NRL 2024: 11 reasons why Canterbury Bulldogs can win the premiership, and the banana peel that can derail their title tilt
The Bulldogs are finals bound for the first time since 2016 and are a genuine dark horse to win the premiership. Here are 11 reasons they can go all the way … and one banana peel that can derail their title tilt.
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Canterbury prop Max King knows a thing or two about being written off.
He experienced the naysayers during his time at Melbourne, when critics, year after year predicted the Storm’s demise. Like after superstar fullback Billy Slater retired or when general Cooper Cronk defected to the Sydney Roosters.
Despite the player turnover at Melbourne, which also included Cameron Smith’s retirement in 2021 and the loss of experienced forwards Jesse Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi, the Storm remained a genuine title threat.
King credits one trait for Melbourne’s ability to remain competitive – hard work.
The front-rower, who joined Canterbury in 2022, sees that same characteristic at the Bulldogs. It’s reason why he believes Canterbury cannot only lift the title in 2024 but emerge as a premiership powerhouse.
“One thing they valued at Melbourne was hard workers and Ciro (Coach Cameron Ciraldo) values that as well,” King said.
“Melbourne are a team you write off every year, and they lose one or two key players and they are always at the top. They’ve just won the minor premiership.
“I’d like to think that’s the trajectory we’re on. In five years time, hopefully we are saying the same thing about the Bulldogs.”
With the Bulldogs finals bound for the first time since 2016, Fatima Kdouh reveals the 11 reasons why Canterbury can win the premiership this season … and the banana peel that can derail the Belmore club’s finals series.
1. STEPHEN CRICHTON – FEARLESS LEADER
Skipper Stephen Crichton is the NRL’s buy of the year and the club’s most important signing in a decade.
The Bulldogs are splashing out $800,000 per season for Crichton, and the club already has a great return on that investment.
His leadership, professionalism and ability to come up with the big game-breaking play will be invaluable to the Bulldogs during the finals series.
A three-time premiership winner, Crichton’s finals experience at Penrith will be crucial to helping the side navigate unfamiliar territory.
2. DEFENSIVE WALL
Canterbury, who had the worst defence in 2023, are conceding just 16 points per game this season, overtaking Penrith as the best defensive side in the NRL.
Reigning premiers Penrith finished the last four regular seasons as the best defensive team in the competition, going on to make the grand final each year.
If Canterbury continue on the same track, a grand final appearance is all but certain, based on recent defensive stats.
The Bulldogs are also having their best season defensively since 2012 (14.9 PPG), the same year they lost the grand final to Melbourne.
The side’s defensive wall has been built on unyielding effort and the commitment in scramble defence.
3. SECRET WEAPON – JASON TAYLOR
While Ciraldo has rightly earned the accolades for rebuilding the side’ defence, his secret weapon in attack has been assistant coach Jason Taylor, who was appointed in late 2023. Canterbury’s attack struggled to find any rhythm or potency early and the side was only averaging 20 points per match in the first 17 games of the season.
Concerned the attack could not challenge the best sides in the competition, Taylor held a truth session, giving a licence to halves Toby Sexton and Matt Burton to shift the ball, which helped unlock Canterbury’s strike on the edges.
Since that meeting, the Bulldogs are averaging 31 points per game and it has coincided with a five-match winning streak.
It also has the Bulldogs headed for their best attacking season since 2012.
4. GAME STYLE – AGILITY AND GRIND
The Bulldogs have two very distinct traits about their game – grind and agility.
The lack of size in the forward pack was criticised heavily in the pre-season. But instead of being a detriment, it has proven to be an invaluable asset.
It’s given the Bulldogs agility and the ability to move bigger sides, and packs, around the park. It’s played a crucial role in line speed too, which has been vital in transforming the side’s defence.
That agility also means Ciraldo’s men are fit and conditioned and cannot only get into the grind but stay in it.
They are traits not too dissimilar to reigning, three-time premiers Penrith.
5. PURPOSE – FANS AND COMMUNITY
Halfback Sexton revealed the side has an even bigger motivation than being written off – the club’s party mad fans, who are shutting down streets in Belmore to celebrate with each win their drums, chants, flags and car horns into the night.
