggestions the cap could be as high as $10 million at the end of last year.

Since these warning the Bulldogs have added almost $2 million worth of talent after signing Woods (approximately $700,000), Foran ($900,000) and Fa’amanu Brown ($150,000).

The trio were announced in May. Negotiations with Foran and Woods were well advanced when the NRL shocked clubs with their original salary cap offer of $8.3 million.

That same month the Bulldogs also offered contract extensions to William Hopoate ($500,000), Marcelo Montoya ($100,000), Kerrod Holland ($150,000), Reimis Smith ($100,000) before re-signing Danny Fualalo ($100,000) and Adam Elliott ($150,000) in June.

It is understood some of these players are on back-ended contracts.

The Bulldogs declined to comment on Saturday.

Woods and Foran have only been provisionally registered by the NRL’s salary cap auditors after the Bulldogs provided the NRL with a plan to be under the proposed salary cap by round one.

There is no guarantee the contracts of Woods or Foran will be fully registered by the NRL — meaning they may not be free to turn out for their new club next year.

The NRL required a salary cap plan for the duo to be provisionally registered, which included off-loading a host of players, but poor form coupled with rivals knowing Canterbury must shed players has made the task of moving players on more difficult.


While the Raiders are another club which has overshot the NRL’s proposed salary cap their only new arrival for 2018 is Warriors rookie Erin Clark, who joined the club midway through this season.

The squeeze on the Bulldogs cap comes with the likes of Greg Eastwood and James Graham receiving big pay rises next year because of back ended deals.

While the Bulldogs have added internationals Woods and Foran, they have shed just one contracted player — prop Sam Kasiano who will join Melbourne.

But even then it is understood the Bulldogs will contribute some of Kasiano’s Storm wage.

Favourite son Josh Reynolds will depart the club for the Tigers but he was not contracted beyond this season while hooker Michael Lichaa won’t be retained.

On June 15 there was a meeting of club chief executive’s and chair people where the Bulldogs proposed introducing a “soft” cap for next year while the prospect of “grandfathering” payments has also been suggested.

This could allow the Bulldogs — for example — to be $400,000 over the salary cap for next year but play under a reduced salary cap of $100,000 per year for the following four seasons.

The NRL are unlikely to show any leniency to those clubs which are not compliant by the start of round one.

Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib is manoeuvring behind the scenes to gather support to ensure the NRL’s salary cap is raised to at least $9.5 million.

He will host a lunch for select rival club bosses on Monday to try and gain support.

Clubs do have plenty of power. All that is needed is five disgruntled clubs to stick together and they could block any salary cap agreement struck between the NRL and the Rugby League Players Association which has the potential to send the game into further chaos.

But at this stage it is unlikely Dib would “have the numbers” to force the stalemate.

It could also cost the club star recruits Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods, whose contracts are yet to be fully ratified by the NRL.


Hopoate signed when we were in trouble on 500k and why were the signings of Remus smith and holland essential when we were up shit creek

Surely dub and Hasler have to go this is beyond belief
 

KiwiDog7

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I agree with some of what you say but the NRL most certainly did warn us that we may have issues.Yet as you say they did indeed register deals which left us in a very vulnerable position as we have seen for years to come.In saying that it still bugs me that certain other clubs can seem to be able to sign players with impunity but I guess it depends on the "official" figures they supply to the NRL where third party deals are 'minimal' but they can still stack their sides with players of great calibre. It is like they are saying they can sign Joe Blow for 350k but when push comes to shove and they are moved on for one reason or another they free up a lot more cap space......

https://www.thekennel.net.au/forum/...-into-disarray-with-reckless-spending.107211/

Michael Carayannis, Exclusive, The Sunday Telegraph
August 13, 2017 6:00am Subscriber only

IT is the multimillion-dollar spending spree which has left Canterbury’s salary cap in disarray with their failure to heed multiple warnings by the NRL leaving the game’s governing body unsympathetic to their plight.

