‘We’re capable this year’: Ciraldo’s vow to end Bulldogs’ years of mediocrity after stunning upset

The Bulldogs’ 26-12 demolition of the Storm on their home turf stunned all onlookers on Saturday night but not Cameron Ciraldo.

Daily Telegraph. 12, October, 2022. New Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo, at Belmore, today. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The Bulldogs’ 26-12 demolition of the Storm on their home turf stunned all onlookers on Saturday night - all but one.

Rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo has been expecting that performance since the day he signed a five-year deal with the club last August.

Things didn’t start as planned in Round 1 last week when the Dogs were thumped 31-6 at Manly, but Ciraldo said the loss triggered their stunning upset in Melbourne.

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The 38-year-old coach also promised there’s more where that came from after Canterbury won playing some high-tempo, free-flowing rugby league.

“You could see all week the way they were preparing and the way they learned from last week’s game that they were going to come down here and play to win,” Ciraldo said.

“So I wasn’t surprised by it but very pleased with their effort. We were really confident coming down here that if we could get our best game on that we could get a result.

“I don’t think we threw caution to the wind, I thought we played a style of footy we’ve been training for all pre-season. We’ve got good players with some strike players, very skilful players and that’s the way we’re going to play.

“We’re not going to play conservative footy, we’re going to play to our strengths and play a real Bulldogs style of footy.

“I’ve believed the whole time that we’re capable of some pretty cool things this year if we put our minds to it and keep playing our style of footy and go after it like we did tonight.

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Former Storm star Addo-Carr returned to haunt his old club and finished with a try, two linebreaks and nine tackle busts in his 100 run metres from nine carries.

“Josh is a good player and he’s got a lot of strike and we want him involved in the game - he’s got a licence to go anywhere,” Ciraldo said.

“He’s a class player and we want him involved in the game and it was nice to see him come in a bit tighter tonight and get involved in the game and we’re going to be dangerous if he keeps doing that.

But it was the Bulldogs’ other winger who really stole the show, with Jacob Kiraz producing 213 run metres, nine tackle busts, three offloads, two linebreaks and two tries in a stunning display.

“Jacob is a winner, he will fight to win anything and he’s what we want to build the Bulldogs on, someone like that,” Ciraldo said.

“Really happy with the way Jake played but I’m not surprised by it, it’s the way he trains every day and the way he prepares and hates losing.

“If we can get everyone having that mentality then we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Star recruit Viliame Kikau bounced back from a quite debut in Round 1, but he was also placed on report for a trip in the second half.

“We knew all week Kiks was going to have a big game. He came back late after the World Cup then was in Fiji for a long time with the death of his father,” Ciraldo said.

“He only played 15 minutes in the trial, he didn’t have a great preparation for the season and last week we really made it hard for ourselves and hard for Kiks in turn.

“To see him go out and do the things he did, he really led from the front.

“I don’t know much about (the trip incident) but I’m confident that whatever team we put out there in the next few weeks, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Originally published as ‘We’re capable this year’: Ciraldo’s vow to end Bulldogs’ years of mediocrity after stunning upset