New Dogs, new tricks: Kennel cleanout has Belmore boys eyeing finals

'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue... and white’.

In 2023, the Bulldogs will put a rugby league spin on a well-worn rhyme that signifies the simultaneous hope for continuity and a fresh beginning, eager to be part of the finals festivities after six years on the outside looking in.

After a grand final appearance in 2014 and two more trips to the play-offs in 2015-16, Canterbury have finished no better than 11th in the ensuing six campaigns, even suffering the ignominy of a wooden spoon in 2021 in Trent Barrett’s first year at the helm.

Three wins was all the Bulldogs had to show for a disastrous season that opened with a 32-16 loss to the Knights before three excruciating weeks where they failed to score a point, belted by the Panthers (0-28), Broncos (0-24) and Rabbitohs (0-38).

Just two years later, the Bulldogs head into 2023 with a roster barely recognisable from the dark days of 2021, as well as a new coach in former Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo.

They have three new captains as part of a six-man leadership group, eight recruits including two who squared off in last year's grand final, and one clear focus - to return to the club to its glory days.

Remarkably, data supplied by David Middleton at League Information Services reveals that of the 35 players who donned a Bulldogs jersey in the NRL in 2021, only 10 remain among the top 30 for 2023. 

Only four players who took the field in the first round two years ago are set to feature in the 2023 season opener against Manly, with halfback Kyle Flanagan looking like the only man who'll line up in the same position he played in that loss to the Knights.

The man who partnered Flanagan in the halves in 2021, Jake Averillo, is expected to line up at fullback this season, while Corey Waddell and Raymond Faitala-Mariner are likely to be rewarded for their toil in recent seasons with spots in Ciraldo’s 17.

Faitala-Mariner's wholehearted contribution across the past seven seasons has been rewarded with a new role as club captain, while Matt Burton and Reed Mahoney are the new on-field leaders.

After playing 21 games in the halves in 2021, Averillo found his way to centre and then fullback last season to accommodate the arrival of Panthers premiership winner Burton, who came up with 14 try assists and 18 forced dropouts in a stellar season in the No.6 jersey.

Of the other members of Barrett’s backline, No.1 Corey Allan has shifted to the Roosters after playing 21 games across two seasons, Nick Meaney moved to Melbourne last year, veteran Will Hopoate joined St Helens, Nick Cotric has returned to Canberra and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is now a Warrior.

In their place, tryscoring machine Josh Addo-Carr looks set for a massive year after bagging 16 tries in 23 games in 2022 and setting the World Cup alight for the Kangaroos, while big things are expected of youngsters Jacob Kiraz and Paul Alamoti.

Kiraz grabbed six tries in 15 games in his debut season in 2022 before representing Lebanon at the World Cup while 19-year-old centre Alamoti has been highly touted on his way through the junior ranks.

With Flanagan looking more assured with every game he plays, Burton terrorising opponents with his spiral bombs and the ‘Foxx’ scoring tries for fun, the Bulldogs look certain to improve dramatically on last year’s output of 16 points per game, the third worst attack in the NRL.

It’s in the forwards, though, where the most dramatic makeover has occurred, the arrival of Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton sending expectations sky high at Belmore.

On his day, dual premiership winner Kikau is virtually unstoppable, and he should relish the chance to reunite with former Panthers teammate Burton on a left edge that also features Addo-Carr.

Mahoney is a tackling machine and also possesses a handy kicking game and his service from dummy half is first rate while Sutton gets through a power of work in attack and defence.

Englishman Luke Thompson will be champing at the bit after an interrupted 2022 season which saw him play just 13 games due to concussion and a trip home to the UK to be with his ill mother.

Former Storm man Max King enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, averaging 102 metres and 31 tackles per game, while Tevita Pangai jnr will be a menacing force in the middle for Ciraldo.

Gone from the pack that strode onto McDonald Jones Stadium on March 12, 2021 are Jack Hetherington (Knights), Ofahiki Ogden (Eels), Adam Elliott (Raiders), Dylan Napa (Catalans), Renouf Atoni (Wakefield), Sione Katoa (released) and respected skipper Josh Jackson, who called time on his 241-game career at the end of 2022.

Among a host of new faces are utility Fa’amanu Brown, who put his career back on track at Wests Tigers last year after a horror run with injury and hard-working forward Andrew Davey from the Sea Eagles, while favourite son Josh Reynolds is back in the fold after being promoted to the club's Top 30 this week.

A member of the club's 2014 grand final side that went down to South Sydney, 33-year-old Reynolds is back at Belmore after stints at Wests Tigers and Hull FC and he would love nothing more than to play in the blue and white renaissance movement.