The players have seen the videos and feel the impact, and joy, they are bringing into the southwestern Sydney community.
“I’ve seen anything like it before,” Sexton said.
“We have the most passionate fans in the game. The last three games, we’ve had away games and we’ve been seeing videos after the game of them closing down the streets in Belmore.
“One of our main goals is to inspire our community. I feel like we are doing that at the moment.”
There is also enough passion, and madness, in the community to inspire the Bulldogs all the way to a title this year.
6. RECORD CONSPIRACY
It’s the record that was dubbed a ‘viral conspiracy’ that is now on the verge of becoming a reality.
In the past five decades, the Bulldogs have made the grand final in each year that has ended in a four – 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004 and 2014.
The club were premiers in two of those years – 1984 and 2004.
By that track record, the Bulldogs are poised for a title in 2024.
Not to fuel the conspiracy, but the magic number ‘four’ just also happens to be the jersey number of inspirational skipper Crichton.
The stars feel like they are aligning the rugby league universe for Canterbury.
7. THE BUY-IN
Ciraldo’s rebuild has been as much about a winning culture, as it has been about the roster.
The coach knows winning begins with hard work and he has done a commendable job in re-installing a strong work ethic into the side.
Most importantly Ciraldo has the buy-in from his troops.
“I feel like the biggest method to the madness is just good people that work hard, and you see that,” King said.
“And so the results are coming, and credit to Ciro and the coaching staff are sort of sticking to their guns.”
8. ROSTER DEPTH
Nothing tests a coach’s structures and systems than the ability of players to step up from the lower grades.
NSW Cup winger Jeral Skelton has passed every NRL test with flying colours when called up. He’s been promoted to face Manly on Friday night with Crichton suspended. In his three NRL games, Skelton has two tries, three linebreaks and averaged 222 metres a game. When starting prop King was ruled out for six weeks with a hand injury, Josh Curran stepped up.
Lock Kurt Mann has been ruled out for the season but Ciraldo has multiple options in the middle including Curran, Jaeman Salmon and Bailey Hayward.
Ciraldo’s pre-season recruitment spree had plenty of doubters. But the additions, and versatility, of Curran, Salmon, Mann, Drew Hutchison and Connor Tracey have given the coach crucial cover across multiple positions.
9. BULLDOGS’ BELIEF
Ciraldo has his troops believing they can defy all odds and win the title.
“We’re not here speaking about being bounced out after one week in the semi finals,” King said.
“We’re aiming to go to the grand final and win it. We’ve won five in a row but the belief we can win started well before that.”
10. APPRENTICE TURNED MASTER IN COMMANDER
As Ivan Cleary’s assistant when Penrith went back to back in 2021 and 2022, Ciraldo has an invaluable insight on what it takes to manage a side through the finals series.
Ciraldo’s time in Cleary’s coaching box will be Canterbury’s most important asset in September and hopefully October.
And the coach has shown he can put into practice everything he learned under Cleary during his time at Penrith.
11. PREMIERSHIP PEDIGREE
Only half of the top-17 has played a finals match and the club hasn’t featured in a finals series since 2016.
Ciraldo has the premiership pedigree needed to get the job done.
Josh Addo-Carr, Crichton, Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney, Matt Burton and Salmon have played in 13 grand finals between them before joining the Belmore club – and hooker Mahoney is the only player from that group who hasn’t won a competition.
The premiership pedigree, and big game know-how, will give Canterbury an edge when it matters most.
THE BANANA PEEL
No side has finished outside of the top four and gone on to win the title in 29 years. Canterbury are likely to end the regular season in fifth spot, pitting them against a piece of rugby league history that has stood the test of time.
But that isn’t Ciraldo’s only worry heading into the finals series.
The Bulldogs are only one from four matches in games against the three sides widely tipped as the hot favourites for the title in 2024 – Melbourne, Penrith and the Sydney Roosters.
The reality is that the likes of the Storm, Panthers and Roosters are still a class above Canterbury.
And while the side boasts a number of premiership winners, being overawed by the biggest occasion is a serious concern. Penrith were overawed in 2020, like Parramatta where in the 2022 grand final.
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Originally published as NRL 2024: 11 reasons why Canterbury Bulldogs can win the premiership, and the banana peel that can derail their title tilt
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