Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has opened up on the club’s recruitment drive, Matt Burton’s position and whether Panthers star Jarome Luai could play halfback for the club.
The Bulldogs have been the biggest movers in the NRL open market signing 10 players and letting eight walk out the door, while Raymond Faitala-Mariner is also on the outer.
Speaking on Sky Sports Radio on Wednesday Ciraldo opened up on the club’s recruitment strategy, links to Luai and Addin Fonua-Blake, Burton’s position and the leadership of the club.
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RECRUITMENT
The Bulldogs have been the biggest movers in the recruitment stakes with 10 new players coming to the club in 2024 and Ciraldo believes they are not done yet.
The new faces include Bronson Xerri (return from ban), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Connor Tracey (Sharks), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Jaeman Salmon (Panthers), Josh Curran (Warriors), Drew Hutchison (Roosters), Kurt Mann (Knights), Jake Turpin (Roosters), Poasa Faamausili (Dolphins).
There has been criticism of the Bulldogs signing so many utility players, but Ciraldo revelaed the method behind the madness.
“That has been the biggest focus on our recruitment drive this year is to build a squad with a lot of depth, so if we do encounter that adversity we had last year again we are better suited to handle it,” Ciraldo said on The Big Sports Breakfast.
Their biggest signing is three-time Panthers premiership winner Crichton, who Ciraldo believes will have a massive impact on the team after coming back to training a month early.
“I am excited for what Stephen Crichton will bring,” Ciraldo said.
“He is actually coming in today for the first time to train, which is a month before he was due back.
“He was due back on January 8, so it shows what type of person he is that he wants to come back and contribute right now and form into a leader.
“When we signed Stephen he said he wanted to come to the Bulldogs and it wasn’t about what position he plays or anything like that.
“He is just a genuine winner and he prepares to win every day. He ticks every box. He is the ultimate professional.
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“I am really excited about what he can bring in that regard to our younger guys and our program in general.
“Then on the footy side of things he is probably the best centre in the world and can play fullback and probably anywhere else you can put him.
“He played five-eighth for Samoa in the Tests at the end of the year and I reckon he would have learnt a lot from that experience.
“It just shows the quality player he is that he can play all those positions, but he is going to be really good for our group.
“The energy he brings every day, the professionalism he brings and then what he can do on the field as well.”
The Bulldogs’ 10th signing was Connor Tracey form the Sharks and Ciraldo hinted he could play centre or even fullback for the team.
“Connor is just a really quality player,” Ciraldo said.
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“He showed in the last few seasons at the Sharks that whether he plays fullback, centre or wing he just goes at it 100 miles an hour and just attacks everything with gusto and he is a player I am really excited about.
“Our backline will take shape over these next few weeks and unfortunately he has a calf injury at the moment.
“But I’m really confident whether we play him at fullback or centre he is going to do a really good job for the team.
“It probably has a little bit to do with Burto as well and how he fits in.
“But the great thing this year is we have competition for spots and that is bringing out the best in guys at training.”
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WHY SO MANY UTILITY PLAYERS?
The knock on the Bulldogs’ recuitment strategy is that the they have bought a lot of players that have utility value, but have yet to cement one position in first grade.
Players like Kurt Mann, Drew Hutchison, Jaeman Salmon and Connor Tracey add great versatility, but it remains to be seen how they will all fit in the 17 and how much they will help the Bulldogs win.
However, Ciraldo revealed on SEN radio that all of the Bulldogs’ recruits were targetted signings and opened up on where he sees them playing in the 17.
“It’s a big change but these were all targeted signings for what we needed,” Ciraldo told SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“We went through some times last year where our depth was really tested.
“Kurt Mann is a genuine utility and he is one of the best in the game. We brought him for that specifically.
“Jaeman Salmon we have signed as back-rower and he has really developed in that role during his time at Penrith. He does fill in at five-eighth from time to time.
“Connor Tracey has utility value because he has had to force a number of positions at the Sharks but he’s a fullback and centre utility in my eyes.
“Drew Hutchison has come in from the Roosters and he has done a good job over the years.
“He is another guy looking for an opportunity at halfback.
“We have a long way to go before we figure out (who is in the 17) but the thing I’m happy about is that we’ve got plenty of competition for spots.
