Finding Their Bite

The Bulldogs need more of this from Tony Williams

Last season’s beaten NRL Grand Finalists the Canterbury Bulldogs came into the 2013 with high expectations. It is now year two of the Des Hasler era and along with their recruitment of Tony Williams and progress of their young players, it seemed like 2013 would be a year to give the title a real shake.

We knew they would be without James Graham for the first couple of months after he took the team mascot too seriously and bit Billy Slater in the Grand Final, but then came the injuries and the Ben Barba saga to throw a spanner in the works.

Despite those issues, most thought the Doggies would still be solid and hold the fort until all their names were back. However, after a 1-4 start to the season, including an uninspiring performance last Friday against Manly, we have to wonder if or when they will re-find their mojo.

Ben Barba ended up only missing three games and was back in time for the big match against the Rabbitohs in round 4. He went ok in that match given the circumstances and I thought the Bulldogs overall were good in a losing effort against a top opponent. But they followed that up with the Manly performance, where Barba looked like he had little interest in being there and certainly didn’t seem in a position to contribute positively to his team.

Speaking of having little interest and not contributing positively, Tony Williams has been less T-Rex and more Barney the Dinosaur since moving from Brookvale to Belmore. I don’t know if it is a fitness issue or a motivation issue, but he has been not only a bust in terms of the money he is being paid, but he is actually worse for the Bulldogs on the field than if he were not playing at all.

His defence is mediocre; he is not running hard and worst of all he doesn’t even stand correctly in the attacking line so he can receive the ball. Last year at Manly he would hit the ball at pace and put the defensive line on the back foot; this year he is standing in front of his teammates so any pass to him would be a deliberate forward pass penalty.

Right now I would imagine he is zero chance of playing in the upcoming Test match or for NSW in State of Origin and it would take a massive turnaround to get him his Blues jersey back. But for the Bulldogs to get back to contending for a title, turning Williams back into the T-Rex will be crucial.

With Inu and Graham both still a few weeks away from returning from suspension and Kasiano still not ready to go, the Bulldogs have a tough few weeks ahead of them. Being 1-4 is a salvageable position if it is turned around relatively quickly. They have been slow starters in the past and managed to contend, however the elastic band only stretches so far before it snaps.

What is very unlucky for the Bulldogs is that in a season where they were going to be under the pump with players out to start the season, they also managed to have the most difficult draw imaginable. In the first five rounds of the season, they played the four teams that finished directly below them in positions 2-5 on the ladder last season. The only other team they played was Parramatta and that of course is their lone victory.

The Storm, Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles have been the benchmark teams once again this year and whilst the Cowboys have not been great either, they played well enough in Round 1 and got the points. When you combine the missing players with the quality of their opposition, the Bulldogs have been up against it from Round 1.

That brings us to Round 6. This Friday night the Bulldogs travel to Allianz Stadium to take on the Sydney Roosters. The Roosters had been looking fantastic and with an impenetrable defence until their second half collapse in Canberra last weekend. Now both teams will be desperate for the victory.

With a logjam in the middle of the table, the difference between the Roosters going 4-2 or 3-3 at the Anzac Test week off is massive. Had they held on against the Raiders, there might have been less urgency to the match for the Tri-Colours.

For the Bulldogs, this match is everything. Not only is it the difference between being 2-4 or 1-5, it is Sonny Bill Williams’ first match against his old side and the Doggies’ fans will be calling for blood. When Willie Mason faced a similar (if not quite as hostile as this Friday will be) reaction in his first match for the Roosters against the Bulldogs, he delivered probably his best performance for the Roosters in a one sided affair. If Sonny Bill Williams’ does the same then we might be seeing the Bulldogs digging a hole from which it will be very difficult to get out.

Either way, we are going to learn a lot about both teams on Friday night. The Roosters are clearly good, but how good? At this point I think they are a playoff team without being a real threat to the Premiership. They will destroy bad teams like they did to Parramatta, but good teams won’t back down against them. If the Roosters can start beating the good teams, then maybe we will have a real contender on our hands.

The Bulldogs at their best are clearly contenders. But by the time they reach their best, if they ever get there at all, it might be too late. Not every team can go on the run Parramatta went on in 2009 to the Grand Final and the Bulldogs season needs to start on Friday night before the Test Match and City vs. Country weekend.

Come Friday night their bite needs to be as big as their bark once again.

Trial by Team List

Matt Ryan was surprisingly selected on the bench for the Eels

We are finally a day away from the start of the NRL season and that means we now have the team lists for the Round 1 matches. Whilst I already had thoughts on teams that would do better or worse in 2013, sometimes you really need to see what a team is putting out on the field to realise where they have improved or gotten worse.

