In 2015, Bulldogs coach Des Hasler, took a big risk by allowing then NSW halfback Trent Hodkinson to walk away from the club to join the Newcastle Knights.
The faith of the premiership winning coach, and the Bulldog faithful was then placed on the shoulders of young centre Moses Mbye.
The incredibly talented, yet mainly untried youngster, was thrust into the halves to partner Josh Reynolds.
Reynolds, who along with Hodkinson led the NSW blues to a decade-long drought-breaking Origin series victory, fills the traditional ball-running five-eight role, meaning much was expected of Mbye in terms of creating attacking opportunities.
Mbye was also trusted into an unfamiliar role in having to provide a kicking game.
Unfortunately for fans of the blue and white, neither Mbye nor Reynolds was able to produce a kicking game to rival the control and accuracy of the departed Hodkinson.
I lost count of the number of times the Dogs, in attacking positions, would run the ball and ultimately be caught, handing it over inside their opposition twenty rather than risking giving up a seven tackle set due to a kick going dead or being caught in goal.
Michael Lichaa, playing in his second year as a replacement for Michael Ennis, was unable to produce the kicking game from dummy half that his predecessor mastered.
While Ennis laid on multiple tries and forced countless repeat sets from dummy half via his smart, short kicking game, his replacement was unable to provide similar service regularly.
Will Hopoate found himself at fullback following an injury to Brett Morris and although he certainly put in a far more consistent season than during his time at the Eels, he was only able to score the eight tries and provide two try assists across the season proper.
Brett Morris, upon returning from injury, was placed on the wing, and although he scored more than a try-per-game following his return, I’d expect him to return back to the fullback role he made his own during 2015.
Combined, the Dogs spine scored 27 tries and contributed 38 try assists across the regular season. According to those stats, they really should have placed better than they did.
In comparison, NRL premiers the Sharks saw 28 tries and 49 try assists from their spine. Considering the Sharks went on a massive win streak, the Dogs stats aren’t too far off the mark.
Although, stats aren’t everything as Mbye out posted Maloney in terms of tries and try assists, although there can be little to no argument that the Sharks number six was the better player across the season.
Simply put, the Dogs halves didn’t do the little things well consistently enough. They overplayed their hand at times, they made bad decisions, they drifted in and out of games.
That will come with experience and time, but one thing Des Hasler seems to be a little short on right now is just that, time.
It’s hard to believe that Hasler, a man who was poached from bitter rivals the Sea Eagles and given a huge, long-term contract would ever be under any sort of pressure.
The Dogs have played finals every year during Hasler’s tenure, including a Grand Final in 2014 and a minor premiership in 2012, but the Bulldogs aren’t a club who are happy with just making up the numbers come finals time.
For the Bulldogs to start well, and ease pressure on their coach, the likes of Mbye, Reynolds, Lichaa and Morris need to fire, and fire quickly.
There is no doubt the Dogs forwards will again do their job, they’re amongst the game’s very elite and perhaps the hardest working pack. Sam Kasiano’s off-season transformation has to be seen to be believed.
At the beginning of last season, the two Dogs halves made a pact to stay together at the club until their careers ended. If they aren’t able to improve in areas that let them down in 2016, it may be the future of their coach that is most impacted.
There is more than enough talent there for the Dogs to return to the top four. With the roster they possess and the success their fans demand, nothing less than a top four finish will really do.
If they start well, pressure will ease on both Des and his halves, and then we should really see the best out of players and coach.
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