Bulldogs player walks out on NRL club after brutal punishment at training

A player from the Canterbury Bulldogs has reportedly walked out after being forced to wrestle a dozen teammates because he arrived late.

A Bulldogs player reportedly walked out after being "punished" at training. There is no suggestion the player is pictured. Pictures: Getty

The Bulldogs are reportedly privately defending their treatment of a player who walked out on the NRL club after being forced to wrestle a dozen teammates as punishment for arriving late to training.

The player, who has not been named because of sensitivity around his mental welfare, became “distraught” according to The Daily Telegraph and has vowed never to return to the club despite being contracted for next season.

He was described by the Sydney Morning Herald as a “fringe first grader”.

Detail about the training incident, which the SMH reported is a “common practice at NRL clubs” and occurred last month, was texted to several media outlets on Tuesday night.

The Rugby League Players Association and the Bulldogs are both investigating the situation, which club chief executive Aaron Warburton described as “very sensitive”.

RLPA CEO Clint Newton told The Daily Telegraph “matters of this nature are incredibly private”.

“The RLPA is aware of a matter and we will continue working with the player and his representatives to address it. Once we have completed that process, we will then contact club officials,” he said.

The SMH reported the player asked for time off for “personal reasons” in the wake of the end-of-training ordeal and hasn’t returned to the club. His contract is still being paid.

The Daily Telegraph reported another player was “late the following week and endured the same punishment.

The revelations add to the intensity of the spotlight being placed on the club.

There are concerns a roster “clean-out” may be needed at the Bulldogs amid suggestions several players have complained about head coach Cameron Ciraldo’s training demands.

A report from the SMH this week revealed a text message had been sent around claiming up to eight players had voiced concerns about the workload and specifically being available to train from 8am to 5.30pm.

Speaking on Fox League’s NRL 360 on Tuesday night, former Bulldogs premiership winner Braith Anasta said he too had heard Ciraldo is not impressed with some of the players.

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo. Picture: NRL Photos

“We’re hearing that players are complaining about training. I’m hearing the coach isn’t happy with a lot of the players there,” Anasta said.

“I’m hearing there are a few players there that are having an influence on those guys [potential recruits] and telling them the training is too hard … and I think that’s embarrassing.”

A major roster clean-out would be hard to imagine at this point given the number of players that have already departed the club in the last few years as part of its recent rebuild.

Although as The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio pointed out, the Broncos faced a similar issue a few seasons ago, which in turn forced coach Kevin Walters to make some tough calls.

“Two pre-seasons ago it happened at the Broncos and what had to happen there? The coach stuck to his guns, stuck to his processes and knew what roster he wanted and look at the Broncos now,” Riccio said.

Brisbane great Gorden Tallis said while he hasn’t always been a part of high-performing teams, there has been one core ingredient in any successful squad he has been involved in — one lacking at the Bulldogs right now.

“When we did win we were the hardest-working team in the competition,” Tallis said. “And then when he’s [Ciraldo] trying to train them hard they’re whingeing.”

That is not the only headache facing Bulldogs coach Ciraldo in the upcoming pre-season though, with question marks over a few of their signings for the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs have some more new faces joining the squad next year, headlined by premiership-winning centre Stephen Crichton and versatile duo Jaeman Salmon and Blake Taaffe.

Veteran rugby league journalist Paul Crawley though questioned whether the latter two signings are more than interchange players for a Bulldogs side in desperate need of a spark.

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould. Picture: Julian Andrews

“It seems to me they’re building a team of interchange players in some respects,” Crawley said.

“That’s no disrespect to those guys but the positions they’re playing at their teams, that’s what they’re doing.”

Riccio said any chance of a player clean-out was complicated by the lack of genuine options to bring in at this point.

He did though add that there are question marks over two of the team’s biggest recent additions — Reed Mahoney and Matt Burton — that need to be considered in any roster calls.

“I’m seeing a different Reed Mahoney,” Riccio said.

‘Let’s think of the Parramatta Reed Mahoney; it was an all-effort dummy-half. Everything was effort-based. All I’m seeing is a dummy-half trying to come up with a play, trying to come up with an attacking set. He’s going away from what made Reed Mahoney special.

“Is Matt Burton a five-eighth? I think that’s worth a genuine discussion.”

Unless the Bulldogs defeat the Titans this week they will finish 2023 with just as many wins as they had in 2022, sitting in 15th place only ahead of the lowly Dragons and Tigers.

Although according to Crawley, the way the Bulldogs have finished this season in comparison makes them the competition’s most out-of-form team heading into 2023.

“Look at the turnaround in the Dragons,” Crawley said.

“There was obviously disharmony and they obviously weren’t happy when Griffin was there and it’s changed with Ryan Carr. He’s unlocked that team and suddenly they’re playing with spirit and even though the Dragons aren’t winning, they’re playing with spirit.

“The Tigers are the same. It’s a coach’s job to create an environment where the players want to play. That’s what makes a head coach.”

– with foxsports.com.au