News Management could bite Bulldogs

[Wahesh]

Management could bite Bulldogs

Roster management is not Phil Gould’s strong point. And it’s come back to bite him at the Bulldogs, writes via Daily Telegraph PHIL ROTHFIELD.

Phil Gould knows better than most about winning NRL premierships. Yet roster management is not one of his stronger points.

Ask Penrith Panthers. The Panthers couldn’t win a premiership until Ivan Cleary and Brian Fletcher carefully dismantled the team Gus built and offloaded the likes of Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Waqa Blake, Tyrone Peachey, James Maloney, Trent Merrin, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, James Tamou and Matt Moylan before their contracts were up. Now all the focus is on Gus’ multi-million dollar rebuild at the Canterbury Bulldogs.

This is obviously no five-year plan.
The Dogs want a quick fix which is why they have signed so many big names and especially big boppers — Paul Vaughan, Viliame Kikau and Tevita Pangai Jr to join the likes of Luke Thompson and Jack Hetherington in a heavyweight pack of forwards. But there’s one thing missing: a decent spine. Far be it for your columnist to be tipping to Gus on winning premierships but you don’t get to pick up Norm and Arthur without outstanding players wearing jerseys nine, seven, six and one.

Let’s look at the spines of the last three premiership-winnings sides: Panthers 2021: 9 Api Koroisau, 7 Nathan Cleary, 6 Jarome Luai, 1 Dylan Edwards. Storm 2020: 9 Cameron Smith, 7 Jahrome Hughes, Cameron Munster, 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen. Roosters 2019: 9 Jake Friend, 7 Cooper Cronk, 6 Luke Keary 1 James Tedesco.

Now the Bulldogs spine in 2022: 9 Jeremy Marshall-King, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 6 Matt Burton 1 Matt Dufty. I rest my case, your honour.

Gus and coach Trent Barrett know this and it’s why so many Bulldogs players are nervously watching this develop from the sidelines.

Like with the Panthers, there will have to be huge roster shuffling and many casualties. Already high-priced winger/centre Nick Cotric is being shopped around to rival clubs, including the Parramatta Eels. English front-rower Thompson has been offered to the Wests Tigers. Players like Corey Allan and Kyle Flanagan are on really good money but are under contract to the Bulldogs until the end of 2023.

So where does the money come from to sign Reed Mahoney from the Parramatta Eels. Or a premiership winning halfback and fullback, with respect to Flanagan and Dufty. The halfback position at Belmore will be most interesting.

Apparently Flanagan’s contract is heavily back-loaded and he’ll be earning $500,000 in 2023.

There’s also talk of Gus planning to turn Jake Averillo into a Jahrome Hughes-type of player. Good luck with that.

There is no question the Bulldogs will climb off the bottom of the ladder next year.

They’ve got Burton, Brent Naden and Josh Addo-Carr to add class, speed and strike power. There’s no question this club is going places but there will be some carnage before a premiership.

You can absolutely guarantee that.

WTF does Slothfield expect us to do? We received the wooden spoon, meaning the only way us UP. How on Earth can this come back to bite us? What could possibly be worse from rock bottom?

FFS someone go and poo on his keyboard already!

 

[D- voice]

Projected salaries for contracted players for 2023. 20 players contracted for a total of roughly 7.225 million. That leaves 2.275 mill for 10 players. 4 players on development contracts for 80k. Leaves 1.955 mill for 6 players. Still allows us to sign 1 or 2 big signings and will cover a few other players on close to min wage.
Jackson 500k
TPJ 700k
Thompson 750k
Kikau 750k
Addo carr 650k
Cotric 650k
Flanagan 300k
Naden 300k
Schoupp 250k
Averillo 250k
Waddell 250k
BBO 150k
JMK 200k
Alamoti 150k
Allen 250k
Burton 500k
Broaden burns 150k
Okunbor 150k
Ava 200k
Patolo 125 k

There is some variance in the individual numbers but it balances out the same,
We have signed many 1 year contract players that may need to upgrade as well as many train on players who hopefully will rise to the challenge to replace the so many useless overpaid players.
Where there is a will there is a way...Trust in Gus !!!

