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After a few lean years, Bulldogs fans are salivating over their revamped roster under Trent Barrett but the new coach says they will need to be patient.
Barrett has named the Telstra Premiership's most inexperienced spine for their clash with the Knights in Newcastle on Friday.
Tasked with the challenge of turning Canterbury's woes around, particularly in attack, Barrett arrived at Belmore in November with high expectations after recent success as an assistant at the Panthers.
Canterbury's struggles in attack over the past four seasons have been well documented with an average 15.2 points per game placing them at the bottom of the competition.
The likes of premiers Melbourne have amassed an additional 10 points per game.
Flanagan's combination with Averillo is untested after the Bulldogs five-eighth missed last week's trial against Cronulla with an elbow injury.
"Our attack will evolve over the course of the year, no doubt, the clearer our combinations will become," Barrett said on Wednesday.
"It's going to take some time but certainly we just have to make things quite simple for them and our attack will morph into what it does.
"It'll look a lot different into round 20 than what it does this weekend. We've got to be patient with it and I understand that.
"Last week 50% of the team hadn't played together before and there are another three or four guys [this week] who haven't played together before as well.
"Particularly in the spine and with our edges. Having young players and a young spine, I've got to be aware of that as well.
"I'm happy with where they're at and I think we've got enough there to get the job done."
Flanagan will go into Friday's clash against Newcastle seeking a fresh start after he left the Roosters in abrupt circumstances last season with question marks emerging around his own ability to attack the line.
"[Flanagan] doesn't have a point to prove to us at all, he's a young halfback into his second pre-season and he's doing a really good job," Barrett said.
Probably the thing that's impressed me the most is his toughness. He's a tough little fella. He's not the finished product yet and none of our players are at this stage, we're young.
"This team doesn't revolve around one person. He's a piece of the puzzle in there. That's my job to take the pressure off him.
"The weight of the world shouldn't be on the shoulders of a 22-year-old. I just want him to enjoy footy."
A flurry of new recruits including former Rabbitohs fullback Corey Allan, ex-Raiders winger Nick Cotric and Panthers prop Jack Hetherington have added much-needed firepower to Canterbury.
Barrett has also handed 26-year-old specialist hooker Brad Deitz an NRL debut with Jeremy Marshall-King (foot) sidelined.
Deitz's promotion to the starting 17 is a welcome change compared to previous seasons where former coaches Dean Pay and Des Hasler opted for the likes of specialists backs on the bench.
"He's just competent at everything, he's got good service from dummy half – a nice pass and good kick and he's fast, which I think is one of his best attributes," Barrett said.
"He's not afraid to run, he's a stocky fella and can get over the advantage line.
"He's something different that we haven't really got."
Barrett has named the Telstra Premiership's most inexperienced spine for their clash with the Knights in Newcastle on Friday.
Tasked with the challenge of turning Canterbury's woes around, particularly in attack, Barrett arrived at Belmore in November with high expectations after recent success as an assistant at the Panthers.
Canterbury's struggles in attack over the past four seasons have been well documented with an average 15.2 points per game placing them at the bottom of the competition.
The likes of premiers Melbourne have amassed an additional 10 points per game.
Flanagan's combination with Averillo is untested after the Bulldogs five-eighth missed last week's trial against Cronulla with an elbow injury.
"Our attack will evolve over the course of the year, no doubt, the clearer our combinations will become," Barrett said on Wednesday.
"It's going to take some time but certainly we just have to make things quite simple for them and our attack will morph into what it does.
"It'll look a lot different into round 20 than what it does this weekend. We've got to be patient with it and I understand that.
"Last week 50% of the team hadn't played together before and there are another three or four guys [this week] who haven't played together before as well.
"Particularly in the spine and with our edges. Having young players and a young spine, I've got to be aware of that as well.
"I'm happy with where they're at and I think we've got enough there to get the job done."
Flanagan will go into Friday's clash against Newcastle seeking a fresh start after he left the Roosters in abrupt circumstances last season with question marks emerging around his own ability to attack the line.
"[Flanagan] doesn't have a point to prove to us at all, he's a young halfback into his second pre-season and he's doing a really good job," Barrett said.
Probably the thing that's impressed me the most is his toughness. He's a tough little fella. He's not the finished product yet and none of our players are at this stage, we're young.
"This team doesn't revolve around one person. He's a piece of the puzzle in there. That's my job to take the pressure off him.
"The weight of the world shouldn't be on the shoulders of a 22-year-old. I just want him to enjoy footy."
A flurry of new recruits including former Rabbitohs fullback Corey Allan, ex-Raiders winger Nick Cotric and Panthers prop Jack Hetherington have added much-needed firepower to Canterbury.
Barrett has also handed 26-year-old specialist hooker Brad Deitz an NRL debut with Jeremy Marshall-King (foot) sidelined.
Deitz's promotion to the starting 17 is a welcome change compared to previous seasons where former coaches Dean Pay and Des Hasler opted for the likes of specialists backs on the bench.
"He's just competent at everything, he's got good service from dummy half – a nice pass and good kick and he's fast, which I think is one of his best attributes," Barrett said.
"He's not afraid to run, he's a stocky fella and can get over the advantage line.
"He's something different that we haven't really got."
