NRL 2021: Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett is only one shutout off the worst record in rugby league history

With the likes of Phil Gould, Josh Addo-Carr and Matt Burton on the way, the Bulldogs are full of promise. But right now, well, they aren’t just bad, they are nearly historically bad.

Canterbury coach Trent Barrett sits just one more blank scoreboard from rugby league infamy, with his Bulldogs now staring down the worst run of shutouts in the game’s history.

Currently limping towards what will almost certainly be the 2021 NRL wooden spoon, Barrett’s side has been kept scoreless in four separate games this year – against Penrith, Brisbane, South Sydney and Manly.

According to the Fox Sports Laboratory, no side has been held to zero five times.

Not Annandale, not Newtown, not even the Bad News Bears.

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It’s been a dog of a season for Canterbury.

Worryingly, Canterbury would already have the unwanted record had centre Aaron Schoupp not scored the team’s only try against Penrith in Round 12 with under 60 seconds to play.

Then against Gold Coast a fortnight ago, it was Bulldogs utility Bailey Biondi-Odo who crossed for his side’s only try with just eight minutes to play to again save them from that most unwanted place in the code’s history books.

So with a month of competition still to play out, can the Doggies hang on?

Undoubtedly, Canterbury’s horror year certainly cannot be lumped on Barrett alone.

Importantly, the club has also made several key signings which — apart from snaring Phil Gould as General Manager of Football — will ensure season 2022 boasts names like of Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai jnr, Paul Vaughan, Matt Dufty, Brent Naden and Josh Addo-Carr.

Yet right now?

Trent Barrett has only overseen two wins this season.

Unfortunately for Bulldogs fans, this current mob is a chance of becoming the worst NRL era outfit not named the 2016 Newcastle Knights.

Five years ago, the Knights went through their year with just one win and a draw.

The Bulldogs, with four rounds to play, boast only two wins.

On the list of worst-performed NRL teams, it leaves them second - slumped lower than even the 1999 Western Suburbs Magpies, who conceded a whopping 944 points in what would be the club’s last year.

Coached by the late, great Tommy Raudonikis, the Magpies still managed three wins that year.

According to Fox Sports statisticians, Canterbury have also lost by 20 points or more in 11 games this year.

Bailey Biondi-Odo saved the Bulldogs from humiliation against the Titans recently.

Again, only three teams in history have done worse.

Both Raudonikis’s Magpies and 1982 Canberra Raiders conceded more than 20 points 15 times.

The 2016 Knights sit third on the list, with 12.

So what chance Canterbury now get kept to another shut out as they edge closer to what now seems an inevitable wooden spoon?

While the Dogs do have a reasonably favourable run to the finish, they are currently so understrength Barrett has had to borrow Canberra pairing Ryan James and Corey Horsburgh on emergency loan deals.

With props Luke Thompson, Jack Hetherington and Dylan Napa all suspended, Barrett sent out the SOS to ensure he has enough forwards for Sunday’s clash against the Warriors.

The 2016 Knights won only only game.

The Bulldogs then face Newcastle and the Manly Sea Eagles, the latter of whom kept them scoreless in that unforgettable 66-0 thumping back in Round 16.

They then finish the year against Wests Tigers.

Currently, the Dogs sit among six teams who have been kept scoreless four times in a year.

The others are Annandale (1920), Parramatta (1974), Newtown (1982), North Sydney (1989) and Cronulla (2014).

Incredibly, three of those had come in the opening month of football, with the side kept to nil against Penrith (Round 2), Brisbane (Round 3) and South Sydney (Round 4).

Originally published as NRL 2021: Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett is only one shutout off the worst record in rugby league history