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News The Tackle Round 18: Bulldogs fans boo team off ground, demand answers from Phil Gould
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ROUND 18 DISLIKES
DARK DAY AS FANS TURN ON BULLDOGS, GOULD
It will go down as one of the darkest days in the Canterbury Bulldogs’ proud history.
And angry fans have every right to be demanding answers from the great Phil Gould and coach Cameron Ciraldo as to what the hell is going on at their club.
In the aftermath of Wests Tigers’ embarrassing 74-0 loss to North Queensland, you thought you wouldn’t see as bad a performance again this year.
But watching the lowly Newcastle Knights made to look like the Harlem Globetrotters was equally embarrassing as they got annihilated 66-0.
It’s no surprise the players were booed as the left the field at halftime trailing 30-blot, with some supporters even walking out of Accor Stadium.
A dejected Reed Mahoney after the loss. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty
And as the avalanche continued after the break, the boos only got louder, while more followed the march out the gates.
Remember, Adam O’Brien came into this game with his position under the microscope.
So at what point does the blowtorch get directed at Gould and Ciraldo.
The former Panthers’ premiership winning assistant was talked up upon his arrival as the next super coach in the making.
While there is no chance Ciraldo will or should have his position questioned at this point, the lack of defensive effort was just pitiful.
The Dogs have now conceded 473 points which is the NRL’s worst defence this year, and remember Ciraldo came to the club as a defensive coach.
WHY HUNT CAN’T REMAIN DRAGONS CAPTAIN
Surely the time has come for the Dragons to dump Ben Hunt as captain following the 52-16 capitulation against Cronulla.
As Andrew Voss said on SEN radio: “If you compared Ben Hunt’s contribution effort in Origin to Ben Hunt (against the Sharks) you would say that player is going through the motions. Now when you put it in the big picture with the contract situation and all the rest, that is not good for Ben Hunt or the Dragons.”
But that doesn’t mean Hunt should be allowed to just walk out the door to try and go and chase a premiership elsewhere, at least not for the rest of this year.
And let’s hope that the NRL doesn’t run dead on its investigation to see if the anti-tampering rules have been abused at any stage during this ongoing saga.
But you get the feeling that is exactly what is happening here – with everyone just trying to buy time so a deal can be worked out behind closed doors to at least put a positive spin on what has been another major embarrassment for the entire NRL contracting system, not just for Hunt and the Dragons.
Ben Hunt can no longer be captain of the Dragons, writes Paul Crawley. Picture: Getty
WHERE IS COMMON SENSE WITH BUNKER RULINGS?
How in the hell the Bunker came up with the decision not to award that crucial try to Gold Coast’s David Fifita before halftime is just gobsmacking.
Most watching the game with an ounce of rugby league knowledge thought it was no brainer after the Raiders’ Jamal Fogarty clearly got in Fifita’s way to try and stop him scoring.
Yet Bunker official Kasey Badger said it was Fifita who denied Fogarty the chance to ground the ball because of the push he copped in the back.
If you watch that replay, Fogarty had no intention of getting to the ball because he stopped dead in his tracks.
By the letter of the law Badger probably got it right because Fifita should not have put his hands on Fogarty. But where’s the common sense in that decision?
It would have made the scores 12-all at halftime instead of 12-6. The Titans ultimately went down 26-22. No wonder fans get so frustrated.
Then there was the decision not to award Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow the opening try against the Broncos because of an inside obstruction on Adam Reynolds.
On this occasion there is no way in the world Reynolds would have prevented the try.
But anyone who watches enough football knows the Broncos halfback has become an expert at winning an obstruction call by conveniently getting in the way of the decoy runner.
The NRL has to look at this and come up with a better system for next season because it’s just out of control how times the attacking teams are being robbed by a dodgy rule.
David Fifita was controversially denied a try against the Raiders. Picture: Getty
DOLPHINS NOT PLAYING BENNETT BALL
Wayne Bennett said he was proud of the effort of his Dolphins fighting back against the Broncos and he had every right to be.
But the coach would have been privately filthy with the amount of penalties his team conceded in the first half and the silly unforced errors that are just killing them.
