We just don’t have the team

[Micko]

Like it or not we simply don’t have the talent and experience to be a contender this year I this the majority will admit that. So what do we as supporters hope for???

I’ll be honest and say if we finish top twelve we are doing better than I thought. Our players just aren’t good enough. We have a rookie coach. And a hard draw to start the year.

But I’m surprised. I thought we would be lucky to win a game against the Titans. And would be happy with one win going into the bye. Now I think we should beat Newcastle easily.
It’s amazing what a coach can do.

We could make the finals with our attitude.

My question is. How different is your thoughts on the team now compared to the start of the year?

 

[King Gus]

I think you’re wrong we just need a 7 and the team to gel, we have been in every game, the storm fielded there best spin since 2022 and we had king, Preston , morrin Mann and taaffe out. We are building and we will surprise alot of teams this year.

 

[Scoooby]

Disagree with you, We are getting better each week, CC is starting to show he can coach this team. Once our left side clicks (already started too) and the boys form combos we will be a real threat. And if we stay injury free then will see a huge difference.

 

[KLil]

If yu only knew how many times we made the finals and the GF with non rep players.

 

[Roger the alien]

While I still believe we can make the finals, imo this was always a building year.

 

[Berries]

I think you’re wrong we just need a 7 and the team to gel, we have been in every game, the storm fielded there best spin since 2022 and we had king, Preston , morrin Mann and taaffe out. We are building and we will surprise alot of teams this year.

100% agree with you. We are so close to having the team, one or two extra players and ciraldo playing around with the interchange we are a top 5-8 team

 

[BULLDOGGSFAN]

Like it or not we simply don’t have the talent and experience to be a contender this year I this the majority will admit that. So what do we as supporters hope for???

I’ll be honest and say if we finish top twelve we are doing better than I thought. Our players just aren’t good enough. We have a rookie coach. And a hard draw to start the year.

But I’m surprised. I thought we would be lucky to win a game against the Titans. And would be happy with one win going into the bye. Now I think we should beat Newcastle easily.
It’s amazing what a coach can do.

We could make the finals with our attitude.

My question is. How different is your thoughts on the team now compared to the start of the year?

The Newcastle Knights won 2 of the first 10 games last year and went on to play finals.

So there is hope and we do have a few more friendly games coming up over the next few months with games against the Dragons, Tigers and the Knights twice…

 

[Kurrupt78]

Like it or not we simply don’t have the talent and experience to be a contender this year I this the majority will admit that. So what do we as supporters hope for???

I’ll be honest and say if we finish top twelve we are doing better than I thought. Our players just aren’t good enough. We have a rookie coach. And a hard draw to start the year.

But I’m surprised. I thought we would be lucky to win a game against the Titans. And would be happy with one win going into the bye. Now I think we should beat Newcastle easily.
It’s amazing what a coach can do.

We could make the finals with our attitude.

My question is. How different is your thoughts on the team now compared to the start of the year?

The whole talent thing I’m not buying. Sure, you plug in a competent 7 (in no way I mean elite) and what you have is a team executing systematically as the coach has planned. Remember, it’s the system not the player that’s far more important.

 

[flamebouyant]

We have had a tough draw to start the year and have been in every single game, despite the adversity of injuries and things going against us.
Ciraldo can coach, and our team is showing that they can compete with any team through sheer will and commitment. I think we are a good chance to make the finals if key players like Kiksu, Critta and Burton can stay on the field.

 

[dhoo8450]

Give us a quality seven and we make top 8 easy IMO

 

[nassman]

If Mann and Preston play the other night I reckon we win. It's not a premiership roster, but we're playing like a top 8 team at the moment.

This team looks the perfect vehicle for a talented half to now want to sign with us and take the wheel. Gould and Ciro are doing their job well and the future looks to be on an exponential upward trajectory.

Enjoy it mate, we're finally out of the basement and the sun is shining. What more could we hope for as a supporter base.

 

[maroondog72]

I said we would finish 10-12 before the season started and I based that opinion on the quality of our roster and what I thought Ciraldo could get out of it. Happy to say I was wrong on both counts, we are a quality half back away from being a top eight side possibly higher. I honestly don’t know where we will finish now it will depend heavily on injuries and how much CC can get out of whoever he plays at half back.
This season is already a massive win IMO we are way ahead of where I thought we would be in terms of consistency and effort. The list of teams we are capable of beating is getting longer by the week and our F/A is still healthy. A couple of back to back wins and we will move ve up the ladder quickly.

 

[KLil]

While I still believe we can make the finals, imo this was always a building year.

And next.

In saying that with the culture Ciro and co has built we are still chances of making finals. Merely dents though, we challenge in 2026.

If they somehow conjure up a player like Chad Townsend we make finals next year.

 

[habs]

Like it or not we simply don’t have the talent and experience to be a contender this year I this the majority will admit that. So what do we as supporters hope for???

I’ll be honest and say if we finish top twelve we are doing better than I thought. Our players just aren’t good enough. We have a rookie coach. And a hard draw to start the year.

But I’m surprised. I thought we would be lucky to win a game against the Titans. And would be happy with one win going into the bye. Now I think we should beat Newcastle easily.
It’s amazing what a coach can do.

We could make the finals with our attitude.

My question is. How different is your thoughts on the team now compared to the start of the year?

We are far away from being a contender, top 4 or top 8 team. Hopefully by the end of the season we would have won 10-12 games. We are not going to get better until we start winning, and doing that consistently over a period of time. Our attack and combinations won’t get better until we win the field position consistently and have a halfback that can construct try assists. We don’t even have a settled nucleus of players yet - jury is out on positions 1 and 7.

Some good signs to start the year but the wheels can fall off any moment - as they did last year due to injuries and poor form.

 

[_G-Dog_]

Need a 7.. Hutch isnt a weekly NRL 7.. should go with Sexton ASAP..

 

[Blueandwhiteblood1968]

The players that aren't fg material keep getting selected especially Hutchinson his defence is woeful but guaranteed he will be selected for next weeks game.

 

[GA45]

Gees I hate threads like this. Such a defeatist attitude.
imagine Leicester starting the 2015/16 season with this attitude.

 

[James zac]

Team we got now on paper is bottom 8 minimum we don’t play finals this year it’s a failure in my books

 

[wendog33]

I always have our team in the Top 8 bc I can't ever write off the Bulldogs always pick from the heart not the head

The team is going really well now under Ciro compared to his first year last year.

We do have the roster when we see the coach getting every player playing their best footy. Even then Hutch won't be the player to take this team further. That is the teams hand brake atm and hopefully that is fixed asap.

We'll go as far as we can under all the circumstances that affect our results and all that we can effectively control this year.

The future years look bright and very successful and all those who have contributed towards that should be acknowledged and thanked. That starts with the Board who got Gus, Ciraldo and also the players.

There's no need whatsoever for Bulldogs supporters to be fighting and arguing (or even making excuses) about our current circumstances or our future.

 

[Roger the alien]

We may not have the quality of players to win the comp but geez CC has done an amazing job this year with getting all the players to buy in to what we're trying to create, really shows how toxic guys like Tpj and Rfm were to the side.