As Canterbury find themselves in their highest ladder position since 2016, the Bulldogs can start to entertain the possibility of ending their long drought without a finals appearance.
Let’s delve into the numbers illustrating Canterbury’s recent resurgence, as they reveal quite a compelling narrative.
Currently, the Bulldogs are sitting sixth on the NRL ladder. This might not seem extraordinary to some, but it marks their best standing at the end of a round in eight years. It has also been eight years since they last made it to the finals, a drought only surpassed by the Tigers in terms of the longest current absence from top-eight football.
Since that last finals appearance, the Bulldogs have never finished higher than 11th and even secured a wooden spoon, marking one of the club’s lowest points in decades.
Historically, such struggles were unimaginable for Canterbury. The only other time in their 90-year history they spent so long outside the finals was from 1948 to 1959. This prolonged absence from success feels more like the days of the Berries, as before they adopted the Bulldogs mascot in the late 1970s, they were known for being a formidable force.
While a premiership might still be a bit distant for Cameron Ciraldo’s squad, the signs of promise are unmistakable.
The State of Origin series often disrupts club competitions, but if Canterbury manages to upset the Roosters in Gosford on Saturday, their aspirations will get a significant boost. Despite missing their captain Stephen Crichton, who is on Blues duty, and star players Viliame Kikau, Josh Addo-Carr, and Jacob Preston due to injuries, the Bulldogs’ recent form is encouraging.
The Bulldogs have won six of their last eight games, including a remarkable three consecutive victories, capped by an unexpected win over Parramatta on the King’s Birthday Holiday.
“Whatever adversity comes our way, we’re walking towards it,” said star outside back Jacob Kiraz. “Last year was the first year Cirro came and we were all learning the system, which was a bit hard but this year we have it all under our belts. The recruits have been amazing, they’re so professional and they’re all winners.”
Kiraz, who only made his NRL debut two years ago, is now one of the longest-serving players at the club due to the significant roster changes in recent years. Over the summer, much was discussed about the club’s personnel changes — only Chris Patolo remains from the squad that finished with the wooden spoon in 2021. However, the new recruits at Belmore have quickly gelled this year.
Crichton’s leadership at center has been a significant talking point, with Kiraz crediting his captain for adding versatility and confidence to his game, which is spreading throughout the squad. With seven wins so far, the Bulldogs have already matched their total from last season, and while there’s still a lot of work ahead, the team is beginning to set higher goals.
“It’s good to win because it’s been a tough couple of years,” Kiraz said. “We know we’re going to go out there and play our game, we know how we play, we know the boys we have, we know we’re not going to get rolled over by teams anymore. That’s who we are. It’s a good feeling at the moment, but we know where we can go and this is just the start.”
If they manage to defeat the Roosters, the Bulldogs could potentially finish the round inside the top four, significantly boosting their finals ambitions.
This won’t be an easy task, as even without their three Origin players, the Roosters still have one of the strongest squads in the league and have been in excellent attacking form recently. However, the Bulldogs believe they have rediscovered something essential to their club’s identity that had been missing for a while.
During their win over the Eels, they lost four players to injury and had several tries disallowed but still managed to secure the victory in front of over 45,000 enthusiastic supporters. It felt like the beginning of a new chapter for the club.
Even Terry Lamb, perhaps the club’s greatest-ever player, acknowledged the team’s gritty performance. “He said that was one of the grittiest wins he’s ever witnessed. Hearing that from him is amazing,” Kiraz said. “It gees us up a bit because when he played they were winning heaps and winning premierships. It’s up to us now. We know the way we want to play, just keep playing that way. We back ourselves heaps and the Parra game wasn’t perfect, we made it hard for ourselves. But as long as we keep scrambling and saving each other’s arses — we don’t want to tackle all the time, but as long as we play our way we give ourselves a chance to win.”
In summary, the Bulldogs’ recent performances have reignited hope and confidence within the club and among their supporters. As they aim higher and continue to build on their current form, the dream of breaking their finals drought is becoming increasingly tangible.
