NRL 2021: Inside the rebuilding of Canterbury Bulldogs

Canterbury has reached out to its club legends to help rebuild a crumbling empire into a premiership force.

The family is finally reuniting.

After years of bickering, factions and sparring, Canterbury is re-emerging from rugby league’s darkness. Defective is now effective. The boys are back at Belmore.

Bulldogs chairman John Khoury has outlined how he and his seven-man board have lured some of Canterbury’s most successful players back to the kennel. Khoury is slowly rebuilding and reshaping what had become a crumbling empire.

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In an exclusive interview, Khoury revealed exactly how the Belmore club is emerging from rugby league insignificance.

And in attempting to recapture the club’s once-mighty DNA, Khoury has reached out to the club’s best for guidance, including Steve Mortimer, Terry Lamb, Hazem El Masri, Garry Hughes, Michael Hagan, Greg Brentnall, Steve Gearin, Willie Mason, Robin Thorne, Andrew Farrar, Joe Thomas, Billy Johnstone, Peter Tunks, Graeme Hughes and Phil Gould.

Andrew Farrar and Terry Lamb were part of the Bulldogs’ golden era during the 1980s.

The old dogs are returning to their kennel. And they will be watching a side now capable of playing finals footy. The recruitment of Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai Jr, Brent Naden, Matt Dufty and possibly Paul Vaughan has Bulldogs fans starting to believe again.

New director of football Phil Gould will join former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, the pair acknowledged as having the sharpest brains in rugby league and rugby union.

“We have set Trent Barrett up for success,” Khoury said.

Khoury’s philosophy is simple: unite, show humility, stick solid and leave your ego at the front door.

THE FAMILY IS BACK

They were a grand club through the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s and 2000s but somewhere along the way, Canterbury lost their way. So they are now going back to the future.

“The big thing – and Gus mentioned it – he said ‘let’s try and get as many people back in the tent’,” Khoury said.

“This is something I am proud to reveal – I reached out to some ex-players, some very often. I will call out Steve Mortimer, Garry Hughes, Terry Lamb and Hazem El Masri. Hughes and Phil Young head up our Ambassadors Club. They have been mentors to me.

“I also have had engagements with good people like Michael Hagan and Greg Brentnall. I can also call out some of the newer, younger generation. I have had dialogue with people like Steve Gearin, who was one of my heroes in the 1980 grand final.

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“Then, more recently, Willie Mason. He has been helping Trent, being around the boys and the forwards. Robin Thorne moved back from Queensland and quickly gravitated to me and the Bulldogs because he had good memories here. He has reconnected with us.

“I know Trent is embracing the ex-players. He has relationships with people like Andrew Farrar, Joey Thomas, he is one of our directors, and Billy Johnstone. There’s also people like Peter Tunks and Graeme Hughes. They are around the club and are good Canterbury people.

“The big prize was luring the great Gus Gould back to the club. He was part of a golden era at the club (during the 1980s) and then coached the team to a grand final. With Steve Mortimer, he is everything Canterbury. We love ‘Turvey’, he’s a legend.

“Garry Hughes was not only a former grand final-winning player but he was an administrator during some really good times. I run things past him, I talk to him as a mate about our structures, people, culture, even if I just want to vent. He is someone I love and respect a lot.

“With Terry Lamb and Hazem, I have a friendship with them, we just talk to them about what we could do with our community work and junior league. They are both local boys who are engaged in the local community.”

Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett, CEO Aaron Warburton and chairman John Khoury. Picture: Supplied

THE PLAN

Khoury is a man of honour. And he wants honour returned to his club.

“It’s a big club and you’re only going to be successful if you have as many as possible who are part of that family journey,” Khoury said. “Saying it is one thing but you have to do it.

“That’s why we want to show humility. One thing I pride myself on is if a fan or member wants to call me, they have my number. If they want to meet me, I will go and meet them.

“You’ve got to be really passionate about the club. It’s not a normal club, I get that. But if you make promises and keep them then you will win that trust and goodwill long-term. Words are nice but you have to set clear, realistic goals and then have the staff, coach and players to fulfil that.

“I will acknowledge I’m a young chair (aged 49), I’ve got a young CEO (Aaron Warburton, 37), I’ve got a young coach (Barrett, 43). We are learning very quickly. We are chipping away and we have made some good progress. We’re on the right track.

“I’m learning lots and am not ashamed to admit that. This is a good start but there’s a lot more to do.”

Bulldogs legends Terry Lamb and Hazem El Masri.

