Bulldog’s Bite: Premiership frontrunners Sharks don’t have mettle or mongrel to match NRL big guns

[Frenzy.]

Here's a beauty from one of the Holy Trinity of Idiots consistent MVPs. This fat farque really can make a dick of himself.

RIP IN forumites.

Cronulla risk establishing themselves as the NRL’s newest May premiers, with a massive five-week period against competition heavyweights to define their season. DEAN RITCHIE reveals why.

Dean Ritchie, 4 min read, May 1, 2024

They may lead the NRL competition with six wins from seven games but Cronulla still have a soft underbelly.

We’ve travelled this path before with Cronulla – rock stars during the season, a support act in the finals; contenders between March and August, pretenders in September.

I may not be welcome at PointsBet Stadium after those comments but I cannot elevate the Sharks into rugby league’s elite bracket, despite their early season success.

There has been a fragility about Cronulla over the past five years, so I ask … has anything changed in 2024?

Opposition clubs know that Cronulla don’t have the power game or combativeness to overcome big teams in big finals.

Cronulla were even labelled ‘flat track bullies’ and ‘pretenders’ last year. Unfair?

I wonder whether rival clubs respect the Sharks as genuine NRL heavyweights. I have my doubts.

The retirement last week of hardened Dale Finucane – a three-time premiership winner – will only weaken Cronulla’s physical and mental muscle.

Perhaps the next five weeks may alter that mindset.

After Sunday’s local derby against St George Illawarra, Cronulla play Melbourne (a), the Sydney Roosters (h), Penrith (h), Parramatta (a) and Brisbane (a).

This will be the five weeks from hell.

It’s only then we will know whether Cronulla have the grunt and mettle to challenge for this year’s title.

Cronulla are a bloody good football team, no doubt. Well balanced with a first-class playmaker in Nicho Hynes.

But winning a grand final isn’t always about skill and application.

It’s about having the mongrel to roll around in the gutter when things become heated in big games.

It’s about getting dirty in September. You can’t buy self-confidence or belligerence. You either have it, or you don’t.

Cronulla have faded badly in finals during recent seasons.

Since 2016, they have won one of nine finals games and lost their last six in succession.

They went out in week one last year, week two in 2022 (straight sets), week one in 2020 and week one in 2019. Cronulla didn’t qualify for the 2021 finals.

The Sharks’ last finals win came way back in 2018.

“The only thing we can do, they can say all they want, we can tune in or tune out, but that conversation is always going to be there,” forward Toby Rudolf told Fox Sports pre-season.

Overall this season, Cronulla has a soft draw. They only play one of the current top eight – Canterbury – twice this season. The Sharks confront the other seven teams only once.

Will that lead us yet again into false hope around Cronulla?

Cronulla will start favourites against St George Illawarra this Sunday at PointsBet Stadium but the gruelling test comes over the following weeks.

We will finally learn whether this Sharks side is like those of the recent past – or whether they have the bottle to take on rugby league’s big guns.

 

[DJDL]

Early days yet, but this isn’t ageing well.

 

[Cheese sandwich]

He's a fat mess

 

[bluefox68]

Here's a beauty from one of the Holy Trinity of Idiots consistent MVPs. This fat farque really can make a dick of himself.

RIP IN forumites.

Cronulla risk establishing themselves as the NRL’s newest May premiers, with a massive five-week period against competition heavyweights to define their season. DEAN RITCHIE reveals why.

Dean Ritchie, 4 min read, May 1,
This will be the five weeks from hell.


It’s about having the mongrel to roll around in the gutter when things become heated in big games.

It’s about getting dirty in September.

This is laughable from someone who looks like his only form of exercise is dawdling from the car park to the office…

LOL

 

[shadowboxer]

Soft Underbelly….same as the one hanging over his desk at the Daily Planet.
Pretty Dean is a Manly fan? He could retread this for that mob if he so wishes

 

[Ozzi_78]

He suck’s corks right?

 

[Frenzy.]

Soft Underbelly….same as the one hanging over his desk at the Daily Planet.
Pretty Dean is a Manly fan? He could retread this for that mob if he so wishes

Thought he was Bulldogs. Thought that's why he was called Bulldog but he looks like a British bulldog so maybe it's that.

 

[bad boy bubby]

He's 100% a Hartley.
My old mate's (RIP) cousin knows him from working at the paper.
He always got us freebies in the stands at Brooky when the Sharks were playing through the Bloated One.

 

[Stake Removed]

Maybe he should start discussing Eagles as they are sinking without a trace

 

[Dragon Slayer]

This is the reason I don’t buy newspapers these days. Even after a huge win last night.

Journalists used to work hard to chase stories and print facts and present interesting insights into players at your Club.

Now most of it is just opinion pieces from people who I don’t respect their opinion or their down right biased agenda driven bullshyte.

