Pay shuffles pack in effort to spark Dogs

Canterbury coach Dean Pay has made widespread changes to his backline after the team was cleared to play following Terry Lamb’s coronavirus protocol breach.

Terry Lamb greets Kieran Foran during a Bulldogs training session at Belmore on Thursday Picture: AAP

Canterbury coach Dean Pay has made widespread changes to his backline in a bid to spark his team’s lacklustre attack, after the team was cleared to play following club legend Terry Lamb’s coronavirus protocol breach.

Pay will make up to six changes to the team that lost to Manly last Sunday ahead of their match against St George Illawarra on Monday.

Only winger Nick Meaney will keep the exact role fulfilled during the Bulldogs’ 32-6 loss to the Sea Eagles.

A planned training session on Friday was cancelled after Lamb breached the NRL’s strict biosecurity protocols. Lamb shook hands with a host of players and officials on Thursday and was forced to undergo a COVID test before the players were allowed to return to Belmore. Lamb, who apologised for his actions, was cleared of the coronavirus, enabling the team to train again on Saturday.

“I would like to apologise to the Bulldogs and the NRL for breaching COVID protocols at training,” Lamb said. “I was over excited about getting to Belmore again and wanting to wish Kieran Foran all the best for his 200th game and in doing so I breached the protocols by shaking the hands of several players to wish them all the best.

“Although I was not standing in the restricted zone, I shouldn’t have contacted players in the bubble, but in my over excitement I overstepped the mark and I apologise for that.”

Lamb had turned up to give a jumper to the club to mark Foran’s 200th game. Canterbury risk being fined by the NRL, which is yet to determine if the Bulldogs will be punished.

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Bulldogs chief executive Andrew Hill said Lamb had made a “mistake trying to wish players all the best”.

“We acted swiftly to inform the NRL and to get Terry tested straight away and with his results showing a clean bill of health, we will now revise our processes to make sure that this never happens again,” Hill said.

Among the changes Pay is expected to make are shifting Kiwi skipper Dallin Watene-Zelezniak from fullback to wing, with Will Hopoate moving from the centres to fullback.

Rehmis Smith could be swapped from left centre to right to allow boom youngster Jake Averillo to make his debut, while winger Christian Crichton is set to be axed.

Foran will also return in the No 6 jersey Lachie Lewis wore last start with Lewis moving into the halfback role. Last round’s starting No 7 Jack Cogger was dropped earlier this week.

The Daily Telegraph