NRL 2024: Time to start praising Phil Gould for rebuilding Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Bulldog’s Bite

Phil Gould has got a lot wrong in rugby league over 50-odd years, but is it time to start exalting ‘Gus’ as Canterbury-Bankstown’s great saviour? DEAN RITCHIE asks in Bulldog’s Bite.

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 31: General Manager of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and channel nine commentator Phil Gould during the round 13 NRL match between Newcastle Knights and Canterbury Bulldogs at McDonald Jones Stadium, on May 31, 2024, in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

My old mate ‘Buzz’ Rothfield refuses to apologise – and still points out flaws – but is it time for the collective rugby league world to start exalting ‘Gus’ Gould?

Phillip Ronald Gould, a pugnacious and cantankerous figure who now looms as Canterbury-Bankstown’s great saviour.

Gould’s Bulldogs, who won just 20 of 92 games over the past four seasons, are poised to play September football after regrettably missing the finals for eight painstaking years.

We can ignore and deflect all we want but this is the house that ‘Gus’ built.

Gould has got a lot wrong in rugby league over 50-odd years but he – along with coach Cameron Ciraldo and CEO Aaron Warburton – is now getting a lot right at Belmore.

The Dogs are barking again, having won eight from 15 games this season. The club sits in fifth place, a mighty effort given they won a total of seven matches last season.

The Bulldogs look set to play finals footy in 2024. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

‘Gus’ joined Canterbury as general manager of football in 2021 but the ensuing journey has often hit turbulence. He has bought some duds and was forced to part ways with head coach Trent Barrett in May, 2022.

Just a month before Barrett’s demise, Gould said: “Trent Barrett will be the coach of the Bulldogs long after I’m gone. He’s a long-term coach for the club.”

But through the mess and criticism, Gould has remained steadfast on a path to reclaiming what the once-proud club had lost – respect and toughness.

We can no longer laugh at nor dismiss the Bulldogs.

Arguably rugby league’s most vocal, passionate and overzealous fan base has woken from their slumber and are up-and-about.

It has been a tedious task but Gould has built, brick by brick, a new home for Canterbury.

Which brings me to Gould’s fiercest critic – Daily Telegraph sports editor-at-large Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield, a veteran and respected journalist who has kept ‘Gus’ honest for 40 years. The pair don’t particularly like each other.

Phil Gould and Phil Rothfield haven’t seen eye-to-eye in the past. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

“I just don’t rate his opinion,” Gould once said of Rothfield, not that ‘Buzz’ seemed to care, the feeling is mutual.

But given Canterbury’s success, I thought it time to approach ‘Buzz’ and ask whether he would apologise to Gould for years of condemnation.

Nothing doing.

‘Buzz’ sent me this text: “I’m not sure there’s any need for an apology. Yes, ‘Gus’ and Cameron Ciraldo are doing a terrific job at the Bulldogs but I take nothing back from what’s been previously said.

“Go back to Penrith. They didn’t win anything until he left. He sacked Ivan Cleary, signed Anthony Griffin, extended Griffin, sacked Griffin mid-contract and didn’t want Cleary back.

“(Then Panthers chairman) Dave O’Neill had to go over Gould’s head. Cleary came back, ‘Gus’ left, Cleary dismantled his roster that won three successive titles.

“The Dogs haven’t won anything yet but the signs are very encouraging. He’s obviously done a good job. Let’s see how they go over the remainder of the season. There’s a long way to go.”

Buzz Rothfield pushed the Bulldogs to sign Phil Gould. Picture: Julian Andrews

Rothfield did, however, reveal how he pushed then Canterbury chairman John Khoury to sign Gould.

“To prove it’s not personal, and I’m not trying to sound like a smart arse, ring John Khoury and ask him how hard I pushed for him to go and sign ‘Gus’ in the first place while he was working for the Warriors.”

Gould hasn’t won anything since 2002 when coaching director of the Sydney Roosters’ premiership side. It’s been a long wait for a man who portrays himself as being annually successful.

Many say ‘Gus’ botched the assembly of a first grade side when Souths was readmitted to the NRL in 2002 while ‘Buzz’ has already pointed out Gould’s flaws at Penrith.

Let’s be frank, ‘Gus’ can be difficult to digest at times.

But Gould is on the verge of something incredibly special at Canterbury and surely it’s time to offer the necessary praise and accolades.

Canterbury won’t win the premiership this year but the foundations have been set for a deadset tilt at the title from next year.

The Bulldogs roster gets stronger by the year through big name signing and the strength of the junior program. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The club’s junior development program is flying after winning the Jersey Flegg and Harold Matthews competitions last year and reaching the SG Ball final this year.

And Gould has also shown he can recruit a big name.

There is no doubting the signing of Stephen Crichton, who is also close to Ciraldo, is shaping as one of the greatest in the club’s 89-year history.

At just 23, Crichton’s leadership has been remarkable. And just this week, the Bulldogs nabbed Roosters edge forward Sitili Tupouniua.

A bomb of success is about to detonate at Belmore.

Winning a premiership at Canterbury, given where the club has languished over the past eight years, would surely be Gould’s finest achievement.

Well, maybe there’s just one other fulfilment we’d like to see.

‘Gus’ and ‘Buzz’ getting along. Any chances fellas?

DOG TREATS

BIG RED’S FIGHTIN’ FAMILY

Canberra’s Corey Horsburgh was sent off in a NSW Cup last weekend for punching and headbutting and it seems throwing a few haymakers runs in the Horsburgh family.

We’re reliably told Corey’s father, Rick ‘Butterbean’ Horsburgh, was a boxer who fought in the Australian heavyweight division between 1997 and 2002 around southeast Queensland.

Butterbean’s record was modest – two wins from 18 fights – but he won both his bouts by knockout.

COURAGE UNDER FIRE

This is a photo of courage.

Raiders hooker Tom Starling, who weighs just 80kg, played 68 minutes and completed more than 50 tackles against Melbourne last weekend.

His reward? An accidental kick which split him above his right eye.

Included in Starling’s duties was stopping Storm giant Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Starling snapped this photo to show just how beaten-up he was at full time.

Raiders hooker Tom Starling's split head

EMBARRASSING SCHEDULING

Embarrassment for European rugby league Test footy over the weekend. Can you believe this?

France played England in an official Test match as a curtain-raiser before a first-division Championship game – equal to NSW Cup – between Toulouse and Featherstone.

A young Bulldogs ball boy celebrates with the team

BALL BOY’S JOY

It wasn’t just Bulldogs players who jumped for joy after their golden-point win over Cronulla on Friday night.

Here is Canterbury’s excited ball boy – we won’t reveal his name given his age – leaping onto the players’ celebration pack after Matt Burton’s field goal clinched a 15-14 win.

CROSS-CODE GANDER

The English rugby union side, on a two-Test tour of New Zealand, was spotted at Mt Smart Stadium for Saturday’s match between the Warriors and Broncos.

‘HOLLYWOOD’ AT THE HILL

Eric Grothe’s band was joined by two high-profile figures when playing at Hillside Hotel, Castle Hill, last week.

There on stage with Eric Grothe and the Gurus were former Test prop Mark Carroll and ex-leading referee Bill ‘Hollywood’ Harrigan.

Sydney Roosters fan Brian Cooley

RIP ‘CHOOK MAN’

The Roosters are saddened at the loss of one of their greatest fans – Brian Cooley.

Cooley was the original ‘Chook Man’ who would rev up Easts fans.

Cooley was one of rugby league’s unique characters. He died in his sleep on Sunday night.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Time to start praising Phil Gould for rebuilding Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Bulldog’s Bite