Rebuilding the Bulldogs Part 2: Inside the mind of Cameron Ciraldo
David Riccio and Brent Read
In what has been heralded as the most exciting pre-season in recent memory for Bulldogs fans, rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo has been waking at 5am on his floor.
In the middle of a modest renovation of his Sutherland Shire home, Ciraldo has been sleeping on a foam mattress surrounded by paint tins and plasterboard.
A fridge and microwave makes up the kitchen and thick plastic and bed sheets have been substituting as curtains.
Moving boxes sit unpacked in the garage.
Welcome to the glitz and glamour of NRL coaching, hey?
They’re the same cardboard boxes Ciraldo piled into a box trailer and towed by himself from the home that he, wife Kim and their five children had called home for the past 10-years on the outskirts of Penrith.
For the past three months, the rookie coach has been driving through the Belmore Sports Ground front gates before sunrise and walking back through his front door when his kids are brushing their teeth for bed.
If Bulldogs fans want a deep insight into the 38-year-old that the Canterbury board have invested the next five years in, here it is; a father, husband and coach without ego, who is hardworking and principled.
Cameron Ciraldo keeps an eye on his charges during the pre-season. Picture: NRL Photos
Cameron Ciraldo keeps an eye on his charges during the pre-season. Picture: NRL Photos
Phil Gould, the Bulldogs GM of football, pointed towards Ciraldo’s character when discussing at the club’s season launch on Tuesday night just how the coach originally signed-on (see above).
“I said: ‘This isn’t going to be glamorous and it will be a lot of hard work and this club will be in much better shape sometime into the future.’
“(I said) you might have another couple of premierships to win there at Panthers and you can do it a lot easier out there with the great team that you’ve got.
“He rang me the next morning and said: ‘If it’s going to be difficult then I want to get into the fight – and I want to do it straight away’.
When Ciraldo takes his seat inside the coaches box for his first official game as an NRL coach in round one against Manly at Brookvale Oval on March 4, it’s possible, if only for a second, he will recall how far he’s come.
And more importantly, who it was that sparked his ambition to coach.
It was Roosters boss Trent Robinson who first planted the seeds for Ciraldo’s coaching career. Picture: NRL Photos
It was Roosters boss Trent Robinson who first planted the seeds for Ciraldo’s coaching career. Picture: NRL Photos
“As a player, he (Ciraldo) had this desire to coach and then he just went after it. He’s rolled his sleeves up for a long time,’’ Roosters premiership-winning coach Trent Robinson said.
“He’s not searching for the bright lights, he just loves coaching.’’
Robinson knows Ciraldo better than most.
This has never been reported, but it was the Roosters coach who Ciraldo says he owes his career to.
“Robbo planted the seed to coach and I wouldn’t be doing this without his initial input,’’ Ciraldo confirmed.
It was during Robinson‘s stint as an assistant coach to Brian Smith between 2007 and 2009 at Newcastle that the pair struck up a connection.
In round two of the 2009 season, Ciraldo, a talented backrower for the Knights, suffered an horrific season-ending injury against his former club Cronulla that included a shattered leg and dislocated ankle.
Video of the sickening incident has had almost 50,000 views on YouTube.
Ciraldo could never have predicted that the gruesome injury would change his life.
After Ciraldo suffered a horrific leg injury in 2009, Robinson had him analyse video to help his teammates improve their game. Picture: AAP.
After Ciraldo suffered a horrific leg injury in 2009, Robinson had him analyse video to help his teammates improve their game. Picture: AAP.
Wanting to keep Ciraldo mentally motivated during his rehabilitation phase, Robinson asked the then 24-year-old to analyse and review video to then present to the Knights forwards – his teammates.
It was Ciraldo‘s job to then stand before the likes of representative forwards Steve Simpson and Chris Houston, and the likes of Danny Wicks, Mark Taufua, Matt Hilder and Richard Fa’aoso and explain where they could get better.
When Robinson was leaving to coach Catalans in 2011, Ciraldo and Kim visited Robinson at his home to discuss a future in coaching.
“I remember he and Kim came over and had a chat at my place about what he might do, so that was the early stages of what may follow,” Robinson said.
“He thought differently and asked a lot of questions about coaching and he was prepared to put in the hard yards.‘’
Then Robinson said this; a simple comment that given his position as one of the game’s sharpest minds, adds lustre to Ciraldo’s potential and so too, the round 14 clash between the Roosters and Bulldogs this year.
“With Ciro, like Fitzy (Craig Fitzgibbon), I see these guys that are great coaches, who are ready to go,” Robinson said.
“They’ve got to go and get it done on the field now.
“One thing I know is, the challenge will be there in the coaching ranks.
“I know what Cam is going to bring to that place (Bulldogs).”
The guru (Phil Gould), coach (Cameron Ciraldo) and billionaires (Arthur Laundy and Craig Laundy) behind the Belmore revival.
