Round 9
Bulldogs 4 l. Penrith Panthers 30

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Is it time for Folkes to go as Bulldogs sink further?
Mon May 12, 2008
The Bulldogs produced their worst and most inept performance of the season losing 30-4 against a Penrith outfit that took advantage of the Bulldogs lack of bite.

Before the match the Bulldogs lost their best performing trio Sonny Bill Williams, Luke Patten and Ben Roberts and from that moment the match was lost.

Last weeks bye would have been the perfect opportunity for the Bulldogs board to remove Steve Folkes as Coach and install the new combination of Kevin Moore and Jim Dymock into their positions.

The most disappointing aspect of the Bulldogs performance was their lack of direction with ball in hand and lack of creativity and flair in attack. Despite playing a very boring game not even containing simple plays such as wrap around, XY or double XY the Bulldogs made fundamental errors, which the Panthers cashed in on.

Roberts's withdrawal was the right time for Folkes to use Aaron Groom in first grade and test him out. Groom was signed with massive wraps, was injured in Round 2 and returned just before the Bulldogs bye last week. Groom was ready to go and Folkes' use of back-rower Lee Te Maari in the pivot position was one that showed he's out of touch and not willing to give talented youngsters their opportunity.

Groom and another youngster John Kite have both been slamming the door down for first grade selection, but neither is getting a look in despite a large injury toll and players who are proven as not being anything greater than reserve grade standard still being persisted with.

It has been rumoured and reported in various media outlets including an article by the Bulldogs most successful Coach Warren Ryan that Folkes and Moore are barely on talking terms.

No matter what the reason is or isn't young kids such as Groom and Kite not getting their chance. The Bulldogs are being handicapped for their preparation for the 2009 season by not testing kids in the top grade. Brent Crisp has only received his opportunity by default due to Luke Patten being injured when he has proved confident under the high ball and has been one of the reserve grade's most consistent players in the last two years.

Unfortunately it was a very unhappy night for much maligned halfback Daniel Holdsworth, who has struggled badly since his boom season in 2006. Holdsworth was dropped to reserve grade last year by Folkes and wasn't able to take the NSW Premier League by the scruff of the neck. Halfback Brent Sherwin was released by the Bulldogs during the off-season with Holdsworth given a saloon passage back into the top grade side.

Sherwin might have been at times inconsistent, which was largely due to the fact he wasn't able to play his natural and instinctive game that made him into a top line halfback in the first place. But the failure by the former Chief Executive and the 2007 Board to actively replace Sherwin was a massive blunder and left a massive hole in the Bulldogs setup and salary cap. Canterbury over the years have been blessed in the halfback position with the likes of Ross Kidd, Terry Reynolds, Tim Pickup, Steve Mortimer, Terry Lamb (post-Mortimer), Craig Polla-Mounter and Sherwin all filling the main organising position with distinction and performance. Holdsworth has been unable to continue this tradition and Folkes has to stand on his own sword with the Holdsworth experiment failing miserably.

The Bulldogs off the field have gone in the right direction with the members voting in a new and in touch Board, although they dropped the ball by not voting in Bulldogs Life Member, Club Legend and Media Personality Graeme Hughes - who despite at times being critical of the Bulldogs spoke from the heart and is a very intelligent and proactive person. Hughes wasn't helped with a negative campaign against him by Chairman Dr George Peponis as it was Peponis who sacked Garry Hughes in 2004 and has since fallen out with the Hughes and Mortimer families. The new Board have since appointed the correct people for their respective positions and new Chief Executive Todd Greenberg is going to be outstanding in his position and has achieved much more positive progression in just a few weeks than his predecessor did in four painful years where the champion side Steve Mortimer handed him has now turned into a bottom four candidate.

Since the new Board have come into place not only have they filled their administration positions with the right people they have also worked on keeping all their sponsors bar one who pulled the pin after the election result, they have gained new sponsors, found a much more lucrative clothing sponsor to replace Nike and began work on planning their membership and recruitment structures for 2009.

During the off-season the former regime at the Bulldogs was responsible for releasing Sherwin to Castleford, drove Willie Mason out of the Bulldogs and allowed him to join arch-rivals Sydney Roosters on a platter when he was prepared to stay at Canterbury, move the District Club from Belmore to Homebush, move the Junior League from Belmore to the Dunc Gray Velodrome, seen one Clive Churchill Medallist and four Life Members slammed on the Club's website in a soapbox article by the former Chief Executive and the email scandal that saw one employee lose his job. In between all of that the focus was actually lost on the football.

Williams admitted that he would rather see the Bulldogs play out at Belmore and it's a challenge that Greenberg and the Board at least have to explore into and it's believed other Bulldogs players have expressed similar views on the difficulties playing out at Homebush. The complete move away from Belmore has not been a success and was done by the previous regime without consultation of members and has moved away from the history, fabric and traditions of the Club.

