Another year, another emotional rollercoaster.
The arrivals of Josh Addo-Carr and Matt Burton were meant to turn the Bulldogs around and catapult them from wooden spooners to finals contenders.
A two-point win over the Cowboys in Round 1 put the smile back on captain Josh Jackson’s face and gave fans the most dangerous weapon to start a season with — hope.
Six straight losses followed and that hope quickly faded… until a stunning upset over the Roosters delivered shades of the early 2000s.
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But the Bulldogs faithful were brought back to reality when things took a turn. The writing was on the wall for coach Trent Barrett, who vanished so quickly it was almost fitting that his final game was in ‘Magic’ Round.
And then the Mick Potter era began.
With no more speculation hanging over the coach’s head, the shackles came off and the Eels thrashing became a turning point of the season. All of a sudden the Dogs became ‘the entertainers’. Until they weren’t.
A couple of heavy losses to the Warriors and the Eels were a timely reminder that there’s still a lot of work to do but the Dogs deservedly finished the year on a high with their best player, Matt Burton sealing the game with a 78th minute field goal.
BULLDOGS END OF SEASON REVIEW
2022 Record: W7 L17, 29.2% win rate
Season grade: D
What went right: Matt Burton and Mick Potter.
When the Bulldogs signed Matt Burton on $500,000 a season there were a few warranted concerns. He had lived up to the hype at Penrith, sure, but in the centres — not the position the Dogs signed him to play.
Burton was the Bulldogs’ best and most important player this season, playing every minute of every game. He made his State of Origin debut, albeit in the centres, and his boot even terrified the most seasoned fullbacks.
In hindsight, $500,000 was actually a bargain.
Mick Potter can also hold his head up high after stepping mid-season and transforming the Bulldogs’ attack.
Potter wasn’t anywhere near the NRL squad prior to Round 11. He was coaching Mounties in New South Wales Cup, which was a feeder side to the Bulldogs but was made up of almost all part-time players.
But his fresh set of eyes did wonders for the club and had many calling for him to officially be given the head coaching job.
Jacob Kiraz deserves an honourable mention too. Kiraz backed himself to walk away from a top 30 deal with the Knights to join the Bulldogs on a train-and-trial. It worked a treat as he nailed down a spot on the wing and earned a two-year extension.
SEASON REVIEWS:
BRONCOS: $1 million elephant in the room as finals disaster exposes divide
DRAGONS: $800k call holds key for Dragons as awkward issue hits tipping point
TIGERS: They hit a ‘diabolical’ low. Now Tigers ‘need to change everything’
What went wrong: Trent Barrett.
There was so much hope when the man lauded for Penrith’s attack joined the Bulldogs, only for the club to receive the wooden spoon in his maiden season.
Barrett was given a bit of time to soothe those first-season teething problems but GM of football Phil Gould eventually ran out of patience after the Bulldogs found themselves at the bottom of the table once again after 10 rounds.
Barrett’s exit has ended up being a double-edged sword. The results ever since prove that it was the right call, but it was also a step back in the seemingly never-ending rebuild.
The Dogs went after another Penrith assistant in Cameron Ciraldo and have locked him in on a five-year deal. A lot is riding on the Ciraldo appointment because the club can’t afford to go through yet another coach.
What they need: Pre-season to start now.
Several new pieces to the puzzle will arrive to Belmore in the off-season, but there’s still a big question mark over whether they’ll all fit into place.
Aside from a new face at the helm, Reed Mahoney and Viliame Kikau are among the 2023 additions. On paper, that’s an exciting prospect. But it’s going to take time for them to fit into their new system seamlessly — particularly Mahoney who will leave one of the more experienced spines at Parramatta to join one that is still figuring itself out.
In the perfect world, the Dogs could dive straight into preparation for 2023, but depending on finals, all three signings could be preoccupied until October. Throw in the World Cup, which Kikau will be a part of, and it could be a bit of a frantic pre-season.
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COMING: Viliame Kikau (Panthers), Reed Mahoney (Eels), Ryan Sutton (Raiders)
GOING: Jeremy Marshall-King (Dolphins), Paul Vaughan (Warrington), Jack Hetherington (Knights)
UNSIGNED: Josh Cook, Matt Doorey, Reece Hoffman, Tui Katoa, Joe Stimson, Jackson Topine, Brandon Wakeham