As there are every year, there were certainly a few things I found surprising when I read the team lists yesterday, including some players I hadn’t even realised had changed clubs or had forgotten they had changed clubs until I was reminded by seeing their name.

Manly are still going to be a good team and have one of the best young halves combinations in the league, but their success is finally catching up with them as I was surprised by some of the names they picked. I knew Glenn Stewart was out and that Jamie Buhrer would fill in at 13, but I didn’t realise how weak they had become at prop. Brent Kite and new recruit Brenton Lawrence would have to be up there with the worst starting prop combinations in the league. They get the trusty Jason King back in Round 2, which helps enormously, but losing Darcy Lussick to Parramatta in the offseason means the Eagles will be hoping their youngsters (and Ritchie Fa’aoso) really step up and fill the void, because one thing we know is you need a platoon of props to get through the NRL season.

Justin Horo starting in the second row will also be interesting. He is one of those guys I forgot changed clubs and perhaps the change of scenery away from Parramatta will do him wonders as he is very talented.

Parramatta kick the Ricky Stuart era off on Saturday against the Warriors and I must admit how shocked I am that Matt Ryan is named on the bench. I thought he was going to be the direct replacement for Nathan Hindmarsh as the no nonsense tackle machine every team needs, especially Parramatta. Reni Maitua, Ben Smith and Joseph Paulo aren’t a bad back row, but for mine Ryan should be starting and playing near on 80 minutes. Also I still think Ben Roberts might just be the worst player in the NRL, but at least he isn’t starting anymore so that’s an improvement I guess.

The Warriors in the same match have named back rower Elijah Taylor at hooker and he has got to be the biggest hooker I can remember, at least in the modern era. The Warriors have a solid pack, strike weapons outside and I like Matt Elliott as a coach, but they are one of those teams that will live and die by how many points their halves can create. Shaun Johnson took a step backwards last year and needs to find an instant partnership with Thomas Leuluai for the Warriors to get back to winning ways.

The Bulldogs come into the season with four big names all out with Barba and Graham suspended and Kasiano and Pritchard injured. It is a testament to their depth that they are putting out a very solid team across the park anyway. A few years ago whilst at Canberra, Drury Low tore the Under 20’s competition apart, so it will be interesting to see how he goes on the wing for the Bulldogs while Barba gets his life together.

The Cowboys bench is scary. The idea of the Sims brothers and Jason Taumalolo coming on when the likes of Scott and Tamou need a break is frightening. They need young halfback Ray Thompson and new English hooker Sam Moore to complement Thurston and Bowen, but if they do they should be good. That being said, the Cowboys have underachieved before and if they do again this year it might spell the end of Neil Henry.

The Raiders backline depth is also quite staggering. In a game where both Dugan and Croker are out they have still named a fantastic backline. Reece Robinson would start at fullback for half the league and is only playing there because Dugan is out. Frankly if I were David Furner, Croker would struggle to get back into the side given his defensive frailties. Also… EDRICK LEE!

If I didn’t hate the Dragons (as any good Rabbitohs fan should) I would feel sorry for them. Their team just isn’t particularly good this year. Their best player is a winger and as good as he is a winger can’t carry you through a season. I think they have the worst halves combination in the league and whilst their forwards are all serviceable, they don’t have enough attacking potency in the squad. My tip is that Steve Price will be first coach fired in 2013 and watching them in the Charity Shield only made that belief stronger.

The Sharks team is interesting. They had a good year in 2012 but tapered off towards the end. As per usual their forward pack is very good and the signing of Michael Gordon is a big one (should he stay fit) and Beau Ryan should continue his solid play. I do wonder if they should have found a spot for Nathan Gardner somewhere as he is too talented to play reserve grade. I would have picked him over Jono Wright on the wing, despite Gardner’s lack of size. Once again the Sharks fortunes will rely on Todd Carney and he is coming back from a pretty nasty injury, so it is a real wait and see thing with the Sharks this year.

Finally I was surprised and happy to see the Tigers pick Jacob Miller at halfback and move Benji back to five-eighth. They signed Anasta but at this point I think the back row is the right place for him and Miller has been so good at Under 20’s level for so long that it is time he gets a real opportunity to make the halfback spot his own. They have to be patient with him, but if the Tigers want their premiership window to re-open I think Miller at 7 has to be part of that plan.

Obviously I didn’t touch on all teams but that is because the others were all right about what I expected of them. The Rabbitohs and Roosters should be a cracking season opener, even for a neutral and I’ll see you all at the footy.