You can see his lack of knowledge of how we have changed how we attack and the emergence of certain players etc. He didn’t even know that Dale even as good a guy that he is. He hasn’t been delivering much in the past 18months that was a difference maker to the teams fortunes on the field. That the fan base wasn’t even fussed or worried about his retirement. No one thought f**k their goes our chances. It was more like great now we can resign some of the players that are making a difference.

Normally I’d say use his article as toilet paper because that’s about all it’s good for. But why would I want to wipe my shyte with more shyte. But I would like to use his head as a toilet brush.

 

[bad boy bubby]

 

[Frenzy.]

This is the reason I don’t buy newspapers these days. Even after a huge win last night.

Journalists used to work hard to chase stories and print facts and present interesting insights into players at your Club.

Now most of it is just opinion pieces from people who I don’t respect their opinion or their down right biased agenda driven bullshyte.

You can see his lack of knowledge of how we have changed how we attack and the emergence of certain players etc. He didn’t even know that Dale even as good a guy that he is. He hasn’t been delivering much in the past 18months that was a difference maker to the teams fortunes on the field. That the fan base wasn’t even fussed or worried about his retirement. No one thought f**k their goes our chances. It was more like great now we can resign some of the players that are making a difference.

Normally I’d say use his article as toilet paper because that’s about all it’s good for. But why would I want to wipe my shyte with more shyte. But I would like to use his head as a toilet brush.

Yeah but; how do you feel about him?

 

[shadowboxer]

Maybe he should start discussing Eagles as they are sinking without a trace

Has there been any talk about Mandy’s mental fragility in the past few weeks resulting in somewhat embarrassing results?
Doubt it but sure they talked about poor Turbos legs

 

[Frenzy.]

Has there been any talk about Mandy’s mental fragility in the past few weeks resulting in somewhat embarrassing results?
Doubt it but sure they talked about poor Turbos legs

Is there a "narrative" here?

 

[Cheese sandwich]

Is there a "narrative" here?

Seibold is a grifter

 

[bad boy bubby]

Time to revisit the Fat F$%k and his new attack mode piece. He didn't get a Bite off Gower or Roper.

Bulldog’s Bite: Horror statistics expose uphill battle facing Cronulla Sharks in NRL finals against Penrith Panthers​

Penrith can be a cruel team at times, having dealt out some seemingly irreversible emotional damage to Cronulla that makes their preliminary final task even more daunting. DEAN RITCHIE reveals the damning statistics in Bulldog’s Bite.
Dean Ritchie


This is the 90-0 psychological wound that will torture Cronulla.
No-one can surely reverse this.
Not even psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud could repair the emotional damage suffered by Sharks players.
Penrith can be such a cruel team at times.
In an extraordinary and alarming sequence of points, Penrith has demolished Cronulla by 90-0 over the past 228 minutes of rugby league played between the two sides.
That’s 15 successive tries scored by Penrith against the Sharks – a point scored every 2.5 minutes and a try every 15 minutes.
It is the most damning and concerning statistic of this season’s NRL finals.


The shellacking has prompted questions around Cronulla’s mental scars ahead of Saturday night’s preliminary final against Penrith at Accor Stadium.
To overturn the trend in such a big game would be one of the all-time great coaching performances.
But can anyone really predict an upset?
Since 1980, only five teams have scored 100 unanswered points against a rival side. Should we make it six?

In round 12 this year at PointsBet Stadium, Penrith beat the Sharks 42-0, scoring seven tries.
The Panthers walloped Cronulla 28-0 in a round 22 match last year at BlueBet Stadium, posting five tries.
And in a round 19 match in 2022, Penrith piled on 20 unanswered points through three consecutive tries for a 20-10 win.
That’s 90-0. Talk about one team having a rival’s measure.
It’s difficult to determine what’s more damaging – Penrith posting so many consecutive tries or Cronulla failing to score a single point.
In the 2022 game, Sharks player Matt Moylan scored in the 11th minute with Nicho Hynes converting a minute later.
The Sharks haven’t posted a point against Penrith since.
“It’s a good statistic in Penrith’s eyes, don’t get me wrong. It’s a great result for Penrith,” said former Panthers premiership-winning captain, Craig Gower.
“But I don’t think the Sharks are thinking about what’s gone on in the past. They can only control the future. I don’t think it means that much.
“Most things go out the window in semi-finals. In the big games, it’s all about the moment when you can capitalise. The mental advantage is that Penrith have been there and done it and the Sharks haven’t. Penrith has the runs on the board in the big occasions.”