Bennett-coached teams have a reputation of playing with discipline but at the moment it’s discipline letting the Dolphins down big time.
They ended up on the wrong side of an 8-3 penalty count while making 11 errors to the Broncos’ eight.
And the great shame for Dolphins fans is they still could have won the game if not for the individual brilliance of Selwyn Cobbo.
That’s now four straight losses for the Dolphins who take on the Titans on Sunday in a game that both teams need to win to stay in top eight contention.
SACK THESE MEN TO SAVE WESTS TIGERS
Heads must roll at Wests Tigers but it’s not Tim Sheens or Benji Marshall who should be on the chopping block.
It has to start at the top with chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe.
You can’t just sack Sheens and/or Marshall and allow the same officials who employed them to go on their merry way.
And calls for Sheens to stand down immediately in the wake of the shambolic 74-0 loss to the Cowboys and hand Marshall full control right now are just as ludicrous.
The reason Marshall was put on a five-year deal only last July was because he had next to no previous coaching experience coming into the job.
Yet it was the club officials who still determined it was the best way forward after a decade of not playing finals football, and going through a stack of other head coaches in the process.
That is why Sheens must stay on now because what the Tigers can’t afford is to make a club legend the next man thrown under the bus if Marshall is catapulted into head coaching before he’s ready.
Lee Hagipantelis (R) and Justin Pascoe (L) watch the massacre in Townsville. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty
But the buck has to stop somewhere and it is Hagpitantelis and Pascoe who need to be made accountable.
Hagipantelis took over as chairman in November 2019 while Pascoe was appointed in September 2015.
And since Pascoe took over the club has gone through coach after coach, player after player, but the same sorry story keeps playing out like a broken record.
Their supporters always seem to point to the fact the club is a far better financial position than it was prior.
Who gives a crap if on-field performances have not improved, but in actual fact have gone backwards?
The decision to bring in new head of recruitment Scott Fulton and the unrest that has caused is another decision the board and administration must wear.
It is not Fulton’s fault that he was thrown into this position, but it was pure madness he was appointed without the full knowledge of the head coach and coach-in-waiting.
That simply would not happen at any of the successful clubs.
Then you had the decision to let Luke Brooks walk out the door to join Manly next year without a better halfback option signed to replace him.
We all know Sheens and Marshall wanted to keep Brooks, but others weren’t on the same page.
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Now it is Sheens and Marshall who have been left to deal with the fallout.
I also feel for Sheens who is 72 and was out of the NRL a long time before they rushed him back from England to save a club that was already the laughing stock of the league.
Now some people want to make Sheens the latest scapegoat so the people who employed him in the first place can save face.
What a bloody embarrassment.
ROUND 18 LIKES
DCE IN CAREER-BEST FORM AT 34
James Tedesco could not have tried harder to get the Sydney Roosters home. But while the champion fullback did more than enough to keep hold of his NSW No. 1 jumper, it was still not enough to overcome the class of his rival NRL club and State of Origin captain Daly Cherry-Evans in Manly’s hard fought 18-16 victory.
At 34, many are rightfully saying Cherry-Evans is now playing better footy than he ever has, despite this being his 13th top grade season.
He capped off another wonderful performance with two tries in a gutsy win that pushes the Sea Eagles into 11th spot and keeps their finals hopes alive.
But as brave as the Roosters were, it’s getting harder and harder to see the team that started the season rated one of the genuine premiership hopes fighting back as they drop to 13th to be four competition points outside the top eight.
Daly Cherry-Evans had a blinder against the Roosters. Picture: Getty
REVENGE A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
There’s no greater revenge than a joke that backfires.
And didn’t the Cowboys love rubbing it into the Tigers with a little gesture wrestling fans spotted a mile away in respect to the “crotch chop”.
As it turned out the Tigers had used the jibe on the Cowboys in their record 66-18 win back in round 12.
But this time it was the Cowboys throwing it right back in their face as they celebrated their 74-0 crushing as Luciano Leilua and Murray Taulagi used the move made famous by a group called Degeneration X.
