Our Journalists

Dean “Bulldog’” Ritchie has covered rugby league at The Daily Telegraph, and now CODE Sports as well, for 33 years. From the Super League war to NRL grand finals, State of Origin clashes and World Cups, Bulldog has written about the biggest issues in the game and broken many of the most important stories.

@BulldogRitchie

Dean Ritchie

Latest

NRL

Cowboy's Johnathan Thurston chip kick during the 2015 NRL Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Thurston’s six-leg, 500,000/1 footy miracle

THE likelihood of Johnathan Thurston pulling off rugby league’s six-leg miracle run are the same as an NRL fan’s chances of dying from an asteroid strike.

NRL

Former boxer and rugby league player John Hopoate will resurrect his boxing career with some fights on the Gold Coast this year. Picture: Brendan Radke.

Red-faced NRL overruled Hopoate ban

THE NRL has been left red-faced after banning Manly’s John Hopoate from coaching — only to be overruled by the NSWRL.

Sea Eagles

Nate Myles during the Manly rugby league team new sponsor announcement and 70 year celebration at Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

Myles excited for Manly move

NATE Myles can remember the days when Manly had one of rugby league’s fiercest forward packs and the veteran says he’s ready to lead a Sea Eagles revival.

NRL

Phil Gould, announces Anthony Griffin as the new Penrith Coach at Pepper Stadium, Penrith. pic Mark Evans

Cleary sacking ‘a shock’ to Panther directors

PHIL Gould’s controversial sacking of Ivan Cleary has taken another twist after it was revealed he did so without informing the board of directors.

Panthers

‘I think we burned him out’

PHIL Gould remains adamant now was the right time for Ivan Cleary to “take a step back, grab a breath of fresh air and get ready for the next part of his career”.

Tigers

NRL player Matthew Lodge arrives at his hotel with his dad, who made a mercy dash to New York to cough up bail worth approximately $27,000 AUD.

Sheepish Lodge snapped at NY hotel

SACKED NRL player Matthew Lodge has spoken for the first time since being arrested in New York on Friday night. He was released from jail after his father rushed to the US and posted $69k bail.

Cowboys

The moment footy gods smiled on Cowboys

IT’S the grand final-winning field goal rugby league greats have described as a “miracle’’ Johnathan Thurston “should have missed – but didn’t”.

Nth Beaches

Avid fan Father Jack Robson is praying for a miracle for Many to make the NRL finals series. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

Bless this fine flock, pray the faithful

THIS IS Father Jack Robson, the Sea Eagles fanatic praying for a Manly miracle this weekend.

Blues

Daly Cherry-Evans. The Queensland State of Origin side training at Punt Road Oval in Melbourne. Pic Peter Wallis

12 frames to give DCE sleepless nights

RYAN Hoffman has been tasked with tormenting Daly Cherry-Evans, a tactic that proved a masterstroke last year as these 12 images show.

NRL

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 03: Daly Cherry-Evans of the Sea Eagles shakes hands with chariman Scott Penn during a Manly Sea Eagles NRL press conference at Sydney Academy of Sport on June 3, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. Cherry-Evans has signed a life-time NRL deal with the Manly Sea Eagles after reneging on a contract with the Gold Coast Titans. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Manly’s monster deal to make DCE a $10m man

IT is the longest single contract in rugby league’s 107-year history and was the final move that allowed Manly to trump Gold Coast in the battle for Daly Cherry-Evans.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/journalists/dean-ritchie/page/155