The new Bulldogs Board was quick to appoint a new Coach, although they should have chased Wayne Bennett with earnest before deciding on Kevin Moore. At least they followed the traditions of the Peter Moore and Barry Nelson era where they didn't waste time and appointed from within as they did with Phil Gould, Chris Anderson and Folkes during the Nelson era. The Board also appointed Dymock as Moore's new assistant for the 2009 season. With both men sitting there waiting - is it now time for the Board to bite the bullet and put them in charge now and give them a platform to get ready for the 2009 season?

Folkes has been an amazing stalwart for the Bulldogs as a player, trainer and coach. He has been a part of the Bulldogs last six premierships and his standing in the Club is enriched and entrenched. As it was with Graeme Langlands going on one year too long - years of extraordinary service can be over shadowed by one last ill-fated year. The Board have a tough decision to make with Folkes, but they are in a lose-lose situation either way. They will be criticised for getting rid of a legend before his contract expired and they'll be criticised for not making what is now the only correct decision.

The way the Bulldogs played on Saturday and the non-selections of Groom and Kite showed that Folkes is out of touch with the modern game and the performance of the players showed that Folkes has lost that vital 1% respect from his players and the players performed like they had no game plan and devoid of ideas.

What was most disappointing is that it seems some so-called Bulldogs supporters were happy with Saturday night's result as it allowed them to blame the people who have had nothing to do with the squad that has been assembled for this year for the loss last night and the disappointing season to date.

It's time for the Bulldogs to throw caution to the wind, finish making the off-field changes they began making at the start of the year and allow a pathway for exiting kids such as Groom and Kite to receive their opportunities. The chance of winning the premiership or making the top four is now gone and the final changes have to be done now rather than allow supporters and sponsors to go through the suffering they endured last Saturday night.


Folkes forced to make changes
Tue May 6, 2008
Source: www.bulldogs.com.au

Mitsubishi Electric Bulldogs Coach Steve Folkes has today named several changes to his line up for this Saturday's 7.30pm clash with the Panthers at ANZ Stadium.

The line up includes New Zealand Internationals Sonny Bill Williams and Ben Roberts who are expected to back up after Friday's night's Centenary Test, along with a number of players forced out or returning from injury.

Players returning from injury include Luke Patten, Hazem El Masri, Reni Maitua and Michael Sullivan onto the bench, whilst experienced centre Cameron Phelps will replace Willie Tonga who is out due to shoulder surgery this week. In another boost for the Bulldogs exciting utility back rower Nick Kouparitsas returns from suspension to take his place on the bench.

The Bulldogs would like to strongly encouraging supporters from both clubs to join in with the Bulldogs Annual Salvation Army Food Drive Appeal by bringing along a can of food to the game. The player's wives and girlfriends will be at the entry gates from 5.15pm to welcome patrons and assist with the collection of these donations, which will go to those in need from the Canterbury Bankstown District.

1. Luke Patten
2. Hazem El Masri
3. Tim Winitana
4. Cameron Phelps
5. Matt Utai
6. Ben Roberts
7. Daniel Holdsworth
8. Jarrad Hickey
9. Corey Hughes
10. Chris Armit
11. Sonny Bill Williams
12. Andrew Ryan (c)
13. Reni Maitua

Interchange:
14. Lee Te Maari
15. Nick Kouparitsas
16. Justin Tsoulos
17. Michael Sullivan

The Bulldogs U20 Toyota Cup side to take on the Penrith Panthers has been named.

1. Jimmy Fawcett
2. Tristan Nisbet
3. Heka Nanai
4. Sene Tala
5. Kele Niusere
6. Ben Barba
7. Arana Taumata
8. Malcolm Leaeno
9. Nathan Smith
10. John Kite
11. Harlan Alaalatoa
12. Daniel Harrison
13. Jake Foster

Interchange:
14. Rhys Jack
15. Liam Roach
16. Nathan Benny
17. Josh Bishop
19. Jeco Makatoa
20. Ben James
21. Daniel Folkes

The Bulldogs NSW Cup team will play the Central Coast Storm at The Crest Stadium from 3.30pm on Saturday May 10.

1. Brent Crisp
2. Leon Bott
3. Chris Vaefaga
4. Ryan Millard
5. Adnan Saleh
6. Matt Lamb
7. Aaron Groom
8. Charlie Leaeno
9. Jamie Clark
10. Luke Thompson
11. Lorenzo Ma'afu
12. Gary Warburton
13. Frank Winterstein

Interchange:
16. Dean Vicelich
19. Tamati Nathan
20. Fred Briggs
22. Tom Moon

News sent by: www.bulldogs.com.au

Advanced Search