The guru (Phil Gould), coach (Cameron Ciraldo) and billionaires (Arthur Laundy and Craig Laundy) behind the Belmore revival.
Months of secret meetings last year with Canterbury general manager Phil Gould and major sponsors Arthur and Craig Laundy and an unbroken trust to keep the negotiations silent ultimately led Ciraldo to the Dogs.
High on ethics, it’s for the same reason that Ciraldo rejected the Wests Tigers – after his tour of the club’s facilities leaked to the media – that when Penrith ace Stephen Crichton recently sat in his backyard asking to come to the Bulldogs, the Canterbury coach told him that he wouldn’t entertain it until he had exhausted every option of staying at the Panthers.
Talk to those who know Ciraldo best and you’ll learn of a fan of Phil Jackson books, who cooks when he can from recipe’s passed down from his Italian grandparents, does jiu jitsu for fun and who at just 33, interviewed for the Sharks and Warrington head coaching positions back in 2018, not to take the job, but to learn and mature as an individual from the interview experience.
Drill beyond the “next big thing in coaching” tag stitched to the back of the former Penrith assistant coach and you’ll find a man who believes the connection and relationship with his players and staff is as important, if not more so, than sweep plays and wrestle sessions.
At Penrith, we know through it’s widespread coverage after last year’s grand final success that as Ivan Cleary’s assistant coach, it was Ciraldo who was behind the team’s Top Gun themed mission to win back-to-back titles.
But what we didn‘t know is that Ciraldo was forever tying the group together.
“I would say that‘s Ciro’s greatest strength as a coach,’’ Panthers assistant coach Peter Wallace said.
“He understands better than most the value of connecting a group and that translating to the field.‘’
Ciraldo was a key part of the Penrith juggernaut when assistant coach. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images
Ciraldo was a key part of the Penrith juggernaut when assistant coach. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images
At Penrith, Ciraldo organised team lunches on the final day before a game.
It was his hotel room, when the entire code was relocated to Queensland during 2021, that became the meeting point for coaching staff to unwind with a beer, or at times last year he would bring homemade Italian salami to work for the entire team to taste.
That connection is why, now at the Dogs, Ciraldo boarded a plane to Fiji last November to be at the funeral of Canterbury recruit Viliame Kikau‘s father, Ratu Ralulu.
“That was massive. Not only for me, but also my family,” Kikau told News Corp.
“They couldn’t believe it when I told them he (Ciraldo) was coming over for the funeral.
“It just shows what kind of person he is and I’m just really appreciative and really grateful I get to play under him.
“It speaks volumes about him, more than anything else.
“It says a lot about what type of person he is. He really cares for his players.
“He’s a great communicator. That’s one of the big things I’ve picked up from him, because I’m not a big talker and he’s good at reading people.
“If ever I needed something in Penrith, the first person I would talk to is Cameron.”
Viliame Kikau pictured during the first half of the Bulldogs trial against Cronulla at Belmore Sportsground. Picture: Damian Shaw
Viliame Kikau pictured during the first half of the Bulldogs trial against Cronulla at Belmore Sportsground. Picture: Damian Shaw
Needing nothing short of the best from key forward Tevita Pangai Jr this season, Ciraldo recently handed the powerful middle a book called The Four Agreements; a bestseller based on Toltec Wisdom, which aims at releasing one‘s potential.
“He gave me The Four Agreements to read and Relentless written by Tim Grover. I‘ve read them both and they’ve really helped me,’’ Pangai Jr said.
“Parts of those books I go back to every day and try to improve myself. I mark myself off those books.
“Obviously I’ve had people give plenty of opinions about me, but he gave me a chance and wanted to improve me as a person.
“I think that’s his strongest characteristic.
“He wants the best for everyone and he’s genuine.
“He’s not just a coach, he’s more like a life coach too.
“He always gives you time.
“I know there was a lot of talk about me leaving last year and he knocked that on the head.
“He said he‘s going to give everyone a chance and he’s done that.
“There was speculation about the futures of a few players, but he‘s come in and given us a fresh start and that’s what the boys all appreciate.’’
Ciraldo‘s arrival at Belmore will feature in why the Bulldogs are one of the stories of the year.
Ciraldo has brought pride back to the Bulldogs. Picture: Justin Lloyd.
Ciraldo has brought pride back to the Bulldogs. Picture: Justin Lloyd.
‘Berries’ fans have reached the new season with optimism not felt since their last finals appearance in 2016.
Dogs fans are proud again.
Which leaves the final word on Ciraldo with the dishevelled man on the Gold Coast.
Last October before pre-season training began, Ciraldo was up again before sunrise, attempting to unravel the swirl of ideas related to the rebuild of Canterbury swimming through his mind.
Walking the pavement at Broadbeach, Ciraldo heard a muffled voice from beneath a blanket below.
“Go the Doggies,” the man piped up.
Ciraldo smiled, before replying, “We’ll give you something to cheer, mate.’’
