Kerrod Holland on mission to silence armchair critics

Many claim Bulldogs winger-come-centre Kerrod Holland was lucky to survive Dean Pay’s cull in response to the Bulldogs’ horror season start, but the man himself was surprised by the calls.

Kerrod Holland was surprised by calls for his axing. Picture: Phil Walter

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Kerrod Holland is on a mission to prove the armchair critics wrong.

“Are they saying I am getting axed?’’ Holland said.

“Geez that is a hard call.’’

Many claim the Bulldogs winger-come-centre was lucky to survive Dean Pay’s cull in response to the Bulldogs’ horror season start.

With the Bulldogs conceding 76 points in two first-up floggings, Marcelo Montoya, Ray Faitala-Mariner, Christian Crichton, Danny Fualalo and Sauaso Sue were all dumped to the Canterbury Cup.

Kerrod Holland was surprised by calls for his axing. Picture: Phil Walter

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Many said Holland should have been dumped too.

“There is no spot cemented in the team when you are not winning,’’ Holland said.

“Everyone is on the chopping block but I am trying to play good consistent football and aiming to stay here. I want to be playing first grade week in-and-week-out. I want to cement this spot.’’

After making his Bulldogs debut on the wing in 2016, Holland is attempting to win a permanent spot in the Canterbury three-quarter line. He this week beat Montoya to a starting spot after William Hopoate was switched from fullback to give Nick Meaney his Bulldogs debut.

Holland says he’ll improve with his edge switch. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“I’d rather play centre than wing,’’ Holland said.

“I have played more centre than wing in my career. The biggest adjustment for me is moving from the right side to the left. I am still working on the combination both inside and outside in both defence and attack. It is something that will come.’’

The Bulldogs are trying to distance themselves from the dire predictions that have been made after their diabolic start.

Now short odds to win the wooden spoon, the Bulldogs have been accused of fielding a reserve grade standard side.

“We would like to be 2-and-0 but we are not,’’ Holland said.

“Like any professional sportsman I hate to lose. It is no fun being 0-and-2.’’

Some have also predicted the Bulldogs might not win a match until they play the also struggling Sea Eagles in round 10.

“It is one of the toughest competitions in the world,’’ Holland said.

“There are no easy games. I don’t think it is that far off. We started really well against the Eels and we were leading the game. We conceded a couple of tries of mistakes and just let them back into the game. If you give any side ball like that they can score tries on you.’’

Holland said he and his teammates were hopeful of ending the talk by upsetting the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Sunday.

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“We aren’t going into any game thinking we are just trying to get through the 80-minutes,’’ Holland said.

“We are going out there to win. We just need to capitalise on the things we build because we didn’t do that after the first 30 minutes against Parramatta. We are lucky that we get a chance on Sunday to make up for that. We must do the things we didn’t do in that game and we might get our first win.’’

Originally published as Kerrod Holland on mission to silence armchair critics