Official Game Thread : Bulldogs v Sharks Trial 27/02/2021.

Spoonman84

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@DinkumDog and I were going to give some lighthearted and snowflake friendly updates from the game so we will do it here rather than make a new thread
No it doesn’t need a special thread. Everyone else will be giving their thoughts on it too if they are at the game or watching via the stream.
 

Suave

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Given there are so many new faces I wish we committed to 2 trials before the season kicked off. It's probably going to be less of an issue than it was when Pay was coach given it sounds like they're actually having a professionally-run off season for once but still. We have some tough opposition in the opening 5 games so would want them to take every opportunity to build as much chemistry as possible.
 

Dognacious

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So its broadcast free on nrl website yeh? I dont plan on switching my kayo back on until closer to round 1
 

c-b-b

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I want to see what Katoa can do but he also worries me.

His passing isn't all that great, there's times he fired bullet like passes to players not that far from him last year, it was a miracle they kept hold of the ball.

I'd be interested to see how Wakeham goes, can he handle the tackling etc.
 

B-Train

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I'll be keen to see how Waddell plays. His first season at Manly he was impressive. After that, Des used him as a battering ram. If he plays like his rookie year under Baz, he could prove to be a bargain buy.

It will be good to see Hetherington play a bigger role and see how he handles it.
 

Brendan7

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I want to see what Katoa can do but he also worries me.

His passing isn't all that great, there's times he fired bullet like passes to players not that far from him last year, it was a miracle they kept hold of the ball.

I'd be interested to see how Wakeham goes, can he handle the tackling etc.
None of our hookers are any good sorry to be blunt but it's true. Katoa might be a 5/10 hooker, JMK is barely a 1/10 player and I'll give him 1 if he stays on the bench for 30 minutes!
 

albatross

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Do you have to have a facebook account to watch this?
 

jof

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Trent Barrett’s new era at Bulldogs to begin with new faces in key positions

Canterbury’s new era under Trent Barrett will begin with a major overhaul of the team’s spine and a centre aiming to prove his worth in a trial against Cronulla.

The first glimpse of Canterbury’s new era under Trent Barrett will begin with an untried halves pairing, a new fullback and a centre aiming to prove his worth.
In a far from ideal build-up ahead of the season proper for Barrett’s Bulldogs, the new coach has been impacted by injuries before the club’s first and only NRL-standard trial match against Cronulla at Kogarah on Saturday night.

Unavailable for the hitout against the Sharks are Jeremy Marshall-King, who had been training all summer at hooker and Jake Averillo, the club’s first-choice five-eighth.

Kyle Flanagan will play his first game for the Bulldogs against Cronulla on Saturday night. Picture: Bulldogs Media

Kyle Flanagan will play his first game for the Bulldogs against Cronulla on Saturday night. Picture: Bulldogs Media

Marshall-King has suffered a minor foot injury and is aiming to be fit for round one, while Averillo won’t trial and is in doubt for the start of the season due to an elbow injury.

Dylan Napa (knee), Raymond Faitala-Mariner (ankle), Luke Thompson (suspended) and Jayden Okunbor (knee) will also be unavailable.

The key omission of Averillo from the trial has forced Barrett to name playmaker Kyle Flanagan at halfback in his first game for the club alongside back-up half Brandon Wakeham.

The loss of Averillo is a blow for Barrett who wants to bed down a consistent halves partner for Flanagan in order to give the talented halfback the best platform to lead the Dogs.

“Wakey (Wakeham) will get an opportunity and we’ve got some talented younger players pushing to play behind him also,’’ Barrett said.

Targeted as a high-profile recruit on a three-year deal, Nick Cotric moved to the Bulldogs from Canberra for the opportunity to shift from the wing, where he featured for the Blues, to the centres.

Brandon Wakeham will partner Kyle Flanagan in the halves against the Sharks. Picture: Brett Costello

Brandon Wakeham will partner Kyle Flanagan in the halves against the Sharks. Picture: Brett Costello

And Barrett will give the powerful ball-carrier that chance by selecting him at left centre, with the experienced Will Hopoate set to lockdown the right-centre spot.

Hopoate’s move to the centres paves the way for South Sydney recruit Corey Allan to play his first game in Bulldogs colours at fullback.

Former Penrith hooker Sione Katoa will start the match at dummy-half.

The Sharks are expected to field an almost full strength line-up with only forwards Aiden Tolman and Toby Rudolf likely to miss the match due to minor hamstring injuries.

 
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