Former Sharks coach Stuart Raper was unconcerned.
“Cronulla is smart enough not to let those type of stats get in the way,” Raper said. “Stats can paint a picture but when you dig deeper, there might be reasons. You’d have to look at each individual game.
“We’re in finals football now. Cronulla can also pile on the points too. I think they have to muscle up against the Penrith pack. The Sharks will go in with a nothing-to-lose attitude.”
The TAB has Penrith $1.25 favourites with Cronulla $4 outsiders.
“It’s one-way traffic, betting wise. The Sharks are totally friendless with Penrith taking 87 per cent of head-to-head investments with TAB,” said TAB’s Rohan Welsh.
“The Sharks went up at $3.50 and have already blown out to $4 with the Panthers $1.30 into $1.25. Punters think Penrith will win and win big with that recent history of racking up big results on the Sharks.
“A Sharks win would be first finals upset in almost exactly two years, with favourites winning the past 17 finals matches since Parramatta upstaged the Cowboys in the 2022 preliminary final

 

[shadowboxer]

I assume Bulldog was getting Raper’s thoughts when he was buying a new suit, or more likely having his pants let out a tab. Fat flog.

 

[sladden road]

The only “journalist “ to zoom his pieces from his house, where he has framed headlines of his stories behind himself. He is low feeding, 90s loving, bourbon drinking, daily telegraph writing fool who makes all of us look like the Shark Mensa.

What a merkin.

 

[PJ]

In the AFL Swans hadn't beaten Port for 8 years, and were beaten by over 100 by them this year.

History means sfa come the games that matter.

 

[Griffoshark66]

Time to revisit the Fat F$%k and his new attack mode piece. He didn't get a Bite off Gower or Roper.

Bulldog’s Bite: Horror statistics expose uphill battle facing Cronulla Sharks in NRL finals against Penrith Panthers​

Penrith can be a cruel team at times, having dealt out some seemingly irreversible emotional damage to Cronulla that makes their preliminary final task even more daunting. DEAN RITCHIE reveals the damning statistics in Bulldog’s Bite.
Dean Ritchie


This is the 90-0 psychological wound that will torture Cronulla.
No-one can surely reverse this.
Not even psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud could repair the emotional damage suffered by Sharks players.
Penrith can be such a cruel team at times.
In an extraordinary and alarming sequence of points, Penrith has demolished Cronulla by 90-0 over the past 228 minutes of rugby league played between the two sides.
That’s 15 successive tries scored by Penrith against the Sharks – a point scored every 2.5 minutes and a try every 15 minutes.
It is the most damning and concerning statistic of this season’s NRL finals.


The shellacking has prompted questions around Cronulla’s mental scars ahead of Saturday night’s preliminary final against Penrith at Accor Stadium.
To overturn the trend in such a big game would be one of the all-time great coaching performances.
But can anyone really predict an upset?
Since 1980, only five teams have scored 100 unanswered points against a rival side. Should we make it six?

In round 12 this year at PointsBet Stadium, Penrith beat the Sharks 42-0, scoring seven tries.
The Panthers walloped Cronulla 28-0 in a round 22 match last year at BlueBet Stadium, posting five tries.
And in a round 19 match in 2022, Penrith piled on 20 unanswered points through three consecutive tries for a 20-10 win.
That’s 90-0. Talk about one team having a rival’s measure.
It’s difficult to determine what’s more damaging – Penrith posting so many consecutive tries or Cronulla failing to score a single point.
In the 2022 game, Sharks player Matt Moylan scored in the 11th minute with Nicho Hynes converting a minute later.
The Sharks haven’t posted a point against Penrith since.
“It’s a good statistic in Penrith’s eyes, don’t get me wrong. It’s a great result for Penrith,” said former Panthers premiership-winning captain, Craig Gower.
“But I don’t think the Sharks are thinking about what’s gone on in the past. They can only control the future. I don’t think it means that much.
“Most things go out the window in semi-finals. In the big games, it’s all about the moment when you can capitalise. The mental advantage is that Penrith have been there and done it and the Sharks haven’t. Penrith has the runs on the board in the big occasions.”

Former Sharks coach Stuart Raper was unconcerned.
“Cronulla is smart enough not to let those type of stats get in the way,” Raper said. “Stats can paint a picture but when you dig deeper, there might be reasons. You’d have to look at each individual game.
“We’re in finals football now. Cronulla can also pile on the points too. I think they have to muscle up against the Penrith pack. The Sharks will go in with a nothing-to-lose attitude.”
The TAB has Penrith $1.25 favourites with Cronulla $4 outsiders.
“It’s one-way traffic, betting wise. The Sharks are totally friendless with Penrith taking 87 per cent of head-to-head investments with TAB,” said TAB’s Rohan Welsh.
“The Sharks went up at $3.50 and have already blown out to $4 with the Panthers $1.30 into $1.25. Punters think Penrith will win and win big with that recent history of racking up big results on the Sharks.
“A Sharks win would be first finals upset in almost exactly two years, with favourites winning the past 17 finals matches since Parramatta upstaged the Cowboys in the 2022 preliminary final

I've reported this post. After seeing that fat pig's picture I may never be able to bar up ever again.