And that’s not applauding smart arses because the Tigers got the ball rolling on this one.
(L-R) Luciano Leilua's "crotch chop" on Saturday night, performed in the WWE and by the Tigers in Round 12.
NICHO SHOWS WHY HE’S MADE OF THE RIGHT STUFF
How good is it seeing Nicho Hynes bounce back from the shabby treatment he copped following his axing from the NSW team after the opening State of Origin.
The star playmaker couldn’t have done more to press his claims for a Blues recall after finishing with 10 runs for 66m that included a try, three try assists, three linebreak assists and a linebreak.
We all know Hynes didn’t deserve to become the Blues’ scapegoat after playing 10 minutes in the centres.
There’s no doubt he’s had his confidence belted by that and it would have Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon understandably concerned how it might impact Hynes going forward.
But while some people were saying at the time he maybe wasn’t cut out for the Origin arena, the way he’s fought back is testament to his character.
RABBITOHS YOUNG GUN
For all those who thought the world had caved in when Joseph Suaalii made his decision to cash in on the big bucks in rugby union, Rabbitohs young gun Tyrone Munro has once again showed why rugby league will always produce the next generation.
And didn’t the 18-year-old, who is the cousin of Bulldogs flyer Josh Addo-Carr, put his name up in lights with his performance in the Rabbitohs’ 28-6 win over the Warriors with a try on debut while he set up another for Blake Taaffe with a brilliant kick back on the inside.
It’s unbelievable that in the space of a few short months Munro has graduated from SG Ball to Jersey Flegg, then NSW Cup to NRL.
Munro finished with 13 runs for 97m against the Warriors including his try, try assist and two linebreaks.
I remember talking to former Rabbitohs skipper and SG Ball coach John Sutton about him late last year for our annual rookies list and Sutton said he was a player to watch out for.
Isn’t he what?
Tyrone Munro was brilliant on debut for the Rabbitohs. Picture: Getty
DEARDEN/DRINKWATER SHOW PUT COWBOYS BACK ON THE MAP
It’s hard to believe it was only two years ago Tom Dearden went through a 14-game losing run that ultimately saw him pushed out of the Broncos and many questioning why the Cowboys would be interested.
But look at him now.
The 22-year-old’s effort in the record win over the Tigers was just phenomenal as he finished with 10 runs for 144m that included a try and four try assists.
And as dreadful as the Tigers were, you only have to look back at the way Dearden handled his call up to replace Cameron Munster for last year’s Origin decider to know how he handles the tough games just as well.
You’d argue there is not a fiercer competitor in the game right now than the Cowboys’ No 6.
Meanwhile, Drinkwater just goes from strength to strength with two tries and three try assists. His blistering recent performances show exactly why he is one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the game.
Cowboys players celebrate during their huge win over the Tigers. Picture: Getty
MISSING ORIGIN BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR COBBO
There are not many players in the game who can turn a match like Selwyn Cobbo did in the Broncos’ win over the Dolphins.
While he finished with a hat-trick, it was the play where he chipped over the top and created a try from nothing that was just something only the really special players are capable of.
To have the confidence to come up with that with the match in the balance was Greg Inglis-like.
It led to questions post match if Cobbo should be rushed back into the Queensland team for the Origin dead rubber.
There’s no way Billy Slater would drop either Xavier Coates or Murray Taulagi on what they did in game two.
But the fact Cobbo can keep his focus on the Broncos could be a blessing in disguise on the run to September.
PANTHERS PRIMED FOR A THREE-PEAT
If there was any doubt who the team to beat is for this year’s title, the Panthers certainly put that to bed with their dominant 34-16 comeback win over the Storm.
Now there’s talk Nathan Cleary could be ready to return after the bye when they take on the Dolphins in round 20.
But it’s just astonishing how, regardless who is or isn’t playing, the Panthers system always aims up.
And they just keep developing superstars with the two-try performance from 21-year-old Izack Tago proof of that. It’s hard to believe the Storm were actually leading 14-0 after 30 minutes before Tago inspired an incredible comeback.
