Method to the madness: How Bulldogs recruits plan to shake utility tag

A decade after he was named halfback in the 2014 NYC Team of the Year, Drew Hutchison is aiming to finally establish himself as a first choice NRL playmaker at the Bulldogs this season.

Kurt Mann has played every position except front row in his 178 NRL appearances for the Storm, Dragons and Knights but Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo has offered him the chance to settle into the role of ball-playing lock.

Ciraldo also views Jaeman Salmon, who played centre, five-eighth, lock, second-row and bench utility for the Panthers, as a second-rower, while Connor Tracey is eying off a centre berth and Blake Taaffe hopes to secure the No.1 jersey.

Many questions have been raised about how the Bulldogs will use their plethora of utility recruits in 2024 but Hutchison, Mann, Salmon, Tracey and Taaffe insist there is a method to the madness.

While fans and critics may question the recruitment of so many Mr Fix It's for the Bulldogs' re-building project, Ciraldo sees them as players with specialist positions who have successfully taken on the role of a utility when needed. 

"The club's made it pretty clear to us utility boys where they want us playing," Salmon told NRL.com.

"Cirro has told me that he sees me as a backrower, I see myself as a backrower and I know we’ve got some great backrowers in Kiks [Viliame Kikau] and Presto [Jake Preston] so I just need to train hard and rip in.

"Having players that can cover many positions in the squad is not going to be a bad thing and the club was looking for depth last year and I think that's why this year they went out searching for that."

Hutchison developed the tag of being a Mr Fix-It at the Roosters, playing anywhere from the halves to hooker and even in the centres as he constantly switched from NSW Cup to first-grade as required.

However, Hutchison, who was named halfback in the 2014 Holden Cup team of the year, which included the likes of Valentine Holmes, Addin Fonua-Blake, Joseph Tapine and Te Maire Martin, has always seen himself as a No.7. 

"I signed at the Roosters as a half but when I got there they had some pretty handy halves like Cooper Cronk and Luke Keary," Hutchison told NRL.com.

"That led to an opportunity for me to play in different positions, which is something I did enjoy but I suppose a time came in my career where I was chasing a bit more and when this opportunity came, I jumped at it."

The Sydney junior helped the Roosters climb from 14th position back into finals contention with three straight wins while steering the ship at halfback last season. 

But after making way for Sam Walker in Round 26, the 28-year-old said he was left determined to shake off the tag of second-fiddle. 

"When you're not getting picked it is a tough place to be," he said.

"That's what really drew me to the Bulldogs, to come here and push for a starting spot and especially in my preferred position in the halves somewhere.

"That's certainly the goal [to play in the halves] and that's the main reason that I signed at this club."

Mann grew up playing in the halves but he made his NRL debut as a centre and has covered almost every position on the field.

However, the 30-year-old was given the chance to play lock for Newcastle in 2022 and believes that is the position he is best suited to in the modern game.

"I had never played centre in my life until my first grade debut but I've always just done my best wherever I play," Mann said.

"When I spoke to Cam, he said he wanted me to play a role at the Bulldogs and that appealed to me. The game has changed and there is a role now for that small middle forward who can ball play.

"That's the only position I've been training in, but I know from past experience that things can change suddenly and I could play somewhere else. I'm okay with that." 

Tracey, who has been confined to the rehab room after injuring his calf during pre-season training with the Sharks before he was released to Canterbury, said he has never thought of himself as a 'utility'.

Having covered every position for Cronulla from 1-7, Tracey is hoping to cement any position in the outside backs and is hoping the move gives him the opportunity to grow as a specialist. 

"I see utilities as a No. 14 whereas I think of myself as an outside back that hasn't really nailed down a spot," Tracey said. 

"I've played 14 before but I feel like I'm an outside back that always starts but just plays sort of like wherever the team needs me.

"I've been at the Sharks for a few years and I didn't really nail down a spot so I thought I'd move on and try nail down a spot and play consistently.

"Cirro is similar to me, he likes how I play whenever I get put in a situation and that I can play in several positions but at the same time we're both keen for me to try and lock down that spot when the time comes."

Salmon said he has also come to see the positives of being capable of covering a number of positions.

"I don't know why there's this stigma around utility being a bad thing," he said.

"It's not our fault that we can also cover a couple more positions, that's just been the progression of our careers."