Tip sheet: 10 talking points for the Bulldogs in 2023

Canterbury made important steps in 2022 despite a couple of hurdles and are edging closer to getting back into the finals. 

Their second half of the season gave supporters plenty of reason to believe they've turned a corner but only time will tell whether they truly have.

NRL.com reflects on some of the major talking points for the Bulldogs ahead of the 2023 season and what learnings they can take out of the past season.

New beginnings

Cameron Ciraldo’s arrival to Belmore will be the most anticipated coaching move of the 2023 season and the first thing he'll need to do is find a new skipper.

Josh Jackson's decision to retire effective immediately will leave the Bulldogs not only down a squad member for next season but also a leader that for the past decade has been the heart and soul of the club.

Choosing a replacement who can step up and connect with not only the team but the Bulldogs community will be crucial for Ciraldo.

The new coach won't be feeling the pressure now but after his former Panthers assistant Trent Barrett struggled during his time in charge of the Bulldogs, neither club or coach will want a repeat.

It must be said that Ciraldo is arriving at the Bulldogs at a much better time than Barrett did with the club’s management and roster in one of its strongest positions since their last finals appearance in 2016.

Ciraldo's resume was impressive at Penrith, a club he's only ever known in his time since transitioning from a coach to a player. 

Kikau and Mahoney ripe

The signings of premiership-winner Viliame Kikau and grand finalist Reed Mahoney are game-changers for the club.

Both players arrive in the form of their careers – a rare thing for a club to recruit in this day and age.

Canterbury lured the pair in the past 12 months without Ciraldo’s input, which hasn’t mattered, but also shows how signing a player some months in advance can pay off in the long run.

Both players finished up strongly at their former clubs and should hit the ground running in blue and white. 

A Belmore homecoming 

It’s been a quiet return for one of Canterbury’s favourite sons so far, but make no mistake when Josh Reynolds returns to Belmore Sports Ground for pre-season training in November, the drums will be beating.

Reynolds is unlikely to play a major part in the Bulldogs’ top 17 in 2023 (injuries permitting) but makes a comeback to the club to offer valuable experience pending he gets through the pre-season on a train and trial deal.

The 33-year-old was restricted to just 25 games for Hull FC across an 18-month Super League stint with knee and elbow injuries before departing the club in June.

Several clubs have used this method in recent years to have experienced heads around the group and with Josh Jackson's retirement and all the turnover at Belmore, it's important to have guys like Reynolds displaying the Bulldogs culture of old.

Burton-Foxx magic

It started off a bit slow for the pair at Canterbury this season but Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr eventually settled in to find form, particularly in the second half of the competition.

Their combination on the left edge was electric and only going to be more dangerous with Viliame Kikau set to join in on the action next season.

The Bulldogs will want to ensure that success continues while also developing in other areas of their attack to avoid becoming too predictable for opposition sides next season.

Burton and Addo-Carr will return to pre-season training in January after their World Cup commitments with Australia end in late November.

King's maximum return

A real diamond found in the rough for the Bulldogs last season.

Max King arrived at the Bulldogs after complications from an achilles rupture in 2020 which saw him miss the next 18 months of his career at Melbourne.

He was picked up on a bargain-based deal by the Bulldogs and ended up playing in every match for the club in 2022, later winning the coaches’ award honour.

King started off the bench but eventually finished the season starting a prop, an opportunity that is likely to continue given his consistency in the middle.

Potter's retention a boost

Michael Potter’s retention as an assistant coach at the club will be music to the ears for the Bulldogs faithful after he enabled the side to strip everything back and play what they saw when he took over from Trent Barrett.

That mantra – while easy enough to communicate but not necessarily execute – really suited the Bulldogs, who went from scoring just 9.6 points per game under Barrett in 2022 to 20.5 in the final 14 matches under Potter.

Potter will take charge of the side’s attack in 2023 with Ciraldo overseeing the structures.

Averillo finds a home

He’s played everywhere in the backline and had a shot in the halves but Jake Averillo made a serious case to become the side’s first choice fullback in the future towards the end of the year.  

Helped along by Matt Dufty’s departure and the side’s improved attack already mentioned above, Averillo was a major beneficiary with eight tries in 10 appearances in the No.1 jersey.

He finished his season with a PM’s XIII jumper and will look to cement his spot further in the backline when he returns to training in November.

Kiraz magic to continue

Another big find for the Bulldogs in a season that didn’t reach great heights. A local junior who moved to North Queensland and Newcastle before returning home mid-season, Kiraz showed plenty of promise when given the opportunity.

The Lebanon international, who created controversy in 2019 when he made his debut for the Cedars at just 17, had his contract extended by the Bulldogs after playing 15 games.

With Josh Addo-Carr on one edge, Kiraz looked at home on the right and with his ability to play in the centres also a bonus for coach Cameron Ciraldo.

Faitala-Mariner shows promise

The Bulldogs have played the long game with Raymond Faitala-Mariner and will be hoping that decision pays off in the long run with the backrower getting back on the field after a serious foot injury.

Faitala-Mariner was one of the club’s best players in 2020 but complications with his foot has seen the Samoan and Kiwi international restricted to just 15 games in the past two seasons.

He notched up his 100th NRL game in the final round win over Manly, a result that will give the club some momentum going into the pre-season.

A fully fit Faitala-Mariner alongside the likes of Viliame Kikau and Tevita Pangai jnr, who Cameron Ciraldo has coached previously, will spell danger signs for rival clubs.

Flanno's assurance

One of the first players Cameron Ciraldo organised a chat with when arriving at the Bulldogs was Kyle Flanagan, who has had a tough time at the club since arriving from Cronulla. 

Flanagan was on the outer at the start of the year with Trent Barrett but was able to build a combination with Matt Burton later in the season. 

Burton was the chief in the partnership particularly with his creativity and kicking game, something Flanagan will want to take more responsibility on next season.

He produced nine try assists in 20 appearances compared to Burton's 14. In a positive, he'll go into the 2023 with a far clearer vision with where he stands at the club.