The dogs 2008....WTF ?

[butchmcdick]

I have been watching league since about 1980 and can remember dogs teams as far back as the peter tunks era.

I have always enjoyed watching them and I even picked them in my footy tipping comps to beat the bunnies.

That said I was a bit perplexed reading through their line up last night as to who the hell most of the players were. On paper they seemed on a hiding to nothing.To me it was one of the worst lineups the dogs have had in my memory. The halves combo are very inexperienced as were the forward pack. I guess it is a good thing the game isn't played on paper.

I think the team played well to overcome the bunnies and played well above themselves last night. DId the dogs have any major signings in the offseason ? Utia looks a shadow of himself and el masri can't play forever. If tonga leaves who is left ?

I just can't see with that team, even with the inclusion of SBW could be serious contenders for the title or how they could beat the storm or any of the other front runners with that lineup.

I feel sorry for steve folkes. He can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear or in other words it is hard to pull your socks up if you are not wearing any.

If the dogs prove me wrong i will be the first to admitt it but right now i think they got nothing.

 

[wittyfan]

They signed Sully. There's one big name player.

 

[eels_fan_01]

When people said they would come last i thought that was a pretty stupid prediction but i dont think that they are or will be contenders this year.

They probably played good footy for 20-30 mins in their two matches so far.

 

[ByRd]

We will surprise a fair amount of people, we might not be serious title contenders but i wont be surprised if we are there abouts at the end of the year either. Our team is taking on a new formation with the losses of recent years and last year losing Mason, O'Meley and Sherwin wasnt going to be easy to cover.

But i am so proud and excited in the way some of our forwards are going right now, we have the best backrow depth with SBW, Ryan, Maitua, Koups and Te Maari and our front rowers while not big names will do the job and improve, Hickey, Cleal, Armit, Tsoulos, Danny Williams and Leano will provide some good depth and kepp the players fighting for positions. Sullivan is the spark we have lacked from dummy half and is showing that so far this year.

Our halfback is the biggest issue, Holdsworth is no no.7 and imo has only a couple more games to prove himself before Groom is given a chance, Roberts is an awsome no.6 and will continue to develop in this role, he has a terrific running game and will only get better. Its a rebuilding phase but i think we will go better then people think.

 

[eels_fan_01]

Your backrow is probably one of the better backrows in the comp however you props although they are highly rated by some Bulldogs fans they are useless.

 

[ByRd]

I wouldnt say that our props are highly rated but they will get the job done. They are not the big names of the past so people are expecting alot from them but i will jst be happy if they get the job done and i am already seeing improvement in Hickey (best game ive seen from him last night) and especially Kane Cleal who is ripping up so far this year and Danny Williams was a good buy from the roosters, Beetson might have been right when talking bout him.

 

[butchmcdick]

I never thought I would say this but cleal is actually doing well at the moment.

He needs to cut off that rats tail dred thing he has though. It makes him look like he went to a special needs school.

 

[ByRd]

LMAO at Cleal's ratty, is pretty disgusting but aslong as he is doing well i dont care haha and he is quickly becoming a fan favourite with the dogs, before every kick return the crowd will rev him up and we start to chant his name and you can see th passion in him as he claps his hands together and kicks away the adverstising board loll the crowd loves the guy

 

[Perth Red]

They've got a good young squad and sometimes clearing out the deadwood is exactly what a club needs. They won't trouble a GF spot but they will turn a few teams over this year.

 

[roodog48]

For those who don't understand whats happening at the dogs , Its quite simple . The clean out had to happen at some stage . Get rid of rubbish . i.e. Mason . Don't overpay i.e. O' Meley . Get the salary cap in order . DONE . They have caught up with with back payments . The last of which were Pattens and SBW . Now there is nothing left to be considered looking forward cap wise . Reduce the size of the pack . Cleal in the front Row . Change the style of play . They have done this by buying Michael Sullivan who is going to be a great buy for the next 4-5 years going forward . I agree that the dogs will not be a premiership threat this year but from 2009 and for several years after they will be back amongst the top sides . They have over a number of years built the lower grades and juniors to a stage where only Parra are at the same level . The person who said there was a raft of unknowns did'nt look much at Dog teams last year . Ben Roberts and Holdsworth inexperienced ? Roberts plays for NZ and Holdsworth has played more than 20 first grade in the last 2 years . Tim Winitana has played 4 games but last night he played as if were a 10 year player in top form . Those at the Dogs know he was considered better than Karl Mcnicholl who is being paid 200G at the Sharkies . The Matthew side is a good top 4 Side . The SG Ball side is full of top future 1st graders and should win the competition . Yesteday they rested a number of regular 1st stringers and still annihilated WSA 74.6 . At least 5 pf that side are future stars . The Toyota cup side has a number of stars . Nanai ctr , Mason Pure wgr , Ben Barba who I believe will force his way into 1st grade 5/8 or 1/2 . VB NSW Cup also has a number of good players who will be 1st graders . The future is not bleak as the ill- informed would have you believe , but very rosy in the long term . Long term planning is the reason the dogs have been near or at the top for the last 30 years and will continue to be for another 10 at least .