DARK DAY AS FANS TURN ON BULLDOGS, GOULD
It will go down as one of the darkest days in the Canterbury Bulldogs’ proud history.
And angry fans have every right to be demanding answers from the great Phil Gould and coach Cameron Ciraldo as to what the hell is going on at their club.
In the aftermath of Wests Tigers’ embarrassing 74-0 loss to North Queensland, you thought you wouldn’t see as bad a performance again this year.
But watching the lowly Newcastle Knights made to look like the Harlem Globetrotters was equally embarrassing as they got annihilated 66-0.
It’s no surprise the players were booed as the left the field at halftime trailing 30-blot, with some supporters even walking out of Accor Stadium.
A dejected Reed Mahoney after the loss. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty
And as the avalanche continued after the break, the boos only got louder, while more followed the march out the gates.
Remember, Adam O’Brien came into this game with his position under the microscope.
So at what point does the blowtorch get directed at Gould and Ciraldo.
The former Panthers’ premiership winning assistant was talked up upon his arrival as the next super coach in the making.
While there is no chance Ciraldo will or should have his position questioned at this point, the lack of defensive effort was just pitiful.
The Dogs have now conceded 473 points which is the NRL’s worst defence this year, and remember Ciraldo came to the club as a defensive coach.
WHY HUNT CAN’T REMAIN DRAGONS CAPTAIN
Surely the time has come for the Dragons to dump Ben Hunt as captain following the 52-16 capitulation against Cronulla.
As Andrew Voss said on SEN radio: “If you compared Ben Hunt’s contribution effort in Origin to Ben Hunt (against the Sharks) you would say that player is going through the motions. Now when you put it in the big picture with the contract situation and all the rest, that is not good for Ben Hunt or the Dragons.”
But that doesn’t mean Hunt should be allowed to just walk out the door to try and go and chase a premiership elsewhere, at least not for the rest of this year.
And let’s hope that the NRL doesn’t run dead on its investigation to see if the anti-tampering rules have been abused at any stage during this ongoing saga.
But you get the feeling that is exactly what is happening here – with everyone just trying to buy time so a deal can be worked out behind closed doors to at least put a positive spin on what has been another major embarrassment for the entire NRL contracting system, not just for Hunt and the Dragons.
Ben Hunt can no longer be captain of the Dragons, writes Paul Crawley. Picture: Getty
WHERE IS COMMON SENSE WITH BUNKER RULINGS?
How in the hell the Bunker came up with the decision not to award that crucial try to Gold Coast’s David Fifita before halftime is just gobsmacking.
Most watching the game with an ounce of rugby league knowledge thought it was no brainer after the Raiders’ Jamal Fogarty clearly got in Fifita’s way to try and stop him scoring.
Yet Bunker official Kasey Badger said it was Fifita who denied Fogarty the chance to ground the ball because of the push he copped in the back.
If you watch that replay, Fogarty had no intention of getting to the ball because he stopped dead in his tracks.
By the letter of the law Badger probably got it right because Fifita should not have put his hands on Fogarty. But where’s the common sense in that decision?
It would have made the scores 12-all at halftime instead of 12-6. The Titans ultimately went down 26-22. No wonder fans get so frustrated.
Then there was the decision not to award Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow the opening try against the Broncos because of an inside obstruction on Adam Reynolds.
On this occasion there is no way in the world Reynolds would have prevented the try.
But anyone who watches enough football knows the Broncos halfback has become an expert at winning an obstruction call by conveniently getting in the way of the decoy runner.
The NRL has to look at this and come up with a better system for next season because it’s just out of control how times the attacking teams are being robbed by a dodgy rule.
David Fifita was controversially denied a try against the Raiders. Picture: Getty
DOLPHINS NOT PLAYING BENNETT BALL
Wayne Bennett said he was proud of the effort of his Dolphins fighting back against the Broncos and he had every right to be.
But the coach would have been privately filthy with the amount of penalties his team conceded in the first half and the silly unforced errors that are just killing them.
Bennett-coached teams have a reputation of playing with discipline but at the moment it’s discipline letting the Dolphins down big time.