“The team will sort itself out and the guys that train and play the best in the trials will get their opportunities.
“The training has gone up with those 10 recruits and what they’ve brought in.
“There’s really healthy competition.”
LUAI’S CLAIMS ON THE NO.7 JERSEY
Luai is being chased hard by the Tigers and Bulldogs with the Panthers facing a massive fight to retain his services.
The big question is can Luai make the switch from a running five-eighth to a chief organiser in the No.7 hot seat?
However, Ciraldo has known Luai for a long time and has no doubt he has what it takes to be a quality halfback in the NRL.
“Jarome can do anything he wants really,” Ciraldo said.
“He is a quality player who loves footy and he loves his teammates.
“That’s the challenge of someone like that if he is looking for that challenge.
“But I have seen Jarome since he was 17 years old and every challenge that has been thrown at him he has latched onto and gone after it and ultimately succeeded.
“His winning ratio in every grade he has played is unbelievable, so yeah Jarome can do anything he wants if he puts his mind to it.”
The Bulldogs have been linked to both Luai and Addin Fonua-Blake and Ciraldo hinted he would be happy to get at least one of the star duo.
“I think we have shown we are in the market for quality players,” Ciraldo said.
“We are very happy with the players we have bought and our long-term mantra is about developing Bulldogs players through our pathways system and we are doing a great job of that.
“We won two of the lower grade titles in Harold Matthews Cup and Jersey Flegg last year and we have got some really good talent coming through there.
“But it is important to have those guys at the top end who can help set the culture and show them what winning looks like every day.
“The good thing is we do have space for more quality talent at the top end and if one of those names come off that is great, but if not we are happy with what we are building.”
BURTON’S BEST POSITION
There has been plenty of speculation the Bulldogs may switch Burton from five-eighth to the centres where he won a Dally M positional gong in 2021.
Former Bulldogs teammate Josh Reynolds has no doubt Burton needs to stay in the No.6 jersey.
“There is constant speculation around Burton and what his best position is, but I had a word to him the other day and he said he wants to be five-eighth,” Reynolds said.
“For me personally I think that is his best position when he can take control of the game and he can do anything.
“Are you going to be pushing Burton to stay at five-eighth and take control of the team this year?”
“Burto is also someone who can do whatever he wants when he puts his mind to it,” Ciraldo replied.
“He had a disrupted pre-season last year after coming off the back of the World Cup tour.
“He came back and got ankle surgery and never quite got the pre-season he needed and then he has his challenges throughout the year with the way we were going and the expectation on him.
“He learnt a lot out of last year and the reality is where he plays is up to him and the way he goes about it.
“I have got to say he has shown some really good signs since he came back to training. He came back a lot fitter than what he was last year and he has come back with a lot more energy around his communication and that’s exciting.
“Ultimately we will do what is best for the team and Burto is one of those guys that while he is very open that he wants to play five-eighth he also says that he will do whatever is best for the team and that’s what we will do.
“But Burto could definitely be an elite five-eighth if he gets a couple of those parts of his game right and we are here to help him on that journey.”
LEADERSHIP
The Bulldogs employed dual captains in Burton and Reed Mahoney ahead of their time last season as the team struggled to a 14th place finish.
Ciraldo revealed the new recruits are helping the team’s evolving leadership team, but concedes they are not the finished article in that area at this stage.
“Leadership is evolving,” Ciraldo said.
“It is definitely a work on for us. We tried some things last year and we were sort of searching for what was the best model for us.
“I have got to say the guys that we have brought in, I know Crichton is going to bring some leadership qualities and Josh Curran and Kurt Mann have already shown what they can add.
“Then you have got guys like Drew Hutchison and Jaeman Salmon who have been around a while and come from good systems and know what winning looks like and are going to be able to add something as well.
“On the back of our two on-field leaders last year in Burton and Reed Mahoney, who did a really good job under trying circumstances and they are going to be a lot better for the experience too.
“And our spiritual leader who leads by actions is Viliame Kikau who we lost for big parts of the year last year and we missed him when he was out of the team.
“He is a different sort of leader, but he is another guy that leads by actions and when he talks people listen.”
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