Opinion My take on the 3 wooden spoons

[Chris Harding]

I went to the game following the announcement that we were over the cap V Canberra. Initially I didn't want to go but I ended up going with a couple of workmates who were Dogs supporters. I remember Turvey going over to a group of Bulldogs fans at the southern end to thank them for their support. Our players were out on the turps till about 3 am I later heard & they played like it in the first half, Raiders were up 28-6, but Vagana scored a try just before half time to make it 28-10. I guess Folkesy gave them a blast because we won the 2nd half 24-10, but lost the game 38-34. It was a disappointing loss but I can understand how the boys felt.

I remember the Canberra fans waiving large wooden spoons. What an insult to the Dogs fans - especially as they did the same cap breach when they won their first GF, and were allowed to keep the title and just cop a large fine. I will never forgive Raiders fans for that low grubby act.

 

[craigo]

Des has nothing to do with what happened this year. We got it cause our pathetic attack. Worst halves in the comp

 

[Kelpie03]

Not valid? 100% valid this year. You can't blame Dib and Castle for this year. We also deserved the wooden spoon last year (lucky to get away with it).

You've got to give them some "credit" for all those overpaid duds and backended contracts, as well not been able to see just how badly our Juniors were neglected during Haslers time..
This is the first time we have been able to sign some quality, previously we have only been able to sign rejects, as a result of their incompetence.

 

[Kelpie03]

Not valid? 100% valid this year. You can't blame Dib and Castle for this year. We also deserved the wooden spoon last year (lucky to get away with it).

You've got to give them some "credit" for all those overpaid duds and backended contracts, as well not been able to see just how badly our Juniors were neglected during Haslers time..
This is the first time we have been able to sign some quality, previously we have only been able to sign rejects, as a result of their incompetence.

 

[Rodzilla]

this year is valid wooden spoon, we were unlucky not to have back to back wooden spoons

if we were allowed to count all 2020 and 2021 games and the rest of the comp just played 1 season, we would win wooden spoons in 6 seasons since the nrl went to 24 games in 2002

so this is basically a double wooden spoon

 

[bradyk]

You've got to give them some "credit" for all those overpaid duds and backended contracts, as well not been able to see just how badly our Juniors were neglected during Haslers time..
This is the first time we have been able to sign some quality, previously we have only been able to sign rejects, as a result of their incompetence.

The Anderson's made a lot of poor recruitment choices (if you can spend the money on Napa and DWZ like we did you could of done a hell lot more with that money for e.g.). Even Barrett made a lot of mistakes in this years recruitment. You can't blame Dib and Castle (or Des) for this years wooden spoon imo. Too much time has passed.

 

[Scoooby]

Won’t be getting it in 22.!! Look to the future, fuck dwelling on the ugly past. We have Gus and new players now. Shits going to get better and that’s all that matters as a doggies supporter. The long wait is almost over people.

 

[chisdog]

The Anderson's made a lot of poor recruitment choices (if you can spend the money on Napa and DWZ like we did you could of done a hell lot more with that money for e.g.). Even Barrett made a lot of mistakes in this years recruitment. You can't blame Dib and Castle (or Des) for this years wooden spoon imo. Too much time has passed.

Did Chris Anderson Pearce your dog or something?

 

[Hansta]

Lol that's making excuses for the club. 08 and this year def valid. We were shit. Plain and simple

 

[chisdog]

Lol that's making excuses for the club. 08 and this year def valid. We were shit. Plain and simple

but out of the ordinary circumstances led to them

 

[w00t]

We deserved the spoon last year as well. We only avoided it on points differential. We deserved the spoon in all the years we got it. 08 is probably the only exception considering what happened with SBW but 02 we cheated and this year well, we made the wrong gambit on Flannagan, Allen, Waddell and our squad went even further backwards compared to last year.

 

[Dogtime]

Definitely deserved to win in 2002, still not over that. Our punishment far exceeds any other breach from any other club. Should of won 3 comps during that period. 2002, 2004 and 2006 (Broncos Prelim, still burns too).

Should've let us win then take them away from us 5 years later...like um let me think?....oh yeh Storm for breaching the cap by a worse total salary % than we did in 2002. And for anyone that doesn't think the NRL knew that the Storm were many hundreds of thousands over the cap during their stripped premiership years...play the other one...it plays jingle bells!!!

 

[Matthew G]

This year must be the most VALID wooden spoon of all time, we ve won 2 games all year hahahah

 

[ddt192]

This year must be the most VALID wooden spoon of all time, we ve won 2 games all year hahahah

3 actually lol

 

[Hansta]

but out of the ordinary circumstances led to them

Losing players isn't out of the ordinary mate. Poor roster management isn't out of the ordinary. It's what happens when you drop your standards

 

[chisdog]

Losing players isn't out of the ordinary mate. Poor roster management isn't out of the ordinary. It's what happens when you drop your standards

Losing a marquee player who suck out in the middle of the night to go overseas to breach a contract is not out of the ordinary? Having a coach come in & deliberately destroy his team's salary cap is not out of the ordinary? OK.

 

[Matthew G]

Hahahhaa oh shit that extra game has changed my opinion completely

3 actually lol

 

[Hansta]

Losing a marquee player who suck out in the middle of the night to go overseas to breach a contract is not out of the ordinary? Having a coach come in & deliberately destroy his team's salary cap is not out of the ordinary? OK.

So because he left to go overseas what makes it different to other players forcing their way out. A lot of players do it these days all be it not going overseas.

Saying des intentionally did it is laughable also.

Fact is we are the Spooners. No 2 ways looking at it. You can't keep making excuses. We've got to do better

 

[SweetFA]

Should've let us win then take them away from us 5 years later...like um let me think?....oh yeh Storm for breaching the cap by a worse total salary % than we did in 2002. And for anyone that doesn't think the NRL knew that the Storm were many hundreds of thousands over the cap during their stripped premiership years...play the other one...it plays jingle bells!!!

The Broncos & Storm at the time were heavily backed by News Ltd who were basically running the NRL. The Bulldogs were public enemy #1; we are only just starting to gain traction to become that formidable organisation once again.

 

[chisdog]

So because he left to go overseas what makes it different to other players forcing their way out. A lot of players do it these days all be it not going overseas.

Saying des intentionally did it is laughable also.

Fact is we are the Spooners. No 2 ways looking at it. You can't keep making excuses. We've got to do better

Are you kidding? What difference did it make? Were you around then? It tore the club apart & destroyed the season. Every game but one after he left were smashings. That alone tells a story.

If Des had deliberately set out to destroy the club, he couldn't have done a better job. He released quality players, he destroyed the cap, didn't do ANY junior development & left it in a position that has taken years to fix. I don't think Des is that stupid. He must have known what he was doing. Any idiot looking at what he was doing could see it was detrimental to the club.

Have a think about it. Don't do any junior development, back end contracts & over pay people, let go good quality juniors & make sure the players you release are the heart & soul of the club. Geez that's a good plan for success isn't it?

But if you think Des doesn't have any rugby league brains & the above was a good plan, then I've got a nice building in Canberra sitting on a hill to sell you.