Brissy Bulldog
Proud to be a Bulldog
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Greats back Bulldogs to overcome odds
August 15, 2005 - 8:45PM
Canterbury rugby league greats Terry Lamb and Steve Mortimer say history shows the injury-ravaged Bulldogs can overcome the odds and make the NRL grand final.
The Bulldogs are three points out of the top eight with three regular season rounds left after suffering their worst loss since 1935 last Friday night - a 56-4 thumping at Parramatta.
The defending premiers must win their last three games and rely on other results going their way to ensure they don't miss the finals altogether.
However, Bulldogs legends Lamb and Mortimer have not ruled out the current crop conjuring the spirit of 1979 and 1995 and making a premiership run.
Lamb - who holds the record for first grade games played - skippered the 1995 side that finished sixth in the regular season before going on to claim the premiership.
And Mortimer was part of the 1979 Dogs team that scraped into the then top five finals format and downed Wests, Cronulla and Parramatta before losing the final 17-13 to St George.
Lamb - who played 262 first grade games for the Dogs - said he saw "parallels" with the current team and his 1995 outfit.
"I still believe they can make the finals (this season)," Lamb said.
"If they put their heads together and they get into the eight, no one will stop them."
Lamb said it was time the recently re-signed Willie Mason stood up and "made a statement".
"Willie is now a senior player. He's been at the club five years now - he's just signed a new contract so he's got to stand up," he said.
"And we also have guys like Andrew Ryan, Tony Grimaldi, Corey Hughes - we've still got a good team out there.
"They've got to stand up and say `we can still make the semis', do what Newcastle is doing and play for each other."
Lamb said the Bulldogs would be unstoppable once they got their "mindset" right.
"They've got to play with the mindset that they can make the semis - they've got to throw caution to the wind, try not to commit too many errors and play their natural game," he said.
"The Bulldogs must believe they can control their own destiny.
"If they win their last three games they might just go bang straight into the eight and do something.
"The teams are so even these days. If they make the eight, they will get a few players back and when they are in a bit of form they can beat anyone on their day.
"They beat Brisbane a couple of weeks ago, and probably raised the bar for everyone that game."
Mortimer said the Bulldogs' plight reminded him of 1979.
"I still go back to my day in `79 we had our fingers crossed and got into the finals by Balmain beating Souths and we were able to go all the way into the premiership game," he said.
"At the end of the day their destiny is in their own hands.
"I 100 per cent believe the Bulldogs still have a chance, no matter how remote it is - if their heart is still pumping there is still a chance."
August 15, 2005 - 8:45PM
Canterbury rugby league greats Terry Lamb and Steve Mortimer say history shows the injury-ravaged Bulldogs can overcome the odds and make the NRL grand final.
The Bulldogs are three points out of the top eight with three regular season rounds left after suffering their worst loss since 1935 last Friday night - a 56-4 thumping at Parramatta.
The defending premiers must win their last three games and rely on other results going their way to ensure they don't miss the finals altogether.
However, Bulldogs legends Lamb and Mortimer have not ruled out the current crop conjuring the spirit of 1979 and 1995 and making a premiership run.
Lamb - who holds the record for first grade games played - skippered the 1995 side that finished sixth in the regular season before going on to claim the premiership.
And Mortimer was part of the 1979 Dogs team that scraped into the then top five finals format and downed Wests, Cronulla and Parramatta before losing the final 17-13 to St George.
Lamb - who played 262 first grade games for the Dogs - said he saw "parallels" with the current team and his 1995 outfit.
"I still believe they can make the finals (this season)," Lamb said.
"If they put their heads together and they get into the eight, no one will stop them."
Lamb said it was time the recently re-signed Willie Mason stood up and "made a statement".
"Willie is now a senior player. He's been at the club five years now - he's just signed a new contract so he's got to stand up," he said.
"And we also have guys like Andrew Ryan, Tony Grimaldi, Corey Hughes - we've still got a good team out there.
"They've got to stand up and say `we can still make the semis', do what Newcastle is doing and play for each other."
Lamb said the Bulldogs would be unstoppable once they got their "mindset" right.
"They've got to play with the mindset that they can make the semis - they've got to throw caution to the wind, try not to commit too many errors and play their natural game," he said.
"The Bulldogs must believe they can control their own destiny.
"If they win their last three games they might just go bang straight into the eight and do something.
"The teams are so even these days. If they make the eight, they will get a few players back and when they are in a bit of form they can beat anyone on their day.
"They beat Brisbane a couple of weeks ago, and probably raised the bar for everyone that game."
Mortimer said the Bulldogs' plight reminded him of 1979.
"I still go back to my day in `79 we had our fingers crossed and got into the finals by Balmain beating Souths and we were able to go all the way into the premiership game," he said.
"At the end of the day their destiny is in their own hands.
"I 100 per cent believe the Bulldogs still have a chance, no matter how remote it is - if their heart is still pumping there is still a chance."