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General Discussion Thread

Blade23

Juniors
Messages
1,636
Leaving aside our club for a moment, it’s not hard to see how other clubs and their supporters must be aghast at the ongoing Bulldogs recruitment with no end in sight apparently. The latest to be linked to the Dogs being Dominic Young from the Knights. For example, what would say the Dragons fans be thinking about the Bulldogs recruitment in comparison to their own, which is negligible. I think there are a lot of disgruntled fans out there who would be disillusioned with what the Bulldogs are able to achieve.

Gould knows how to turn a roster over. He may miss a target or make a mistake, but he knows how to build a successful roster. His only folly is he doesn't know when to stop roster tinkering.

Dragons fans should be ropeable. Given all the resources the club has, it has massively underachieved the past decade. That club should be a superpower of the NRL. Constantly making the 8 and challenging for titles. They have a large fan base that is very passionate. They deserve better.
They have made some poor choices over the past decade.
Given the management thought a name change was the clubs biggest issue right now. Is a keen insight to the clubs lack of leadership and knowledge.
Whether from poor scheduling or lack of interest. The players lack of participation of the end of season awards only highlights the incompetence of the management to allow it to happen.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
Gould knows how to turn a roster over. He may miss a target or make a mistake, but he knows how to build a successful roster. His only folly is he doesn't know when to stop roster tinkering.

Dragons fans should be ropeable. Given all the resources the club has, it has massively underachieved the past decade. That club should be a superpower of the NRL. Constantly making the 8 and challenging for titles. They have a large fan base that is very passionate. They deserve better.
They have made some poor choices over the past decade.
Given the management thought a name change was the clubs biggest issue right now. Is a keen insight to the clubs lack of leadership and knowledge.
Whether from poor scheduling or lack of interest. The players lack of participation of the end of season awards only highlights the incompetence of the management to allow it to happen.

They kept most of the key guys from the successful Ball side, That looks to be their hope
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,135
They kept most of the key guys from the successful Ball side, That looks to be their hope
Is he not all in on attempting to buy a premiership?

Cant see too many opportunities for kids coming thru with the long term deals handed out to date.

His approach in his short tenure to date with the Dogs is entirely different to his early years with us.
 

BxTom

Bench
Messages
2,566
Is he not all in on attempting to buy a premiership?

Cant see too many opportunities for kids coming thru with the long term deals handed out to date.

His approach in his short tenure to date with the Dogs is entirely different to his early years with us.
Probably due to having more money. His early years with us were more about saving the club from going broke whilst still trying to field a 'reasonable' competitive team. With the doggies he has a deep purse.
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,135
Probably due to having more money. His early years with us were more about saving the club from going broke whilst still trying to field a 'reasonable' competitive team. With the doggies he has a deep purse.
Absolutely, he did great job securing our long term future, something that in many respects has sadly been forgotten almost. The journeyman signings who can forget, we can have a laugh about it now. I see Rothfields usual Sunday piece leads with the Gus spending spree and the grants from the leagues club to largely prop up the football department. I tend to think, while he has made some really good signings, he has missed his main target in Mitchell Moses.
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,135
Gould knows how to turn a roster over. He may miss a target or make a mistake, but he knows how to build a successful roster. His only folly is he doesn't know when to stop roster tinkering.

Dragons fans should be ropeable. Given all the resources the club has, it has massively underachieved the past decade. That club should be a superpower of the NRL. Constantly making the 8 and challenging for titles. They have a large fan base that is very passionate. They deserve better.
They have made some poor choices over the past decade.
Given the management thought a name change was the clubs biggest issue right now. Is a keen insight to the clubs lack of leadership and knowledge.
Whether from poor scheduling or lack of interest. The players lack of participation of the end of season awards only highlights the incompetence of the management to allow it to happen.
The awards night debacle says a lot about the culture within the club.

Hook will be gone by mid season. Ben Hunt May have his back but no one else in the playing group does so it seems.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
Is he not all in on attempting to buy a premiership?

Cant see too many opportunities for kids coming thru with the long term deals handed out to date.

His approach in his short tenure to date with the Dogs is entirely different to his early years with us.

Of course but the board only has 2 year terms, So would be coming from above. Doesn't seem set for long term success
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,135
Of course but the board only has 2 year terms, So would be coming from above. Doesn't seem set for long term success
People want him to fail, I understand that.

As it stands he has managed to recruit some real quality players to add to Burton, Ado Carr and a couple of others who were acquired before Gus came on board.

I’m not sure they are thinking of a five year plan, more an immediate plan of getting into the top 8 starting in 2023.

I tend to think with the additions of Kikau, Mahoney, Sutton etc they should be making the top 8. I think they will.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
People want him to fail, I understand that.

As it stands he has managed to recruit some real quality players to add to Burton, Ado Carr and a couple of others who were acquired before Gus came on board.

I’m not sure they are thinking of a five year plan, more an immediate plan of getting into the top 8 starting in 2023.

I tend to think with the additions of Kikau, Mahoney, Sutton etc they should be making the top 8. I think they will.

I want any team that uses that model to fail, We need more sides developing talent
 

Bob

Juniors
Messages
1,389

Financial threat to Phil Gould’s Canterbury Bulldogs rebuild​

At first glance Gus Gould’s multi million-dollar knock down and rebuild of the Canterbury Bulldogs is looking good.

