‘Bulletproof vest’: Gould’s move to ‘take some shots’ for coach after ugly Dogs ‘capitulation’

Braith Anasta believes Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould “took some shots” in the short term — but the former star is still deeply concerned by what he’s seeing at his former club.

04/07/23. The Daily Telegraph. Sport. Belmore, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Pictures of Phil Gould, General Manager of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, taken at the press conference he gave this morning at Belmore Sports Ground following the teamÕs 66-0 thrashing at the weekend. Picture: Julian Andrews

Rugby league legend Braith Anasta believes Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould “took some shots” to take pressure off rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo after their 66-0 embarrassment in Round 18.

Gould made a shock admission following the game, explaining he told Ciraldo to join the club in 2024 because the Bulldogs “weren’t ready for him”.

However, Ciraldo insisted he wanted to be a part of the rebuild, leaving Ivan Cleary’s Panthers coaching team to join the Belmore-based club.

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While the Bulldogs have made several high-profile signings - including Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton and Reed Mahoney - they are currently languishing in 15th place.

“It was a part of the conversation, he could have easily stayed at Penrith and won another premiership,” Gould told reporters on Tuesday.

“He was ready for an NRL job, but I said we probably weren’t ready for him as a starting point and maybe next year we’d be in better shape.

“But he wanted to get into the fight, he said ‘if I am going to come I am going to be a part of the rebuild as well’.

“I’ve known him a long time and that’s the sort of bloke he is. I wasn’t saying don’t come, I was sort of saying you might be ready for us, but we might not be ready for you yet.

Gould frontst the media. Picture: Julian Andrews

“It was always a tough ask, particularly as his first job as a head coach but he’s handling it really well.”

Anasta explained that Gould fronted the media to “take the heat off” Ciraldo after his side were flogged by the Knights.

“I believe today Gus just put the bulletproof vest on, took some shots and gave Ciraldo some time,” Anasta said.

“He is just trying to take the onus and take it off Cameron.”

“I’ve spoken to Ciraldo, it’s fact. Gus said ‘you don’t have to come this year’, but Ciraldo is that sort of character where he wants to turn the wheel slowly and now,” The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio added.

Anasta, who played 110 games for the Canterbury club, believes the Bulldogs have lost their identity and labelled Ciraldo’s side defence “pathetic”.

“It’s not the Bulldogs way, they’ve lost their DNA. You just want to see that toughness, that tenaciousness,” Anasta said.

“They’ve lost it, this is my point. You watch a 66-0 and the attempts of tackling were pathetic.

“You question, ‘hang on, are we really creating a dynasty?’.

Ciraldo insisted on joining the Bulldogs this season. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

“Have we got values and systems in place where regardless of who has that jersey on they are playing with pride and they want to win that game? I saw none of that.”

“I don’t think there’s anyone out there who thinks Cameron Ciraldo’s position is under pressure, but what we did watch was a team who capitulate,” The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley added.

“Defence is attitude, this season they have conceded the most points of any team. To get beaten by a team who is running 14th on the ladder 66-0 is an embarrassment any way you look at it.”

But for league legend Gorden Tallis, Bulldogs fans have every right to be frustrated.

He pointed to the Broncos who won the wooden spoon in 2020 but are now flying high at the top-end of the ladder in 2023.

Tallis believes the Bulldogs rebuild should be happening at a faster rate, especially considering the players who have been recruited to arrive in Belmore.

“You’ve got to be frustrated, Brisbane got the wooden spoon and look at them in three years? They turned it around quickly,” Tallis said.

“You can turn it around quickly and it is sustainable in Brisbane, you’d think.”

Originally published as ‘Bulletproof vest’: Gould’s move to ‘take some shots’ for coach after ugly Dogs ‘capitulation’