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December 18th, 2024 8:01 am
The Bulldogs coaching staff have been rated the best in the business after a Rugby League Players Association player poll despite the club being sued by former player Jackson Topine
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the results of the players poll saw the Bulldogs’ coaching staff ranked first overall in their cumulative scores
A total of 512 players across all 17 NRL clubs took part in the poll, in which they were asked to rate the performances of their club across all areas on a scale of zero to 10.
If 85 per cent of players answered with a nine or 10 out of 10, the club received an A for that category.
If 75 per cent of players answered with an eight, nine or 10, they would receive a B. If 50 per cent of players provided a score of five or less, it meant an F.
“These clubs achieved the highest cumulative scores, and while they may be outperformed by others in specific areas, their overall ranking places them firmly at the top of each ranking table,” the RLPA explained on their website.
The Bulldogs coaching staff were rated the best in a player poll.
The Bulldogs coaching staff were rated the best in a player poll.
Source: News Corp Australia
The Bulldogs came out on top in the category of “high-performance staffing”, which included head coach Cameron Ciraldo, assistant coaches, medical staff, CEO support and football management.
Strength and conditioning trainer Travis Touma was named in the Topine case, which remains before the courts, but remained at the club to complete his duties this season.
Previously Touma had a successful career at the Roosters before joining the Bulldogs after a short stint with the Rabbitohs.
Judging by the RLPA poll, Touma – along with sprint coach Rubin Ruzicka, strength coach Chad McGill and sport scientist Matt Chandler – retains the respect of the Bulldogs players.
Without making reference to the Topine case, Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton welcomed the poll results.
“This recognition from the RLPA validates our commitment to providing the very best high-performance environment for our players,” Warburton said.
“We’ve invested heavily in assembling an elite coaching and support staff, and it’s gratifying to see this acknowledged by players across the game.”
A year and a half ago, the Bulldogs coaching staff were accused of leaving Jackson Topine with “psychiatric injury” and “physical and mental impairment”.
Topine was allegedly asked to wrestle 35 teammates as punishment for being late to training.
Jackson Topine is suing the Bulldogs for $4 million.
Source: Supplied
Topine was sacked at the end of the 2023 season, and later launched a $4m lawsuit against the club in which he claims he was subjected to “assault”.
The Bulldogs have defended the Supreme Court action against them, denying liability and arguing that Topine consented to the wrestling activity.
Replies
Absolutely ridiculous isn't it!
you are 100% right it's nauseating!🤮
The dogs can buy every centre and backrower on the market but won't be a genuine threat until they get a decent halfback. Here's hoping they never do. Can't stand the doggies
As voted by their own players LOL. Fuck off!
With Gus there players know not to speak negatively of the club or their gone. Also if players think the coaching is perfect they won't speak up which leads to things like current Topine lawsuit.
Senior Players need to feel like they can talk to and question coaches when needed not just blow smoke up their ass.
Exactly, what a BS nothing article.
If a team gets knocked out in week 1 of the finals after years of failure it is highly doubtful they have the best coaching set up. They have lost many of their best junior players as well, some to the Eels so why are their junior talent jumping ship.
Melbourne is the best coaching set up as seen by Pezet and Faolongo resigning despite massive deals and guarantgame time. They are behind elite players for at least another 2 years but chose to stay at Melbourne.
The bulldog players were scared of punishment like having to wrestle every player in the squad if they didn't give a top mark.
I'd love to hear we we were rated by the nrl community. It can't be just because Bulldogs players were too scared not to vote for their own coaches 😂. Gus ain't John Gotti FFS . Obviously players outside of their club rate their club otherwise how do they keep on landing their recruitment targets.
JT is a damn good assistant coach.
Ciraldo can take the credit, the brain's behind what the dogs are doing on the field is definitely JT.
JT will coach again I'm sure, it's hard to believe he isn't a head coach.
People on the site find it hard to accept that the dogs are a professional outfit, of course it stings but people shouldn't shouldn't be quick to write them off either.
The bulldogs are professional I don't think people here doubt that. The Bulldogs are way more professional then Parra have been for a long time and I wish we had someone with the influence of Gould in our administration.
But even with Gould, the club professionalism and huge TPAs they openly chased multiple halves on the market and missed them all. This was after changing halves a number of times though the season not even settling on their best half till after mid season.
Trying to sell the bulldogs as the best coaching set up is laughable. It was a poll where players only rated their coaching set up..
Right now the Storm are probably sitting down with players saying ok, why did you rank us below a 9 or 10. What do you want to see or expect from us. They will listen to all the advice and find some aspects to improve in. They will also be open in explaining why some of the advice is wrong because they work on accountability and have open truth sessions. Do you think Gus would allow players to speak out about club decisions or against the coach, I doubt it.
The Storm is an elite coaching group which will continue to get results instead of spending 1 or 2 years making up the numbers in the finals every few years like most clubs including the bulldogs. It seems like Bulldogs have great buy in from players from this poll, but I bet majority of our squad would have given BA top marks months after playing finals as well. Would the papers print story on the eels having best rated coaching set up if our players rated BA a 9 or 10 out of 10 after our grand final appearance? If they did you would have been amongst first to call it out
Well top players don't rate bulldogs as they all turned them down. Other than former Penrith players who want to follow Ciraldo and more cash who have they signed.
Biggest targets this year we're Luai, Papenhauzen, Hunt and Utoikamano all who turned down more money from the dogs and their superior coaching team. So who are these great targets the Bulldogs have landed this year, Montoya and Tupouniua. I'm sure the bidding war was fierce.
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