WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - NOVEMBER 18: Fiji head coach Mick Potter walks out ahead of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup Quarter Final match between New Zealand and Fiji at Westpac Stadium on November 18, 2017 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

He might have once been comfortable with not continuing in the NRL after his stint as interim coach at the Canterbury Bulldogs came to an end, but Mick Potter has changed his tune.

Potter has done a superb job at the blue and white since taking over from Trent Barrett, improving the club's faltering attack and finding a number of victories they had been unable to get close to during the opening weeks of the campaign, despite an off-season march to secure talent from around the competition for 2022.

The Bulldogs recruitment raid continues ahead of 2023 with Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton to join the outfit for next season.

Potter recently said before Ciraldo's appointment that he would be happy to remain in the job if the club asked him to for 2023, however, the Penrith assistant being appointed on a five-year deal means Potter has lowered his expectations and now wants to be part of Ciraldo's assistant team.

"Whatever role, I'm happy to help out," he told reporters.

"I want the club to do better and climb up the ladder and improve.

"I've really got a passion for the club and I would love to see them do well."

Potter was originally appointed into the interim role after starting the year with Mounties in the NSW Cup - a team which is linked with the Bulldogs for this season, before being cut loose for the 2023 campaign.

It's understood Ciraldo will be in charge of building his own team of assistant coaches, and Potter was full of praise for the future Bulldogs' boss.

"Cameron is a great appointment," he said.

"He's an up-and-coming coach, he's been an assistant for a long time but he's also been a caretaker for a little while (at Penrith) so he's had that experience. He knows what it's like.

"He's very defence orientated. Penrith are very good at that and we need to improve. I think he can make this club better. He's got a lot of time ahead of him, he's only 37."

It has been reported that Michael Maguire has also been in discussions with the Bulldogs about potentially becoming an experienced assistant coach on Ciraldo's team next year.

1 COMMENT

  1. I can see why Mr McGuire would approach the Bulldogs – he needs a job! I can’t see why the Bulldogs would give him much time, though. Mick Potter already knows the squad and has got some results out of them. It’s hard (for me) to see what McGuire offers that Potter does not.

    If I were Mr Ciraldo I would feel less threatened by Potter than by McGuire. I can’t see Mr McGuire getting a gig there.

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