They ended up on the wrong side of an 8-3 penalty count while making 11 errors to the Broncos’ eight.
And the great shame for Dolphins fans is they still could have won the game if not for the individual brilliance of Selwyn Cobbo.
That’s now four straight losses for the Dolphins who take on the Titans on Sunday in a game that both teams need to win to stay in top eight contention.
SACK THESE MEN TO SAVE WESTS TIGERS
Heads must roll at Wests Tigers but it’s not Tim Sheens or Benji Marshall who should be on the chopping block.
It has to start at the top with chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe.
You can’t just sack Sheens and/or Marshall and allow the same officials who employed them to go on their merry way.
And calls for Sheens to stand down immediately in the wake of the shambolic 74-0 loss to the Cowboys and hand Marshall full control right now are just as ludicrous.
The reason Marshall was put on a five-year deal only last July was because he had next to no previous coaching experience coming into the job.
Yet it was the club officials who still determined it was the best way forward after a decade of not playing finals football, and going through a stack of other head coaches in the process.
That is why Sheens must stay on now because what the Tigers can’t afford is to make a club legend the next man thrown under the bus if Marshall is catapulted into head coaching before he’s ready.
Lee Hagipantelis (R) and Justin Pascoe (L) watch the massacre in Townsville. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty
But the buck has to stop somewhere and it is Hagpitantelis and Pascoe who need to be made accountable.
Hagipantelis took over as chairman in November 2019 while Pascoe was appointed in September 2015.
And since Pascoe took over the club has gone through coach after coach, player after player, but the same sorry story keeps playing out like a broken record.
Their supporters always seem to point to the fact the club is a far better financial position than it was prior.
Who gives a crap if on-field performances have not improved, but in actual fact have gone backwards?
The decision to bring in new head of recruitment Scott Fulton and the unrest that has caused is another decision the board and administration must wear.
It is not Fulton’s fault that he was thrown into this position, but it was pure madness he was appointed without the full knowledge of the head coach and coach-in-waiting.
That simply would not happen at any of the successful clubs.
Then you had the decision to let Luke Brooks walk out the door to join Manly next year without a better halfback option signed to replace him.
We all know Sheens and Marshall wanted to keep Brooks, but others weren’t on the same page.
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Now it is Sheens and Marshall who have been left to deal with the fallout.
I also feel for Sheens who is 72 and was out of the NRL a long time before they rushed him back from England to save a club that was already the laughing stock of the league.
Now some people want to make Sheens the latest scapegoat so the people who employed him in the first place can save face.
What a bloody embarrassment.
ROUND 18 LIKES
DCE IN CAREER-BEST FORM AT 34
James Tedesco could not have tried harder to get the Sydney Roosters home. But while the champion fullback did more than enough to keep hold of his NSW No. 1 jumper, it was still not enough to overcome the class of his rival NRL club and State of Origin captain Daly Cherry-Evans in Manly’s hard fought 18-16 victory.
At 34, many are rightfully saying Cherry-Evans is now playing better footy than he ever has, despite this being his 13th top grade season.
He capped off another wonderful performance with two tries in a gutsy win that pushes the Sea Eagles into 11th spot and keeps their finals hopes alive.
But as brave as the Roosters were, it’s getting harder and harder to see the team that started the season rated one of the genuine premiership hopes fighting back as they drop to 13th to be four competition points outside the top eight.
Daly Cherry-Evans had a blinder against the Roosters. Picture: Getty
REVENGE A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
There’s no greater revenge than a joke that backfires.
And didn’t the Cowboys love rubbing it into the Tigers with a little gesture wrestling fans spotted a mile away in respect to the “crotch chop”.
As it turned out the Tigers had used the jibe on the Cowboys in their record 66-18 win back in round 12.
But this time it was the Cowboys throwing it right back in their face as they celebrated their 74-0 crushing as Luciano Leilua and Murray Taulagi used the move made famous by a group called Degeneration X.
And that’s not applauding smart arses because the Tigers got the ball rolling on this one.
(L-R) Luciano Leilua's "crotch chop" on Saturday night, performed in the WWE and by the Tigers in Round 12.
