Phil Gould reportedly runs Bulldogs training after delivering fierce spray

The crisis at Belmore continues to deepen, with reports suggesting that Phil Gould has decided to take matters into his own hands.

The Belmore crisis continues to deepen.

The Canterbury Bulldogs, who are reeling at the bottom of the NRL ladder after seven rounds, will be without their captain for Saturday’s game against the Sydney Roosters.

Josh Jackson tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, and will miss the Round 8 fixture at Accor Stadium.

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“Jackson tested himself at home on a day off after feeling unwell,” the Bulldogs confirmed in a statement.

“There are no other cases within the squad at this stage.”

Last week, the Bulldogs were forced to seek exemptions for Jacob Kiraz and Billy Tsikrikas to debut from outside the squad’s top 30 due to Covid-19 setbacks.

Bulldogs will be without captain Josh Jackson for Saturday's game against Roosters after testing positive for COVID. Jackson tested himself at home on a day off after feeling unwell.
There are no other cases within the squad at this stage.

— Dean Ritchie (@BulldogRitchie) April 27, 2022

Champion. Big loss. Get well soon skipper!! https://t.co/5eDGrUN8GV

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) April 27, 2022

Earlier this week, Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould reportedly took matters into his own hands, running a training session after giving the players a stinging spray.

The Bulldogs suffered an agonising 34-14 loss to the Brisbane Broncos on Friday evening, their sixth consecutive defeat — on Twitter, Gould labelled the club’s performance “unacceptable” and “very disappointing”.

According to a Fox Sports report, Gould blasted a number of Bulldogs players during a video analysis session on Tuesday before having a major role in a training session at Belmore Oval later that day.

Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett said he had no issue with Gould taking charge of the field session, a duty typically undertaken by himself or a delegate.

“It’s not the first time Gus has spoken to the players. He and I speak on a daily basis often more than ten times a day,” Barrett told Fox Sports.

“We thought it was a good idea. We had a chat last week about some statistics that we keep and then Gus came in and presented to the team.

“There was a hell of a lot of improvement in the first half against the Broncos but then there were a couple of things that I thought Gus could help us with. It was good.

“I wanted Gus to have a voice in a certain part of the field and give the team a bit of a rocket around our discipline and our line speed.

“I’ve absolutely got no dramas with it because Gus can help us. That’s what he’s there for. He’s been terrific for me.

“He wants to win too and we all want results so if he thinks he can help with a couple of things then by all means, help. We’re all in it together.”

Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett. Picture: NRL Photos

Speaking on Fox League’s NRL 360, The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Kent argued the incident was the beginning of Barrett’s “funeral march”.

“This is not the first time Phil Gould has acted this way as general manager over a head coach,” he said on Wednesday evening.

“It never ends well.

“It’s going to take a lot to see if Trent Barrett can be saved.”

Veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield agreed: “It’s a massive vote of no confidence in the coach.

“What concerns me is I don’t believe that Trent Barrett is accountable for any longer.”

According to Kent, Gould was “particularly savage” on halfback Kyle Flanagan during Tuesday’s video analysis session.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Gould explained that it was Barrett’s idea for the players to hear a different voice at training.

“Trent asked me to present some data to the players before the Broncos game last week,” Gould explained.

“We got a good reaction. He wanted to give it another go this week, which we did. It was an honest appraisal.

“I was then talking to Trent in the middle of the field while players were doing some skill drills. They were a bit sluggish to start the week and I said to Trent they needed a liven up.

“He threw me his whistle. I was wearing jeans. It was a bit of fun and something different for the players. Not sure that my 1980s approach will change the world, but it was fun.

“I would do anything Trent asked me to do.”