Monday Buzz: Canterbury Bulldogs feeling absence of Tevita Pangai Junior in forward pack on eve of finals
Has the Canterbury Bulldogs bubble burst? Their disappointing loss to the Cowboys exposed their lack of middle field oomph, which is why now more than ever they’re missing a former Dog, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.
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Has the Canterbury Bulldogs bubble burst?
It’s the question all rugby league fans are asking after Saturday night’s disappointing loss to the Cowboys at Accor Stadium.
The best defensive side in the competition has now conceded 78 points in two weeks on the eve of the finals.
Their premiership odds on the TAB have blown from $10 to $26 in a fortnight.
Sure, they missed five-eighth Matt Burton, centre Bronson Xerri and winger Josh Addo-Carr. No doubt about it.
However, there is one player they are missing more than anyone else.
His name is Tevita Pangai Jr.
Last year, coach Cameron Ciraldo and general manager of football Phil Gould allowed Pangai Jr to walk away from the final year of his contract.
The barnstorming front-rower was not happy with life in Sydney.
‘Gus’ said at the time: “He has our blessing to go wherever he likes.”
Pangai Jr went to the Dolphins via a short stint in boxing.
What the Canterbury Bulldogs are missing right now, which we suspected they would at the beginning of the season, is middle-field grunt.
Max King, Sam Hughes and Josh Curran have been their mainstay middles this year.
None of them made more than 81 metres against the Cowboys, which is probably attributable to their shocking completion rate.
The three of them are willing workhorses and have done an outstanding job all year.
However this time of the year you need big, heavyweight forwards to win big matches.
You can have all the heart in the world but you need size to play a power game.
You don’t win in September without middle-field momentum and dominance. Look at the leading contenders this year.
The Panthers have James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota, who are finals specialists.
The Roosters have Lindsay Collins, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Spencer Leniu.
Look at the Storm … big Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Origin prop Christian Welch and Tui Kamikamica, who is a beast.
Now this column isn’t a criticism of the Bulldogs and their recruitment methods.
They could have stuck solid – like St George Illawarra did with Ben Hunt – and insisted Pangai Jr stay at Belmore to fulfil his contract.
However, under that scenario, the salary cap pressure was too much.
They needed his money elsewhere to build the side that has been the NRL’s success story of the season.
So back to the original question. Has the bubble burst? Or did they peak too early?
As much as their form has been down in the last fortnight, it would take a brave man to suggest they can’t beat Manly next weekend.
They have proved us wrong all season – and might just do it again.
Originally published as Monday Buzz: Canterbury Bulldogs feeling absence of Tevita Pangai Junior in forward pack on eve of finals
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