'Simmering tensions': Bulldogs players' group unhappy after club tells departing stars to 'clean out their lockers'

[Raysie]

There's all sorts of bubble rules at the moment and a small window after the season was done where the players would be allowed back at Belmore. The cleanup of their lockers early was likely because of this.

Moving on.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Price was a good player for us and that is where the relationship should have ended

 

[Dingo]

...and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out.

 

[Chris Harding]

Bulldogs general manager of football Steve Price has reportedly put the players' group offside after instructing the clubs departing stars to "clean out their lockers" ahead of Canterbury's final match of the season on Saturday.


Amid a turbulent year at Belmore riddled by reports of infighting among club powerbrokers, the Bulldogs turned heads one last time when they announced eight players would not be offered a contract in 2021 ahead of round 20.


Alongside star playmaker Kieran Foran, Aiden Tolman, Marcelo Montoya, Kerrod Holland, Jack Cogger, Sauaso Sue, Tim Lafai, and Isaiah Tass are set to depart, as incoming coach Trent Barrett's cleanout begins to firm ahead of his 2021 appointment.


But according to Nine's chief rugby league reporter Danny Weidler, a heavy-handed edict from Price to his departing stars ahead of their 42-0 loss to Penrith on Saturday has rocked the club just as it seemed their torrid year was behind them.


"I'm hearing a few stories coming out of the Bulldogs in the last 24-48 hours, their general manager of football Steve Price has upset a few of the players," Weidler told Nine's 100% Footy.


"The players who are leaving the club were told at the captain's run prior to their game on the weekend to make sure that they cleaned out their lockers. It didn't go down very well with the players, the ones who are departing.


"He repeated that edict to them after the game as well. They put on a pretty bad performance the Bulldogs. They've really tried hard all year. I don't know how much that affected them or not but I do know that one of the key Bulldogs players who's going to be there next year has let his feelings known to Steve Price, exactly what he thought of that instruction.


"So, simmering tensions around management now off the field and some of the players in the club."


Earlier this month the Bulldogs were rocked by reports of infighting among the club's powerbrokers who had reportedly drawn battle lines between the franchise's leagues club and football operations.


At the centre of the feud are allegations that leagues club chair George Coorey was forced to bring in lawyers after chair of the football club, Lynne Anderson, attempted to have him removed during a high-level board meeting over claims of inappropriate behaviour towards female members.


Compounding the factional divide, club CEO Andrew Hill and football manager Steve Price are reportedly at loggerheads, with board member Paul Dunn stepping in to mediate the relationship.


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And yet, all players turned up to help feed the homeless, and not a sign of anger or displeasure with the club.
Wiedler is just rumour mongering again.

 

[Malla]

Lol are we going to believe this bias reporting?? Clearly another dig.

Why would you not clean out your locker if you are departing the club? Last I checked that's normal process lol.

 

[Bulldogs09]

I mean I can understand some
Got hurt feelings but let’s call it as it is. Majority of them are fucking blessed to have been paid for
The shit they put on the field for us. The Majority can’t get jobs elsewhere for the nrl teams at least on field. They likely Wouldn’t care if they had another one lined up they would of fled already after the woeful game we put up to end the year and a woeful year.

Perhaps price is just sick of seeing what he helped build be destroyed week in week out.

I get he left for warriors etc and it’s business but he’s back with us and maybe he’s sick of seeing frauds run out?

 

[DinkumDog]

What an absolute beat up and crock:

‘The Bulldogs turned heads when they announced eight players would not be offered a contract in 2021 ahead of round 20’.

They announce departing players the SAME WAY EVERY YEAR - before their last game.

More garbage from that vermin Weidler. He should write for New Idea: ‘X happened said ‘a friend / a source’ etc. Why anyone would get sucked in by the carry on of this clown insults any intelligent person.

 

[Baby Blues]

I don’t understand this? Couldn’t they just handle that on Monday?

 

[Malla]

What an absolute beat up and crock:

‘The Bulldogs turned heads when they announced eight players would not be offered a contract in 2021 ahead of round 20’.

They announce departing players the SAME WAY EVERY YEAR - before their last game.

More garbage from that vermin Weidler. He should write for New Idea: ‘X happened said ‘a friend / a source’ etc. Why anyone would get sucked in by this clowns carry on is an insult to any intelligent person.

LOL my thoughts exactly.

I am perplexed as to how this made the paper as a story? What did Wiedler expect.. them to keep their shit in the lockers? It's agenda driven bullshit journalism. And if Price is a bit of a ****, I love that. About time. These spoon fed players need that, they get used to being told they are great their whole lives, look at the culture at the Broncos. Bunch of dick heads that think they are gods gift. We don't need any of that at our club. If the players feel a certain way for being told to clear their lockers, then good, that's why they are leaving.

 

[DinkumDog]

It's agenda driven bullshit journalism.

Spot on. And: here’s the ‘upset’ players who stuck around with their kids etc after being hammered 42-0 to accept their momento for their service and best wishes from the club:
What’s next Weidler - the smiles are ‘fake’? The only fake thing is you, you grub.

 

[LordSidious66]

Oh you poor parodies. You played bad and paid the price (no pun intended) for it. Good on you pricey.

 

[LordSidious66]

Price was a good player for us and that is where the relationship should have ended

Maybe he doesn't tolerate shit results, hence why the deadwood is being cleared out.

 

[GDR]

It's all in the delivery for mine.. if he was polite about it and said it in a nice manner, then what is the problem here?.. mind you if a player is upset about not being contracted next year, then it would not matter how it's delivered because the player would have a negative mindset..

On a side note, I see tolman advertising himself again today in a fox sports news article... Wow for a supposed amazing forward, why does he need to beg for a contract lol.. would not be surprised if he's behind the anger here.. I noticed some things throughout the year that suggested he wasn't happy with the club...

 

[Malla]

Maybe he doesn't tolerate shit results, hence why the deadwood is being cleared out.

Exactly
Is he supposed to make players feel good by giving them positive reinforcement? There should be standards, and if players aren't meeting those standards then cya. End of the day if Price (or anyone for that matter) accepts mediocrity, the blame comes back on Price.

 

[Dannyboi88]

Story’s been leaked within again obviously another tit for tatt amongst the board tensions they don’t give a shit about our players it’s there own agendas and are using any means to get a one up and slag each other

 

[doggieaaron]

Dont trust anything from the weazel he’s always butthurt cause no one at the club talks to him

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Maybe he doesn't tolerate shit results, hence why the deadwood is being cleared out.

Then he would have to sack himself

 

[Shanked]

it may be true, but i won't believe a word weidler has to say about the club

 

[Dannyboi88]

Dont trust anything from the weazel he’s always butthurt cause no one at the club talks to him

Well someone has because if that did happen it would have been done in private environment and someone has flabbered one way or another

 

[Wahesh]

Steve Price: Hi guys. As it's your last game, would you mind clearing out your lockers after the game on Saturday? It'll save you a lot of time later down the track and anything you don't claim we'll know to dispose of.

Media: The Bulldogs are in the midst of an ugly stand-off with their administrative staff after they were demanded to clean out their lockers, or not to bother turning up to the game on Saturday's showdown against competition heavyweights, the mighty Penrith Panthers.