‘Something had to change’: Bulldogs’ drastic 3-year, 30-man overhaul and why it’s time to deliver

The Bulldogs knew something had to change in 2021, recruiting one of rugby league’s sharpest minds in Phil Gould to oversee a revolutionary transformation.

But now, after 32 months in Belmore, there’s as sense the time has come for the struggling club to start delivering after one of the biggest overhauls the NRL has ever seen.

Not a single player is left from the club’s 2021 squad that Gould adopted, with Raymond Faitala-Mariner’s exit to the Dragons completing a complete top-30 rebuild.

Included in that squad was players who have since gone on to find success in Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jeremy Marshall-King, Nick Meaney and Adam Elliott.

Replacing that crop of players Gould recruited big-name stars including Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr and Reed Mahoney.

Ahead of the 2024 season a new group arrived in Bronson Xerri, Connor Tracey, Blake Taaffe, Jaeman Salmon, Josh Curran, Drew Hutchison, Kurt Mann, Jake Turpin, Zane Tetevano, Poasa Faamausili and Daniel Suluka-Fifita.

Even the 2021 coach, Trent Barrett, was sacked and replaced by rugby league coaching’s golden boy in former Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo.

Now the Bulldogs, with their talented rookie coach at the helm, are set for a season that could make or break a new eara for the club.

Here, foxsports.com.au and rugby league legend Cooper Cronk break down the Bulldogs’ big moves that could force a seismic shift at Belmore.

To start the 2021 season, the Bulldogs spine consisted of Corey Allan, Jake Averillo, Kyle Flanagan and Sione Katoa.

Averillo was a fan favourite, and many were disappointed to see him depart at the end of the 2023 season for the Dolphins.

Meanwhile, Allan and Katoa both played under 30 games for the Bulldogs, while Flanagan tallied 50 before he was deemed surplus to requirements by Gould.

Heading into the 2024 season, Ciraldo has a very different spine at his disposal and one that arguably knows what it takes to win.

Blake Taaffe, the least experienced of the four players, featured in the 2021 grand final against the Panthers and more than held his own with only a handful of games to his name.

Matt Burton has won a premiership in the centres during his stint at Penrith, while Drew Hutchison was apart of the squad during the Roosters’ win in 2019.

Trent Robinson highly rated Hutchison for his versatility, giving him 71 games between 2019 and 2023 before his eventual departure.

Meanwhile, Reed Mahoney joined fresh off a season with the Eels in which they were one game away from lifting the trophy.

There’s clear improvement in key decision-making positions at the Bulldogs and Cronk believes it was needed, having not featured in the finals since 2016.

“Results will determine whether it’s the right thing or not but something had to change. How long has it since the Bulldogs have played finals?” Cronk said.

“Well there had to be a rebuild. Did it have to be aggressive? Did it have to be a bit more passive? Well that’s totally up to Phil Gould and the decision makers.

“But ultimately results will determine where it’s the right approach or not and no one can answer that until they start climbing up the ladder.”