NICHO SHOWS WHY HE’S MADE OF THE RIGHT STUFF
How good is it seeing Nicho Hynes bounce back from the shabby treatment he copped following his axing from the NSW team after the opening State of Origin.
The star playmaker couldn’t have done more to press his claims for a Blues recall after finishing with 10 runs for 66m that included a try, three try assists, three linebreak assists and a linebreak.
We all know Hynes didn’t deserve to become the Blues’ scapegoat after playing 10 minutes in the centres.
There’s no doubt he’s had his confidence belted by that and it would have Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon understandably concerned how it might impact Hynes going forward.
But while some people were saying at the time he maybe wasn’t cut out for the Origin arena, the way he’s fought back is testament to his character.
RABBITOHS YOUNG GUN
For all those who thought the world had caved in when Joseph Suaalii made his decision to cash in on the big bucks in rugby union, Rabbitohs young gun Tyrone Munro has once again showed why rugby league will always produce the next generation.
And didn’t the 18-year-old, who is the cousin of Bulldogs flyer Josh Addo-Carr, put his name up in lights with his performance in the Rabbitohs’ 28-6 win over the Warriors with a try on debut while he set up another for Blake Taaffe with a brilliant kick back on the inside.
It’s unbelievable that in the space of a few short months Munro has graduated from SG Ball to Jersey Flegg, then NSW Cup to NRL.
Munro finished with 13 runs for 97m against the Warriors including his try, try assist and two linebreaks.
I remember talking to former Rabbitohs skipper and SG Ball coach John Sutton about him late last year for our annual rookies list and Sutton said he was a player to watch out for.
Isn’t he what?
Tyrone Munro was brilliant on debut for the Rabbitohs. Picture: Getty
DEARDEN/DRINKWATER SHOW PUT COWBOYS BACK ON THE MAP
It’s hard to believe it was only two years ago Tom Dearden went through a 14-game losing run that ultimately saw him pushed out of the Broncos and many questioning why the Cowboys would be interested.
But look at him now.
The 22-year-old’s effort in the record win over the Tigers was just phenomenal as he finished with 10 runs for 144m that included a try and four try assists.
And as dreadful as the Tigers were, you only have to look back at the way Dearden handled his call up to replace Cameron Munster for last year’s Origin decider to know how he handles the tough games just as well.
You’d argue there is not a fiercer competitor in the game right now than the Cowboys’ No 6.
Meanwhile, Drinkwater just goes from strength to strength with two tries and three try assists. His blistering recent performances show exactly why he is one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the game.
Cowboys players celebrate during their huge win over the Tigers. Picture: Getty
MISSING ORIGIN BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR COBBO
There are not many players in the game who can turn a match like Selwyn Cobbo did in the Broncos’ win over the Dolphins.
While he finished with a hat-trick, it was the play where he chipped over the top and created a try from nothing that was just something only the really special players are capable of.
To have the confidence to come up with that with the match in the balance was Greg Inglis-like.
It led to questions post match if Cobbo should be rushed back into the Queensland team for the Origin dead rubber.
There’s no way Billy Slater would drop either Xavier Coates or Murray Taulagi on what they did in game two.
But the fact Cobbo can keep his focus on the Broncos could be a blessing in disguise on the run to September.
PANTHERS PRIMED FOR A THREE-PEAT
If there was any doubt who the team to beat is for this year’s title, the Panthers certainly put that to bed with their dominant 34-16 comeback win over the Storm.
Now there’s talk Nathan Cleary could be ready to return after the bye when they take on the Dolphins in round 20.
But it’s just astonishing how, regardless who is or isn’t playing, the Panthers system always aims up.
And they just keep developing superstars with the two-try performance from 21-year-old Izack Tago proof of that. It’s hard to believe the Storm were actually leading 14-0 after 30 minutes before Tago inspired an incredible comeback.
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'You're a disgrace': NRL world erupts over 'disgusting' Bulldogs scenes
The Bulldogs have been absolutely hammered 66-0 in remarkable scenes at home. Find out more here.
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