Bulldogs pact: ‘We owe it to the fans to be better’ says winger Reimis Smith

YOUNG winger Reimis Smith has revealed to The Saturday Telegraph that the Bulldogs players have made a pact to end the season on a high after months of turmoil.

Reimis Smith says the Bulldogs are focused on a big finish. Picture: Richard Dobson

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FOR Canterbury players “enough was enough”.

They couldn’t control what was happening off the field with regards to the club’s salary cap woes — but they could control what would happen on it.

Young winger Reimis Smith revealed to The Saturday Telegraph the Bulldogs players had made a pact to end the season on a high after months of turmoil. And it started with last week’s 36-16 win over Newcastle, breaking a four-game losing streak.

“Last week we just told each other we have to go out there and just play some footy,” he said.

Reimis Smith says the Bulldogs are focused on a big finish. Picture: Richard Dobson

“Forget about what’s going on in the background, forget about that all that stuff, enough is enough. Let’s give the fans of this proud club what they deserve.”

He said the team were “embarrassed” by their dismal performance against the Gold Coast at Belmore two weeks ago. Their 32-10 loss against the Titans was the heaviest loss of the season and Smith says it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“What happened last time was pretty embarrassing. We’ve touched on it, we have, but we also want to leave it in the past. We spoke about it and what went wrong and we’re confident it won’t happen again,” he said.

“We owe it to the fans to be better and I have belief in my teammates that we can get the job done this week.”

Downcast Bulldogs players during their heavy loss to the Gold Coast Titans. Picture: AAP

The Bulldogs return to their spiritual home at Belmore to face Canberra and the flyer is expecting the Raiders to lift for the occasion, especially after they were run down by the Broncos late in the second half last week.

“They’re going to be fired up obviously after the way they lost,” he said.

“They would know coming to Belmore they are in for a tough game so I think they will be ready to go and will want to do anything to win. But we have to have the same mentality and we’ve got to want it more.”

Smith, who is lining up for only his third game this year, was one of the Bulldogs’ best last week, setting up two tries and scoring one of his own.

He’ll go head-to-head with Nick Cotric out on the edge and he says he is up to challenge of shutting down the Raiders flyer.

Reimis Smith says he can stop Raiders try machine Nick Cotric. Picture: AAP

“Nick Cotric has been killing it, he’s strong and tough and if I can shut him down and keep him away from the ball I think that will play a big part with us winning,” Smith said.

Young gun Lachlan Lewis, who made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs against the Knights, has retained his spot in the halves.

The Raiders product says he holds no hard feelings despite being forced to leave Canberra to find another opportunity with his path to the top grade blocked by the likes of Aiden Sezer and Blake Austin.

“At the end of the day it is a business so you need to find where you fit into things. In Canberra I chose to release because they were well-established halves and I needed an opportunity,” Lewis said.

“I’m grateful the club has given me the chance to show what I have and to develop my game.”

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Originally published as Bulldogs pact: ‘We owe it to the fans to be better’ says winger Reimis Smith