 

[Ron Jeremy]

tbh i reckon any other side would've put 40 past both sides last night, it's a miracle that Souths scored 12 points, both sides had very limited attacking options.

 

[Smartman]

Definately a rebuilding year, its a chance for Folkes to throw a bone to a few of the youngsters and see if they can grab it ie Groom, Kite, Nanai, Winitana etc.....

Clean out some deadwood, players on thin ice include Holdsworth, Phelps, Emelio, Utai and Hughes. Those 5 shouldnt be re signed. El Masri should retire when he becomes the record holder.

Then grab a couple of speedy skillful backs and a hardened prop and the dogs are set.

 

[Smartman]

Definately a rebuilding year, its a chance for Folkes to throw a bone to a few of the youngsters and see if they can grab it ie Groom, Kite, Nanai, Winitana etc.....

Clean out some deadwood, players on thin ice include Holdsworth, Phelps, Emelio, Utai and Hughes. Those 5 shouldnt be re signed. El Masri should retire when he becomes the record holder.

Then grab a couple of speedy skillful backs and a hardened prop and the dogs are set.

 

[atomic_crimson]

It's been a long time coming but it's coming. The club is throwing out the old and bringing in the new. Whilst they are not big names like byrd said, and may not contend for the GF they are doing a decent job. Cleal's been a big suprise for dogs fans and is becoming a massive cult figure!!! The crowds go absolutely nuts when he gets the ball into his hands.

Danny Williams - guess Beetson is crying even more now. Lastnight off the bench he complete 20 odd tackles and topped the hitup count for both teams. Hickey is developing some mongrel in his game. Last season he seemed a tad bit scared to use his size. Not so much a problem now after lastnight - hopefully he can improve on that. Armit is solid without being spectacular. His first season as a dog, 1 error all year I believe it was.

Our halves and backline are our biggest problems but in time this will be chopped and changed a little to see what works. Utai - i have been saying to friends and over at the kennel is past it. Sadly the guy has a good game every so often, just not often enough. He is a defensive liabilty - not just with bombs, with the fact he comes off his wing far too often and gets run around at times.

Haz is a champ but he is too slow - and i can't help but wonder whether he still is around merely to get his record as high pointscorer. The guy has given the club great service, but he is too slow and hasn't beaten a defender since 02, one on one i think they were saying on the footy show lastweek. Canterbury need to move with the times. I can honestly say that General would be the only speedstar in our backline atm - so canterbury really isn't too much of a chance of scoring long range tries very often.

And our halves. Roberts is improving game by game but Holdsworth seems to have lost the plot - I don't know. He is making too many mistakes and as our halfback needs to really get his act together. I'd like to see how groom would go. There is also Barba in the lower grades, who isn't quite ready but has the makings of a star. The kid's a freak - however he sometimes takes on too much of the load and doesn't use those aorund him as well as he could.

Ok enough of the essay from myself!!

 

[Geohood]

Danny Williams got involved but nothing special from what I saw.

 

[roodog48]

There are also a lot of top line forwards coming through and although the backrow is very strong e.g. Te Maari Maitua SBW Ryan Kouparitsis . As well as those in the FR at the moment there is also Tsoulos 9 who was best on ground against Parra until injured , Charlie Leaeno should return this week . His brother Malcolm ( same size ) and John kite also 115 kgs in Toyota . Luke Thompson , Tamati Nathan and Teakimoeaka in NSW cup and Martin Taupau in SG Ball . There are plenty of quality props at the club and the production line behind them is also full .

 

[Smartman]

True, Canterbury have a knack of producing forwards but would love a top experieced prop to lead them the way.

As for the backline, the SG ball team is full of wonderfully talented backs but are a couple of years away.