The great man is quickly assembling a roster that will challenge the premiership heavyweights.
It is, however, putting a considerable strain on the club’s finances.
The Bulldogs needed a $5.8 million cash grant from their licensed club last season just to break even.
This is almost unheard of in modern-day rugby league.
Every other Sydney based NRL club is now self-sufficient.
Manly and Souths haven’t had poker-machine support for years.

The Panthers, Eels and Roosters are now running profitable or break-even football operations without support from their licensed clubs.

Increased funding from the NRL for all 17 clubs obviously helps.

The Bulldogs are a different proposition.

It cost them $1 million a year to hire Gus. They had to pay out coach Trent Barrett then hire Cameron Ciraldo on big bucks.

Last week they sent the Broncos a $500,000 cheque as a transfer fee for untried 18-year-old halfback Karl Oloapu.
While most companies are cutting back, the Bulldogs have increased staffing levels by almost 50 per cent in the last 18 months.

The problem for Canterbury fans is that this is unsustainable spending.

And here is why …

The state government is soon to introduce the controversial new cashless gaming cards.

For clubs like Canterbury League it could have a devastating effect.

“It could cripple us,” said one club director I spoke to last week.

Last year the licensed club made an $11 million profit and gave the footy club $5.8 million.

That money won’t be there in future years with these new gaming cards.

Like other responsible NRL clubs have done, the Bulldogs will have to slash costs if they are to survive long term. Quick fixes don’t work.

You look at the Panthers as an example under their CEO Brian Fletcher.
It comes from sponsorship, merchandise, membership, sellout crowds, winning two premierships and increased NRL funding.

Before that, while Gus was at Penrith, the Panthers were losing an average $5 million a season.

The Canterbury Bulldogs – and their success-starved fans – will no doubt have something to cheer about in the not-too-distant future.

Whether it can last under their current business model is the big question.
 
Messages
2,571

Financial threat to Phil Gould’s Canterbury Bulldogs rebuild​

At first glance Gus Gould’s multi million-dollar knock down and rebuild of the Canterbury Bulldogs is looking good.

The great man is quickly assembling a roster that will challenge the premiership heavyweights.
It is, however, putting a considerable strain on the club’s finances.
The Bulldogs needed a $5.8 million cash grant from their licensed club last season just to break even.
This is almost unheard of in modern-day rugby league.
Every other Sydney based NRL club is now self-sufficient.
Manly and Souths haven’t had poker-machine support for years.

The Panthers, Eels and Roosters are now running profitable or break-even football operations without support from their licensed clubs.

Increased funding from the NRL for all 17 clubs obviously helps.

The Bulldogs are a different proposition.

It cost them $1 million a year to hire Gus. They had to pay out coach Trent Barrett then hire Cameron Ciraldo on big bucks.

Last week they sent the Broncos a $500,000 cheque as a transfer fee for untried 18-year-old halfback Karl Oloapu.
While most companies are cutting back, the Bulldogs have increased staffing levels by almost 50 per cent in the last 18 months.

The problem for Canterbury fans is that this is unsustainable spending.

And here is why …

The state government is soon to introduce the controversial new cashless gaming cards.

For clubs like Canterbury League it could have a devastating effect.

“It could cripple us,” said one club director I spoke to last week.

Last year the licensed club made an $11 million profit and gave the footy club $5.8 million.

That money won’t be there in future years with these new gaming cards.

Like other responsible NRL clubs have done, the Bulldogs will have to slash costs if they are to survive long term. Quick fixes don’t work.

You look at the Panthers as an example under their CEO Brian Fletcher.
It comes from sponsorship, merchandise, membership, sellout crowds, winning two premierships and increased NRL funding.

Before that, while Gus was at Penrith, the Panthers were losing an average $5 million a season.

The Canterbury Bulldogs – and their success-starved fans – will no doubt have something to cheer about in the not-too-distant future.

Whether it can last under their current business model is the big question.
Doesn’t sound good. However, there is no mention of Laundy. Surely he would play some sort of role in shoring up finances. Then again, he’s only a major sponsor
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
16,988
F

From what I can see the dogs are setting up at the junior level well.the have bases in NZ and qld all set up by Gould no doubt copying our system .But not touching our areas

They bought an 18 year old on big money from Broncos, Burton, Crichton are 22. The young guys paths are blocked by big spending
 

Munky

Coach
Messages
10,193
Poor on field performance equals poor financial performance.

Pro sport is an entertainment product, outside of a few die-hards most people do not want to waste their time and spend considerable money to watch poor product. I imagine it must cost close to $200 to take the family to a game now and that money can be better spent while watching the game on TV.

The Dogs go on a three season run and they get 25k crowds and sell more tickets, merchandise etc.

These are all purely variable costs so anything above the cost price is pure profit.
 
Messages
15,386
My smuggy spies report that Nate and the boys had an unofficial opening of the Drink West venue on the weekend.

A large number of players and associates did arrive and did partake. It was huge.

There is some further news , news that could bring a few players into the bad disrepute, but I shan’t be snitching.

I hope it’s all out of their system now and footy is the only order of the day.

Im not sure about Nate investing in a grog thing while the Panthers enjoy the grog money to keep business pumping.

It could eventually be a venue the late night Panther club youngsters finish up at.

It had better not turn into some kind of private nightclub with the opportunity for scandal.
 

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