Following the dire results of Des Hasler’s now notorious back ended deals, the Bulldogs are currently undertaking one of the most substantial rebuilds in the history of the NRL under rookie head coach Dean Pay, and boy could they use the help of some of the names on this list.
Having struggled to forge an identity and playing extremely dire football in the last few months of Hasler’s reign, the Bulldogs have predominantly gone away from the previous policy of attracting big name high earners to the club.
With second-year coach Dean Pay wanting to bring back the old ‘Dogs of War’ moniker, through recruiting a slew of young cut-price talent such as Nick Meaney, Sauaso Sue, Jack Cogger, Corey Harawira Naera and Christian Crichton and simultaneously letting go a host of proven first graders. Here is the top 10 players the Bulldogs have let go, not re-signed or released in the past decade.
8. Josh Reynolds
Of all the players to have left Belmore over the last decade, this one hurt the most for Bulldogs fans. While losing quality players is never a positive, losing a local junior and a man described as “the heart and soul of the team” by current captain Josh Jackson, cut particularly deep for the Bulldogs faithful.
Having been raised in Bulldogs heartland and coming up through the junior ranks, it was widely accepted that Josh Reynolds would re-sign for the only club he had ever known when he came off contract at the end of 2017. However, nearing 30 and needing to ensure his family’s financial security post-football, the Wests Tigers swooped with a lucrative four-year, $3 million deal.
During his time at the kennel, Reynolds cemented himself as one of the game's chief antagonists and a premier five-eighth, leading the Bulldogs to two Grand Finals, as well as steering the Blues to a drought-breaking series victory over Queensland in 2014.
With a proven track record at NRL and representative level, as well as typifying all that was good about Canterbury-Bankstown, it seemed baffling at the time that the Bulldogs would not pull out all the stops to re-sign one of their favourite sons.
While it is true that he has experienced his fair share of injury troubles since departing Belmore, the Bulldogs are in desperate need of a player who can drive high standards within the club, both on and off the field in the wake of their recent cultural and on-field issues, a role the likable Reynolds could do with his eyes closed.
