The Tackle: Are the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in for a bout of ‘second year’ syndrome?

Canterbury’s disappointing performance against Brisbane has alarm bells ringing for passionate Bulldogs fans, but they should be ringing for coach Cameron Ciraldo too ahead of a tricky round 1 clash.

Canterbury’s sub-par performance has alarm bells ringing for Bulldogs fans ahead of Round 1 but they should be ringing for coach Cameron Ciraldo.

The Bulldogs were the surprise packet of 2024 and were primed to prove that the club’s return to finals footy after eight years wasn’t an aberration.

Instead, the Bulldogs dished up a performance against Brisbane that looked like they could be in for a bout of second-year syndrome.

It’s left Bulldogs fans fearing their round 1 opponent and fierce rivals St George Illawarra – the side that has been installed as an early wooden spoon favourite.

Matt Burton struggled to take control of the game. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Play like that and we’re definitely gonna cop a hiding against the Dragons,” one fan said.

Another warned: “We better not rock up to round 1 like this … I saw no set plays and defence was lazy.”

While most were grateful Saturday’s performance was a pre-season game.

“Only a trial. Only a trial. Only a trial,” Adam insisted.

Ciraldo was missing metre-eater Jacob Kiraz and forward recruit Sitili Tupouniua but still rolled out his best available 17, the side likely to be rolled out against the Dragons.

Yet instead of showing the improvements Canterbury have made over the summer, the Bulldogs left their fans taking the worst kind of trip down memory lane.

One disappointed Bulldogs fan put it best.

“Woke up in 2021 today,” Liam Cleaver said on social media after the Broncos loss.

That’s because it took the Bulldogs 20 minutes into the second half, against a mostly second-string Broncos outfit, to crack Brisbane’s defence – with a try that came from some individual brilliance from backrower Jacob Preston.

Both halves, Matt Burton and Toby Sexton, struggled to take control of the game.

What would have worried Ciraldo most was some of the poor one-on-one attempts in defence – an area that the coach prides himself on.

It’s said you can’t read too much into trial form and there is a truth in that but even Ciraldo what his side dished up wasn’t “Bulldogs football”.

The Dragons look like a vastly improved outfit on last season and will be looking to make their neighbouring rival, the Bulldogs, a big Round 1 scalp.

After Saturday’s trials, the Dragons should go into the season opener as favourites but only a Bulldogs win will calm the nerves of Canterbury fans.

Originally published as The Tackle: Are the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in for a bout of ‘second year’ syndrome?