Something had to change’: Bulldogs’ drastic 3-year, 30-man overhaul and why it’s time to deliver…..
The Bulldogs knew something had to change in 2021, recruiting one of rugby league’s sharpest minds in Phil Gould to oversee a revolutionary transformation.
But now, after 32 months in Belmore, there’s as sense the time has come for the struggling club to start delivering after one of the biggest overhauls the NRL has ever seen.
Not a single player is left from the club’s 2021 squad that Gould adopted, with Raymond Faitala-Mariner’s exit to the Dragons completing a complete top-30 rebuild.
Included in that squad was players who have since gone on to find success in Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jeremy Marshall-King, Nick Meaney and Adam Elliott.
Replacing that crop of players Gould recruited big-name stars including Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr and Reed Mahoney.
Ahead of the 2024 season a new group arrived in Bronson Xerri, Connor Tracey, Blake Taaffe, Jaeman Salmon, Josh Curran, Drew Hutchison, Kurt Mann, Jake Turpin, Zane Tetevano, Poasa Faamausili and Daniel Suluka-Fifita.
Even the 2021 coach, Trent Barrett, was sacked and replaced by rugby league coaching’s golden boy in former Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo.
Now the Bulldogs, with their talented rookie coach at the helm, are set for a season that could make or break a new eara for the club.
Here, foxsports.com.au and rugby league legend Cooper Cronk break down the Bulldogs’ big moves that could force a seismic shift at Belmore.
To start the 2021 season, the Bulldogs spine consisted of Corey Allan, Jake Averillo, Kyle Flanagan and Sione Katoa.
Averillo was a fan favourite, and many were disappointed to see him depart at the end of the 2023 season for the Dolphins.
Meanwhile, Allan and Katoa both played under 30 games for the Bulldogs, while Flanagan tallied 50 before he was deemed surplus to requirements by Gould.
Heading into the 2024 season, Ciraldo has a very different spine at his disposal and one that arguably knows what it takes to win.
