BULLDOGS 2021 NRL PRIMER
Follow @NRLTweetPublished December 4, 2020
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have been back in training ahead of the 2021 NRL season for a couple of weeks now - and they aren't alone as most clubs hit the training paddock in late November - reminding us all just how little of an off-season there will be before the next NRL campaign.
So to kick-off our 2021 NRL Pre-Season Primers - let us look at what the Dogs have done to their 30 man roster and prognosticate how they'll look come Round 1.
The text version is below with a bonus 30 man depth chart, but you can listen or watch NOT The Footy Show's Podcast version below.
Join Robb Cox and Warrick Nicolson for the first of NOT The Footy Show's 2021 NRL Pre-Season Primers with a preview of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
You can watch on YouTube or listen to the longer version via the Podcast link below.
🔘 Download the mp3 version
🔘 Stream the New Podcast.
🔘 Stream the New Podcast.
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| The new Brains Trust at Belmore. |
Nick Cotric (Outside back) from Canberra.
Kyle Flanagan (Half) from Sydney.
Jack Hetherington (Prop) from Penrith.
Corey Waddell (Backrower) from Manly.
Trent Barrett as Head Coach from Penrith.
From 2022: Matt Burton (Half) from Penrith, may be advanced to 2021 - TBD.
🎙 NTFS SAYS: Get excited Canterbury fans... the new head coach has wasted no time in adding some quality to a roster that desperately needed an injection of talent. Cotric committed before Barrett's appointment was official but in gaining Flanagan, Waddell, Hetherington and now Burton (signed from 2022) - the Bulldogs are finally starting to look like an NRL roster. The first four will all feature in the Top 17 and if they snag Burton for 2021 then the Dogs have some serious building blocks in play from March, which bodes for a much brighter future at Belmore.
2020 ROSTER SUBTRACTIONS:
Kieran Foran, Aiden Tolman, Reimis Smith, Marcelo Montoya, Kerrod Holland, Tim Lafai, Jack Cogger, Sauaso Sue, Isaiah Tass, Sebastian Winters-Chang.
🎙 NTFS SAYS: The key loss is Kieran Foran - who was undoubtedly Canterbury's most influential player in 2020 - but if they've ended up with Flanagan and Burton then not re-signing him was a move worth making. Tolman goes to the Sharks where he'll play less minutes but his time was up at the Dogs as they had to make room for the next batch of props, and Smith regressed badly in 2020 as his move to centre didn't get the best out of him.
2021 DEPTH CHART - 27 of Top 30 spots taken.
(Players are listed maximum of twice but may be able to cover more positions.)
Fullbacks:
Will Hopoate
Jake Averillo
Nick Meaney
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Wingers:
Jayden Okunbor
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Nick Meaney
Tui Katoa
Christian Crichton
Tyrone Harding
Centres:
Will Hopoate
Nick Cotric
Jake Averillo
Tui Katoa
Halves:
Kyle Flanagan
Lachlan Lewis
Jake Averillo
Brandon Wakeham
Backrowers:
Josh Jackson (c)
Adam Elliott
Raymond Faitala-Mariner
Corey Waddell
Matt Doorey*
Dean Britt
Joe Stimson
Chris Smith
James Roumanos
Props:
Dylan Napa
Luke Thompson
Jack Hetherington
Ofahiki Ogden
Renouf Atoni (To'omaga)
Hookers:
Jeremy Marshall-King
Sione Katoa
Matt Doorey (Backrower)
Paul Karaitiana (Half)
Jackson Topine (Backrower)
Kurt Picken (Outside back)
Chris Patolo (Backrower)
Top 17 come Round 1 2021
(Combination of predicted and our view as their Best 17)
- Jake Averillo
- Jayden Okunbor (if fit)
- Nick Cotric
- Will Hopoate
- Nick Meaney
- Lachlan Lewis
- Kyle Flanagan
- Luke Thompson
- Jeremy Marshall-King
- Dylan Napa
- Raymond Faitala-Mariner
- Josh Jackson (c)
- Adam Elliott
Bench - Corey Waddell
- Jack Hetherington
- Ofahiki Ogden
- Sione Katoa/Brandon Wakeham
What is your Top 17 for the Dogs come Round 1?
Post them in the comments below.
