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Warrick Nicolson | 07/02/08
VIDEO - Step inside the Dog house
STATE OF PLAY
Dating back to the start of season 2005, the club has farewelled Johnathan Thurston, Steven Price, Roy Asotasi, Mark O’Meley, Braith Anasta, Brent Sherwin and now Willie Mason.
A club has to bend if not break on the field eventually, when you lose quality like that and fail to replace it.
Now after reaching the finals the past two seasons and continually haemorrhaging players, Sonny Bill Williams and Willie Tonga (the only two class players left on the roster) face an almighty task to keep the team off the bottom of the table in 2008.
Last 3 Finishes:
2005: 12th
2006: 3rd
2007: 6th
ROSTER ROUND-UP
The team has bled players since their 2004 Premiership season and management has tried to re-stock the fridge with the acquisition of Aaron Groom, Charlie Leaeno, Michael Sullivan, Justin Tsoulos and Danny Williams.
It is a step in the right direction as all five players have a chance to play First Grade this year, with Sullivan and Tsoulos the most likely to make the Round 1 team.
Brent Sherwin’s departure made at least one contracted Bulldog happy.
Daniel Holdsworth went AWOL last season after a strong first year with the Dogs in 2006. He managed just 11 appearances in 2007 but will vault back into NRL calculations, in a new halves partnership with Ben Roberts.
Just who ends up at halfback will be decided in the trials but they will have Groom, a former Sea Eagle, Reece Blayney, a former Dragon, and skilful backrower Nick Kouparitsas challenging them for a start during the year.
The kid to watch develop in the Under 20s competition is Ben Barba who starred in Jersey Flegg for the Dogs last season.
Over the past two seasons, Luke Patten has become one of the most consistent fullbacks in the game.
The three-quarter line looks settled with Hazem El Masri, Matt Utai, Daryl Millard and Willie Tonga (one of the disappointments of 2007) all but guaranteed a start if fit.
Cameron Phelps showed enough during last season to get a new contract and he, along with Tim Winitana, Heka Nanai, Andrew Emelio and the forgotten man – Leon Bott, provide depth.
But it is up front where the Bulldogs have really suffered personnel wise coming into the 2008 season.
Even with Mason and O’Meley available, Canterbury lacked reinforcements for their big guns.
Prop is a huge concern with Chris Armit currently the most experienced front rower on the books.
Heading into the trials Armit’s contemporaries vying for NRL spots include Jarrad Hickey, Tsoulos, Leaeno, Kane Cleal, Luke Thompson and Danny Williams.
If the Dogs are to have any sort of presence up front at least two of that group must take a giant leap forward in their development.
The backrow will be settled once Reni Maitua returns from an off-season injury and we all know what Andrew Ryan brings to the table – consistency.
Of course then there’s Sonny Bill. He will turn 23-years-old during 2008 and has just put together back-to-back 21 game seasons, which is a great sign that with some football under his belt, the best is yet to come.
Lee Te Maari also made a positive impression from the bench.
Corey Hughes and Sullivan will be the hooking tandem after Adam Perry was released.
Sullivan is a former halfback and plays the rake position with an all-out-attack mindset which will be a noticeable difference to the style employed by Hughes.
STRONGEST LINE-UP
1. PATTEN, Luke
2. EL MASRI, Hazem
3. MILLARD, Daryl
4. TONGA, Willie
5. UTAI, Matt
6. HOLDSWORTH, Daniel
7. ROBERTS, Ben
8. ARMIT, Chris
9. HUGHES, Corey
10. HICKEY, Jarrad
11. WILLIAMS, Sonny Bill
12. RYAN, Andrew
13. MAITUA, Reni
14. KOUPARITSAS, Nick
15. TE MAARI, Lee
16. TSOULOS, Justin
17. SULLIVAN, Michael
FEARLESS FORECAST
Watch for Ben Roberts and Nick Kouparitsas to turn heads in expanded roles but it won’t be enough to produce a winning season.
Even with a player by the name of Sonny Bill Williams challenging for his first Dally M Player of the Year Medal, the Bulldogs will suffer a free fall in 2008 that could land them well and truly out of the playoff picture come September.
PREDICTED RECORD: 9-15
PREDICTED FINISH: 13th
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