Opinion

NRL: After round 10, the wooden spoon goes to…

16 May 22, 6:44PM 0 Comments

Written by Oliver Kellner-Dunk

Photo by Getty Images

Last week the Gold Coast Titans were labelled wooden spoon favourites following a disastrous form slump that saw them drop into the bottom four but Justin Holbrook’s side responded well as they defeated the St George Illawarra Dragons in a golden point belter during Magic Round.

Although there is still plenty of work to be done at the club the Titans have done enough to avoid being branded favourites for the wooden spoon this time around as the dishonourable label returns to the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs have been wooden spoon favourites in the past and may find it hard to shake the title based on their most recent performance.

In a battle between the bottom two teams on the competition ladder, the Bulldogs took on the Newcastle Knights in a largely uninspiring game that the Knights got the win in 16-6.

Newcastle wasn’t amazing by any stretch either but the Bulldogs played horribly completing just 64% of their sets and making 15 errors.

As a result of this the Bulldogs now once again sit in last place on the NRL ladder with just two wins for the season.

 
Over the past 12 months, the club has invested heavily into improving its first-grade side but things haven’t changed all that much for the 2021 wooden spooners.

Last night The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Bulldogs board of directors were going to hold a crisis meeting today and discuss coach Trent Barrett’s future.

However, it has now been revealed that Barrett has quit and Bulldogs general manager Phil “Gus” Gould has sent the playing group home from training.

The speculation that Barrett was set to lose his job amplified when it was revealed that Gould ran the team’s training sessions in the week leading up to their shock win against the Sydney Roosters in round eight.

Next week the Bulldogs head to Leichhardt Oval to take on the Wests Tigers and then they face the St George Illawarra Dragons at Belmore Oval.

Both of these games are certainly winnable ones for the Bulldogs but if they can’t get a result in either game then it will be very hard to see them getting out of last place.

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