 

[D- voice]

WTF does Slothfield expect us to do? We received the wooden spoon, meaning the only way us UP. How on Earth can this come back to bite us? What could possibly be worse from rock bottom?

FFS someone go and poo on his keyboard already!

It's not about what he expect us to do...
It's about what he and his organization want us to do...NOTHING !!!

 

[dogluva]

A shame we don't have a vomit emoji in our list of smilies...

 

[D- voice]

FFS someone go and poo on his keyboard already!
[/QUOTE]
As if not enough shit coming out of that

 

[D- voice]

A shame we don't have a vomit emoji in our list of smilies...

We should ask for one

 

[silva]

There is some variance in the individual numbers but it balances out the same,
We have signed many 1 year contract players that may need to upgrade as well as many train on players who hopefully will rise to the challenge to replace the so many useless overpaid players.
Where there is a will there is a way...Trust in Gus !!!

Yeh we could still sign 2 spine players easily for 600k plus just would struggle to get a mill plus player

 

[D- voice]

Yeh we could still sign 2 spine players easily for 600k plus just would struggle to get a mill plus player

We will again need to make our million dollar players...And not loose them !!!

 

[DogsOfWar1704]

Jacko should get long service discount few hundred k that’s why I listed him 500.

Yeah 200k or something isn’t it?

 

[Berries]

I mean Gus had to sign those players to get Penrith off the bottom of the table and they had a decent crack at the title with them. Who is to say he would not have offloaded those players himself if he stuck around? Cleary has the worst roster management record from the Tigers in the NRL outside of Des lol

 

[Dogmonster]

Story is BOOOOOOOOO

 

[ShepardDog]

I mean Gus had to sign those players to get Penrith off the bottom of the table and they had a decent crack and the title with them. Who is to say he would not have offloaded those players himself if he stuck around? Cleary has the worst roster management record from the Tigers in the NRL outside of Des lol

Gus masterclass.

 

[Disposable Hero]

Who was the coach at Tigers that signed signed Reynolds at 600+ and then Mbye at 800k then fucked off to another club?
Im sure it wasn't Gus.

 

[silva]

Yeah 200k or something isn’t it?

I think so yeh

 

[sideswip]

Buzz... you have no idea how things work in NRL

 

[BulldogsNRL]

Projected salaries for contracted players for 2023. 20 players contracted for a total of roughly 7.225 million. That leaves 2.275 mill for 10 players. 4 players on development contracts for 80k. Leaves 1.955 mill for 6 players. Still allows us to sign 1 or 2 big signings and will cover a few other players on close to min wage.
Jackson 500k
TPJ 700k
Thompson 750k
Kikau 750k
Addo carr 650k
Cotric 650k
Flanagan 300k
Naden 300k
Schoupp 250k
Averillo 250k
Waddell 250k
BBO 150k
JMK 200k
Alamoti 150k
Allen 250k
Burton 500k
Broaden burns 150k
Okunbor 150k
Ava 200k
Patolo 125 k

Fox is 550k

 

[cuzza]

Wouldn't give up on Cotric yet... Hoppa never passed him the ball

 

[Dawain87]

The spine theory is a myth, Look at those 3 clubs that won the last 3 years, there's at least one player that arguably isn't the best in that postion.

Penrith 2021 - Dylan Edwards
Storms 2020 - Jahrome Hughes
Roosters 2019 - Jake Friend

I like the new approach of building around Burton with proven forwards and backs. time will tell.

 

[2144superman]

 

[Dog’n’Bone]

don’t normally agree with sloshedfield but he raises a fair point. Shouldn’t be pissing this much cash away on forwards to rich long term deals until the spine has been addressed.

gus is a very good rugby league mind but he is not the messiah. He should not be immune to criticism as he appears to be here