It could also cost the club star recruits Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods, whose contracts are yet to be fully ratified by the NRL.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Bulldogs have been in constant discussions with the NRL about strategies surrounding their salary cap dilemma with fears they could have overspent by up to $1 million.

But the NRL has little sympathy for the Bulldogs who have blatantly disregarded a stack of warnings to curb their spending spree.


Canterbury’s poor on-field performances have not helped with the players they were hoping to move on now becoming less attractive.

Rival clubs are also aware of the Bulldogs overspending, so they hope they can capitalise by securing a bargain buy.

On March 30 and again on April 20, the NRL gave all club CEOs salary cap guidance of $9.14 million for 2018 — this despite suggestions the cap could be as high as $10 million at the end of last year.

Since these warning the Bulldogs have added almost $2 million worth of talent after signing Woods (approximately $700,000), Foran ($900,000) and Fa’amanu Brown ($150,000).

The trio were announced in May. Negotiations with Foran and Woods were well advanced when the NRL shocked clubs with their original salary cap offer of $8.3 million.

That same month the Bulldogs also offered contract extensions to William Hopoate ($500,000), Marcelo Montoya ($100,000), Kerrod Holland ($150,000), Reimis Smith ($100,000) before re-signing Danny Fualalo ($100,000) and Adam Elliott ($150,000) in June.

It is understood some of these players are on back-ended contracts.

The Bulldogs declined to comment on Saturday.

Woods and Foran have only been provisionally registered by the NRL’s salary cap auditors after the Bulldogs provided the NRL with a plan to be under the proposed salary cap by round one.

There is no guarantee the contracts of Woods or Foran will be fully registered by the NRL — meaning they may not be free to turn out for their new club next year.

The NRL required a salary cap plan for the duo to be provisionally registered, which included off-loading a host of players, but poor form coupled with rivals knowing Canterbury must shed players has made the task of moving players on more difficult.


While the Raiders are another club which has overshot the NRL’s proposed salary cap their only new arrival for 2018 is Warriors rookie Erin Clark, who joined the club midway through this season.

The squeeze on the Bulldogs cap comes with the likes of Greg Eastwood and James Graham receiving big pay rises next year because of back ended deals.

While the Bulldogs have added internationals Woods and Foran, they have shed just one contracted player — prop Sam Kasiano who will join Melbourne.

But even then it is understood the Bulldogs will contribute some of Kasiano’s Storm wage.

Favourite son Josh Reynolds will depart the club for the Tigers but he was not contracted beyond this season while hooker Michael Lichaa won’t be retained.

On June 15 there was a meeting of club chief executive’s and chair people where the Bulldogs proposed introducing a “soft” cap for next year while the prospect of “grandfathering” payments has also been suggested.

This could allow the Bulldogs — for example — to be $400,000 over the salary cap for next year but play under a reduced salary cap of $100,000 per year for the following four seasons.

The NRL are unlikely to show any leniency to those clubs which are not compliant by the start of round one.

Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib is manoeuvring behind the scenes to gather support to ensure the NRL’s salary cap is raised to at least $9.5 million.

He will host a lunch for select rival club bosses on Monday to try and gain support.

Clubs do have plenty of power. All that is needed is five disgruntled clubs to stick together and they could block any salary cap agreement struck between the NRL and the Rugby League Players Association which has the potential to send the game into further chaos.

But at this stage it is unlikely Dib would “have the numbers” to force the stalemate.

It could also cost the club star recruits Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods, whose contracts are yet to be fully ratified by the NRL.


Hopoate signed when we were in trouble on 500k and why were the signings of Remus smith and holland essential when we were up shit creek

Surely dub and Hasler have to go this is beyond belief
It was (and is) gross negligence on behalf of Dib and Raelene especially

Can’t believe they got to walk away scot free and we still fkd by it

Oh and Des got a handsome pay
 

Bazildog

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It was (and is) gross negligence on behalf of Dib and Raelene especially

Can’t believe they got to walk away scot free and we still fkd by it

Oh and Des got a handsome pay
Both Greenberg and Castle even landed higher profile jobs, but Karma is a bitch and it looks like the ground is starting to fall from under them..
 
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