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We’re two months into the season, and a number of recruits have made an immediate impact for their new club.
These recruits include a champion Kiwi returning to his old club, a couple of overseas imports, three (!) Bulldogs, and a long time Tiger who clearly looked in need of the change of scenery.
CONNOR TRACEY
The former Shark was one of a plethora of ‘utility’ players that linked up with the Bulldogs from this season.
After suffering an injury late last year, Tracey had an interrupted pre-season, and was initially outside of the Dogs’ best 17.
However, he was picked on the wing in Round 2 and has kept his spot in the side since, moving to fullback when another recruit in Blake Taaffe missed a week because of a head knock.
Such is his versatility, Tracey has arguably been the best on ground for the Bulldogs in two games this season – on the wing against the Titans in Round 3 and at fullback in the Round 7 win over the Knights.
Despite the presence of Taaffe and captain Stephen Crichton, who was pegged to play fullback for the Bulldogs when he signed with the club, Tracey has so far shown that this side operates well with him at the back.
The backline of 1. Tracey, 2. Jacob Kiraz, 3. Bronson Xerri, 4. Crichton and 5. Josh Addo-Carr, look to be coach Cameron Ciraldo’s best combination.
One thing is for sure, Ciraldo will continue to roll with Tracey at fullback.
“Every time the ball goes up, he just looked comfortable under the high ball,” he said.
“He brings the ball back with plenty of purpose and gets our sets started.
“Blake was doing a good job at the start of the year, but Connor deserves to be in that position this week and moving forward.”
In six games, Tracey has recorded 19 tackle busts, three tries, four line breaks and has averaged 150 running metres a game.
STEPHEN CRICHTON
Statistically, has he been as effective as we’ve seen from him in the past? Probably not.
However, what he’s brought to this club in terms of leadership, competitiveness and knowing how to win, can’t be understated.
Regarding the point about statistical output, in fairness to Crichton, he has moved from his preferred left centre position to right centre to accommodate another new recruit in Bronson Xerri. A lot of the ball this season has gone down the left, considering that’s where the in-form pair of Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau are.
Crichton started the season as one of the best defensive centres in the league, and he’s only improved in that facet of his game in 2024.
He’s helped the Bulldogs limit opposition sides to just 17.5 points a game from seven outings this season.
While a much smaller sample size, it’s a vast improvement on last season, when the Dogs alowed over 32 points a game.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo can’t laud his skipper enough for the intangibles he's brought to the club.
“I think he has done an outstanding job - I couldn’t have asked for more at this point of his career and where he’s at,” Ciraldo told WWOS.
“I think at Penrith, he sort of sat back a little bit and allowed guys in front of him to lead, but he would have learned a lot.
“He’s come here and he is a different person to the guy I left at Penrith. He’s even more mature and he just led from the moment he walked into our building.
JOSH CURRAN
Curran is the third Bulldog to feature on this list.
It shouldn’t be too much of a shock considering the club’s recruitment is a big reason why Canterbury finds themselves in the top eight heading into Round 9.
After five seasons with the Warriors, the Curran signed with the Bulldogs on a two-year deal after being granted an early release from his contract with the NZ-based club.
He started the first five games off the bench as a reserve prop/lock, but his form made it too hard for the Bulldogs to not start him.
He was excellent when starting at lock in the win against the Knights a fortnight ago, but has shifted back to prop for this weekend’s clash against the Tigers.
We expect the versatile and hard-working Curran to hold his spot in the starting line up going forward.
These recruits include a champion Kiwi returning to his old club, a couple of overseas imports, three (!) Bulldogs, and a long time Tiger who clearly looked in need of the change of scenery.
CONNOR TRACEY
The former Shark was one of a plethora of ‘utility’ players that linked up with the Bulldogs from this season.
After suffering an injury late last year, Tracey had an interrupted pre-season, and was initially outside of the Dogs’ best 17.
However, he was picked on the wing in Round 2 and has kept his spot in the side since, moving to fullback when another recruit in Blake Taaffe missed a week because of a head knock.
Such is his versatility, Tracey has arguably been the best on ground for the Bulldogs in two games this season – on the wing against the Titans in Round 3 and at fullback in the Round 7 win over the Knights.
Despite the presence of Taaffe and captain Stephen Crichton, who was pegged to play fullback for the Bulldogs when he signed with the club, Tracey has so far shown that this side operates well with him at the back.
The backline of 1. Tracey, 2. Jacob Kiraz, 3. Bronson Xerri, 4. Crichton and 5. Josh Addo-Carr, look to be coach Cameron Ciraldo’s best combination.
One thing is for sure, Ciraldo will continue to roll with Tracey at fullback.
“Every time the ball goes up, he just looked comfortable under the high ball,” he said.
“He brings the ball back with plenty of purpose and gets our sets started.
“Blake was doing a good job at the start of the year, but Connor deserves to be in that position this week and moving forward.”
In six games, Tracey has recorded 19 tackle busts, three tries, four line breaks and has averaged 150 running metres a game.
STEPHEN CRICHTON
Statistically, has he been as effective as we’ve seen from him in the past? Probably not.
However, what he’s brought to this club in terms of leadership, competitiveness and knowing how to win, can’t be understated.
Regarding the point about statistical output, in fairness to Crichton, he has moved from his preferred left centre position to right centre to accommodate another new recruit in Bronson Xerri. A lot of the ball this season has gone down the left, considering that’s where the in-form pair of Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau are.
Crichton started the season as one of the best defensive centres in the league, and he’s only improved in that facet of his game in 2024.
He’s helped the Bulldogs limit opposition sides to just 17.5 points a game from seven outings this season.
While a much smaller sample size, it’s a vast improvement on last season, when the Dogs alowed over 32 points a game.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo can’t laud his skipper enough for the intangibles he's brought to the club.
“I think he has done an outstanding job - I couldn’t have asked for more at this point of his career and where he’s at,” Ciraldo told WWOS.
“I think at Penrith, he sort of sat back a little bit and allowed guys in front of him to lead, but he would have learned a lot.
“He’s come here and he is a different person to the guy I left at Penrith. He’s even more mature and he just led from the moment he walked into our building.
JOSH CURRAN
Curran is the third Bulldog to feature on this list.
It shouldn’t be too much of a shock considering the club’s recruitment is a big reason why Canterbury finds themselves in the top eight heading into Round 9.
After five seasons with the Warriors, the Curran signed with the Bulldogs on a two-year deal after being granted an early release from his contract with the NZ-based club.
He started the first five games off the bench as a reserve prop/lock, but his form made it too hard for the Bulldogs to not start him.
He was excellent when starting at lock in the win against the Knights a fortnight ago, but has shifted back to prop for this weekend’s clash against the Tigers.
We expect the versatile and hard-working Curran to hold his spot in the starting line up going forward.