THE PACT

Directors Joe Thomas, Peter Mortimer and Adrian Turner joined Khoury in a pact last October – stick together and no short cuts.

“The pact was that we love the club and we would stick solid and build from there. That’s where it all started. I was already there (as chairman) so it would have looked weak for me to walk away,” Khoury said.

“This is a club I love dearly. It’s a big brand and it’s special but we needed to get the foundations in place. And with a good young, talented coach as Trent, there was going to be no shortcuts.

“I emphasised – and we had a commitment with Trent and the board – that we weren’t going to look for short-term fixes that would make us personally popular. This is about becoming a top four club, on and off the field, and any signings we committed to was testament to that.

“Look at the names – Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr, Brent Naden, Matt Dufty and Tevita Pangai. They are all in that mould. In the last 10 days, we have come out of this strongly.”

Tevita Pangai Jr will join the Bulldogs next year. Picture: NRL Photos

HOW WE CHANGED

Khoury and his board drew up a hit-list of issues that needed to be addressed.

“When the change (at board level) happened late October, we focused on quietening down the noise. And even though we were diverse, we wanted to focus on unity and we wanted to set an example for our management, coach, players and staff,” he said.

“We looked at some low-hanging fruits and that meant improving sponsorship, member and fan engagement. We wanted to reconnect with sponsors and our passionate local community. If you have them on your side, it’s a big advantage.

“We also looked at improving key stakeholder engagement – not being scared of the media and working better with the NRL and our peers.

“My focus in the first 30 days was to ring and visit all our sponsors, large and small. That really earnt us a lot of goodwill, that the chair and directors were jumping in their cars and visiting all these sponsors.

“I backed that up by writing to our members and meeting groups of members, whether it was at the Leagues Club or homes, really getting out there and reassuring them of our plan and how we needed them all to be onside for the long game.”

Phil Gould is a key signing for the Bulldogs.

GUS AND HANSEN

Gould and Hansen are two of the biggest hitters in football.

“Gus has the best football brain in rugby league. We have set Trent up for success,” Khoury said. “Where Gus comes into it is his expertise and relationships with everything rugby league, whether it’s player managers, NRL, the media and being able to get the best out of the squad.

“He had that as a coach but also as an administrator. Whether it’s around the Blues camp, the Panthers, Roosters and now with us.

“In terms of Steve Hansen, Trent had a bit to do with him when he left Manly. Steve is a mentor in the areas of culture and leadership for the coach and his staff, even the players, he has had Zoom sessions with them.

“They always say boards shouldn’t get operational. But by being less operational you really need the right people that you trust, and they have to be qualified.

“And I think with Trent Barrett, Steve Hansen and Gus Gould, and Aaron Warburton, our young CEO, who has strengths in corporate partnerships, membership and community, we’ve built the pyramid and can now go and deliver some success.”

Matt Burton is another key recruit for the Bulldogs.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

With injuries, suspensions and a modest playing roster, failure was almost accepted this year. Not next season though when success will be demanded.

“Without making excuses for this year, what hasn’t helped our case has been our key, best players have spent more time on the sideline through injury and suspension,” Khoury said.

“Out of our 29 registered players, Trent was picking at times from 19, 20 available players. That’s not an excuse but it’s a factor that hasn’t helped us.

“The new rules, the speed of the game, look at the number nine. Not having Jeremy Marshall-King there for the majority of the season … look at the number nines in the top three, four sides, they all have quality number nines. That position is now the new halfback of the game.

“If you win on the field, it makes everything else a lot easier and we believe in Trent.”

"It's always been one of our marquee clubs within Sydney and we want to return it to that level."https://t.co/bSXVrQqXLE

— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) July 17, 2021

DIRECT SUPPORT

Could this really be possible? A Bulldogs board which is united?

The seven-man Canterbury board comprises Khoury, Thomas, Mortimer, Turner, Andrew Gifford, Jim Koutsouklakis and Peter McMahon. Leagues club board members Koutsouklakis, Peter Winchester and George Coorey are also closely aligned to the club.

“We are diverse in personality and skills but we are united and there’s no egos in this boardroom. If you live and breathe that then it filters through to the whole club,” Khoury said.

“Whenever I doubted myself I always had my fellow directors saying they were all behind me and to believe in what you’re doing and not to worry about the external pressure.

“People always use the word ‘factions’ in the Bulldogs community but if one thing unites all of us, we all genuinely love the club. I can’t say I will always have success, or always have, but I’m finding the soft touch, the message of unity and showing respect to as many people as possible, have gone a long way.”