With a new coach and the recruitment of some big name players, Canterbury will start the season full of hope but fans need to remain patient because 2023 is likely to be merely another step in the club's rebuilding phase.
After finishing 12th last year under the guidance of interim coach Mick Potter following the mid-season sacking of Trent Barrett, a place in the top eight should be a realistic goal for Cameron Ciraldo's men.
Ryan Sutton adds experience in the middle alongside fellow English prop Luke Thompson, while Viliame Kikau provides strike on the edge and Reed Mahoney is the quality specialist dummy half Canterbury have lacked in recent seasons.
However, the Bulldogs are also investing heavily in young talent under Ciraldo - touted as a development coach - and it is expected to take time before he can shape the team into premiership contenders.
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Predicted Round 1 team
- Hayze Perham
- Jacob Kiraz
- Jake Averillo
- Paul Alamoti
- Josh Addo-Carr
- Matt Burton
- Kyle Flanagan
- Max King
- Reed Mahoney
- Ryan Sutton
- Raymond Faitala-Mariner
- Viliame Kikau
- Luke Thompson
- Josh Reynolds
- Corey Waddell
- Franklin Pele
- Jackson Topine
Others: Fa'amanu Brown, Tevita Pangai Junior (injured), Braidon Burns, Andrew Davey, Bailey Biondi-Odo, Declan Casey, Brandon Clarke, Karl Oloapu, Samuel Hughes, Jayden Okunbor, Chris Patolo, Jacob Preston, Jeral Skelton, Iverson Matai (development), Isaac Matalavea-Booth (development), Joseph O’Neill (development), Jordan Samrani (development).
The best NRL tries from the Bulldogs in 2022
Squad watch
- Squad spots filled: 30/30
Former NSW Origin star Josh Reynolds has taken the last spot in the top 30, and remains a chance to come off the bench in Round 1.
New coach Cameron Ciraldo faces some tough decisions for the season opener including Reynolds' inclusion after Fa'amanu Brown and Broncos talent Karl Oloapu were signed and elevated into the top 30 over the summer.
The presence of Oloapu and Reynolds is set to keep halfback Kyle Flanagan on his toes after winning back the No.7 jersey last year.
Off-season recruits Andrew Davey and Franklin Pele provide depth in the forwards but Canterbury’s stocks in the outside backs appear low after the departures of Aaron Schoupp and Corey Allan, although young centres Paul Alamoti and Jeral Skelton are highly rated.
Health watch
Tevita Pangai Junior is set to miss the first month of the season with a calf injury, while rookie Declan Casey is in line to return in Round 2 after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery.
Utility Bailey Biondi-Odo is expected to be sidelined until July with the knee injury that ruled him out of Papua New Guinea’s World Cup campaign.
Biondi-Odo ruptured his ACL during the NSW Cup play-offs and has started weight training in the gym as he recovers from surgery.
Rookie forward Sam Hughes underwent lumbar disc surgery in September to treat a lower back injury and is expected to be available again from Round 3.
Most contentious position
Aside from the bench utility spot and general forward's battle, the fullback spot is up for grabs.
New recruit Hayze Perham is impressing since his arrival from Parramatta and on the verge of ousting incumbent Jake Averillo from the No.1 jersey.
Should Perham be named at fullback for Round 1, Averillo would likely then likely battle it out with Braidon Burns and Paul Alamoti for a spot in the centres, which is also an area that may see plenty of change in 2024.
Biggest strength
Canterbury’s left edge is set to rival South Sydney’s for potency, with the recruitment of Fiji strike forward Viliame Kikau from Penrith.
Kikau will play outside star five-eighth Matt Burton, who last season formed a lethal partnership with left winger Josh Addo-Carr and the combination of the trio will be a major threat to rival defences.
The Burton and Foxx magic show
Biggest question mark
The Bulldogs have recruited strongly but they are also putting a lot of faith in new coach Cameron Ciraldo’s ability to develop the young talent in the squad, particularly in the outside backs.
Jake Averillo is only 22 but he has played every position in the Canterbury backline in his 54 NRL appearances – of which only the last 10 have been in his preferred fullback role.
Star winger Jacob Kiraz, who played fullback for Lebanon at the World Cup, was a contender for NRL rookie of the year last season, while 18-year-old centre Paul Alamoti and former schoolboys rugby union star Jeral Skelton are yet to make their first grade debuts.