Dogs back to belmore + future of Luke Patten

[Hansta]

By Brad Walters

http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-leag...orts-ground-20100521-vzb7.html?skin=text-only

CANTERBURY will announce today they are returning to their spiritual home at Belmore after the federal government committed $5 million to refurbish the ground.

The venue will become the permanent home ground of NSW Premier League football team Sydney Olympic, and the Bulldogs will relocate their training base and administrative headquarters to the venue. Canterbury may also play an annual pre-season fixture at Belmore.

With Canterbury's membership base now at 10,000 and growing, the upgraded Belmore Sports Ground will not be big enough to seat all of the club's season ticketholders so there is no chance of playing NRL matches there in the foreseeable future. However, junior representative matches will be played at the ground.

After playing and training at Belmore for 72 years, the club moved to Sydney Olympic Park in 2008 and was based at the Athletics Centre. More recently, the Bulldogs have been training at Wilson Park near Silverwater prison as part of a deal with the Sydney Olympic Park Authority.

The Bulldogs have an agreement to play home matches at nearby ANZ Stadium until 2015 but have been keen to shift their administrative and training base back to Belmore. Canterbury officials have been lobbying various governments for some time to obtain funding to upgrade the facilities at Belmore.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg was last night unavailable for comment but the club announced a press conference would be held today at Belmore Sports Ground. Canterbury coach Kevin Moore will be joined by captain Andrew Ryan and senior players Luke Patten, David Stagg, Steve Turner, Michael Hodgson and Josh Morris for what the club described as a major announcement.

Sydney Olympic will also benefit from the funding grant as Belmore Sports Ground is the NSW Premier League club's home ground.

Meanwhile, Patten is expected to reject offers from England to remain at the Bulldogs next season.

The former Country Origin fullback has a clause in his contract enabling him to leave a year early if he wants to play Super League and Huddersfield are believed to be among the clubs to have expressed interest in Patten.

The Giants, who are also looking for a new coach after Nathan Brown last week announced he was returning to Australia at the end of the season, are seeking a new fullback after former Wests Tigers captain Brett Hodgson signed with rivals Warrington.

But the Herald understands that Patten intends to play out his career at the Bulldogs and is talking to the club about a role after he retires.

 

[Moe]

Nice, onya Luke

 

[bLaQDoG..]

Bad news. Luke should step aside for the good of the team. He has been aweful in the previous 2 seasons.

LOL@aweful. He was one of our best last year.

I think it might do him some good if he left for next year, but it looks like he is more concerned about life after football and really wants to be a "Bulldog for life" by ensuring he has a role here.

Good on him. One of the rare loyal ones left in our game.

 

[Captain Kickass]

He'll rack up 300 NRL games if he does another year :thumb:

Come to think of it, Noddy's 300th is coming soon ...

 

[Captain Kickass]

Classic trollin' ....

I think it's Mr Monaco Bar ....

 

[Moe]

i stand by my statement of pure fact

Was Darius Boyd rubbish last year too?

 

[Moe]

2009 stats

Luke compared to Boyd and last years and this years NSW Fullback/

Patten
games - 25
Tries - 9
line breaks - 12
Line break assists - 6
Try assists - 8
offloads - 34
Tackle breaks - 104
avg metres - 134


Boyd
games - 22
Tries - 2
line breaks - 8
Line break assists - 11
Try assists - 6
offloads - 17
Tackle breaks - 134
avg metres - 72

Gidley
games - 21
Tries - 5
line breaks - 3
Line break assists - 10
Try assists - 5
offloads - 28
Tackle breaks - 97
avg metres - 158

 

[ThePedigree]

In the warriors game luke dropped a crucial ball. He is also about as fast as a turtle on red bull.

You are on that ice stuff aren't you? Lost it.

Luke drops one ball and he isn't fast........... and thats all you have in return to my comment.

He's one of the most consistent players we've had for years you friggn dim wit. (sorry for the slander mods, but this guy is taken the piss, and I want to take him/her down with it)

 

[Moe]

You are on that ice stuff aren't you? Lost it.

Luke drops one ball and he isn't fast........... and thats all you have in return to my comment.

He's one of the most consistent players we've had for years you friggn dim wit. (sorry for the slander mods, but this guy is taken the piss, and I want to take him/her down with it)

lol, I think he is clearly trolling. Best we just ignore it.

 

[ThePedigree]

2009 stats

Luke compared to Boyd and last years and this years NSW Fullback/

Patten
games - 25
Tries - 9
line breaks - 12
Line break assists - 6
Try assists - 8
offloads - 34
Tackle breaks - 104
avg metres - 134


Boyd
games - 22
Tries - 2
line breaks - 8
Line break assists - 11
Try assists - 6
offloads - 17
Tackle breaks - 134
avg metres - 72

Gidley
games - 21
Tries - 5
line breaks - 3
Line break assists - 10
Try assists - 5
offloads - 28
Tackle breaks - 97
avg metres - 158

......and there are your facts.

This is a piss take fo sure!

 

[Bulldog Force]

Yes, Boyd was **** last year. He is going forward this year, quite the opposite direction to one Lucas Patturn. St George are first and the bulldogs are 10th.

 

[Slippery]

2009 stats

Luke compared to Boyd and last years and this years NSW Fullback/

Patten
games - 25
Tries - 9
line breaks - 12
Line break assists - 6
Try assists - 8
offloads - 34
Tackle breaks - 104
avg metres - 134


Boyd
games - 22
Tries - 2
line breaks - 8
Line break assists - 11
Try assists - 6
offloads - 17
Tackle breaks - 134
avg metres - 72

Gidley
games - 21
Tries - 5
line breaks - 3
Line break assists - 10
Try assists - 5
offloads - 28
Tackle breaks - 97
avg metres - 158

Boyd averaged 138 metres, Moey. No fullback would only average 72, lol.

Also:

Errors:
Gidley - 38
Patten - 31
Boyd - 21

Penalties Conceded:
Gidley - 7
Patten - 5
Boyd - 0

 

[Moe]

2010 stats

Patten
games - 9
Tries - 3
line breaks - 3
Line break assists - 4
Try assists - 4
offloads - 13
Tackle breaks - 61
avg metres - 145


Boyd
games - 10
Tries - 0
line breaks - 4
Line break assists - 8
Try assists - 10
offloads - 3
Tackle breaks - 66
avg metres - 147

 

[Moe]

Thanks Moe So in conclusion, Patten is well past it as proved by Moes posts.

No worries. I am a man of science, i don't make any conclusions with out the facts. Cleary only being slightly outshadowed by a younger boyd who has also played 1 more game than Luke this year proves that Patten is well past it.

Bring on Barba.

Viva La Barba!

 

[Bulldog Force]

Barba should be fullback.

 

[S4Sonny]

Very nice, good on Patten if he wants to play out the rest of his career at the club. The General is always there when we need him, and has stuck around through all the difficult years.

 

[bLaQDoG..]

Viva La Barba!

I tax making this banner

 

[Doga]

Thanks Moe So in conclusion, Patten is well past it as proved by Moes posts.

You are very astute and thorough. My hats off to you

 

[loui323]

You Ripper

 

[bulldogs18]

patten has been one of the most consistent players in our side for years now ! this is awsome news