- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Bulldogs joined the competition in 1935, and since day one they’ve had a host of champion players represent the club, including the likes of Terry Lamb, Steve Folkes, Chris Anderson, Johnny Greaves, Kevin Ryan, Eddie Burns, Les Johns and almost anyone named either Mortimer or Hughes.
Their greatest ever team since 1908 has been regularly discussed and is right up there with the best of them, but who makes their greatest team of the NRL era?
The NRL era’s been a real mixed bag for the Bulldogs, with a premiership in 2004, runners up three times and three wooden spoons. It was a challenge to select this team, as they’ve had enough great forwards for three teams but haven’t been nearly as strong in the spine.
Here’s my team, showing the number of games they played for the Bulldogs in the NRL era, and the only selection criteria is that they must have played a minimum of 50 top grade games for the club from the 1998 season on.
1. Luke Patten (225)
Surely one of the best players never to play State of Origin, Patten was one of the Bulldogs’ greatest club men in his decade at Belmore and deservedly won a premiership in 2004.
2. Hazem El Masri (283)
Easily the best goal kicker I’ve ever seen and a sensational although underrated winger. El Masri finished his career as both the club’s all-time top try-scorer with 168 tries and the highest point-scorer with 2462 points.
(Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
3. Josh Morris (217)
Morris was the complete package as a centre, combining rock-solid defence with the ability to both score tries himself and set up his supports.
4. Nigel Vagana (76)
The Kiwi Test star only spent three seasons with the Bulldogs, but he was virtually unstoppable in that time, scoring 61 tries from 76 starts and being voted as Dally M Centre of the Year twice.
5. Brett Morris (68)
Morris is one of the best wingers to play the game this century, and even though injuries interrupted his time with Canterbury he was still a lethal weapon on their left wing, crossing for 34 tries.
The A-Leagues’ 20th season is on now! Be part of the action in stadium or watch it live.
6. Josh Reynolds (145)
With one blue and one white eye, Reynolds was a Bulldog through and through. He was a tenacious competitor who never left anything on the paddock.
7. Brent Sherwin (191)
A resourceful halfback who relied upon guile and a very good kicking game rather than speed and a running game, Sherwin took the Dogs to their only premiership of the NRL era in 2004.
8. Steve Price (164)
One of the best in the business, whether for Canterbury, Queensland or Australia, Price was a machine both taking the ball up or in defence, and he continued the tradition of great forward leaders at the club.
9. Michael Ennis (136)
Well before Michael Ennis became a very annoying commentator, he was a hard-working No.9 and a very good captain. He loved nothing more than annoying the opposition at every opportunity, generally resulting in them focusing on him rather than their own game plan.
10. James Graham (135)
One of the very best players to join the NRL from England, Graham was an inspirational player who led by example and never shirked the tough stuff. His 53 Test match appearances for the Pommies are testament to his class.
11. Josh Jackson (c) (241)
Another in the long line of great forward leaders at the Dogs, Jackson was relentless in both attack and defence and goes down as one of the greatest Bulldogs ever. He carried the team on his shoulders towards the end of his career.
12. Andrew Ryan (218)
Ryan was another non-stop performer who was both a great edge ball-runner and ruthless in defence. He was a key part of the Bulldog’s 2004 premiership success and a regular selection for both NSW and Australia.
13. Sonny Bill Williams (73)
SBW was a precocious talent during his time with the Bulldogs, making his first grade debut at age 18, being selected for the Kiwis after just a handful of first grade games, and winning a premiership in his debut season. He was a freakish athlete who could do almost anything in attack and was also a much-feared defender.
Sonny Bill Williams (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
14. Corey Hughes (213)
Hughes is the ideal No. 14, an excellent hard-working dummy half who was also effective in the back row and the halves.
15. Willie Mason (148)
If you want a big man to come off the bench to make a big impact, then Big Willie’s your man. 196cm tall and 115kg-plus, Mason could terrorise both the opposition defence and an unsuspecting ball-runner, and he loved to take it to the opposition. He won the Clive Churchill Medal in the Dogs’ 2004 grand final victory and was a must-pick for both NSW and Australia throughout his career.
16. Mark O’Meley (110)
Tough, hard-running, fearless and fearsome, Mark O’Meley took no prisoners once he took the field, and his highlights reel is compulsory viewing.
17. Aiden Tolman (222)
In a 15-year first grade career, ten of which were with the Bulldogs, you knew exactly what you were going to get from the big front rower. He was consistently one of the hardest working players in the game and never let his team down.
Now that’s a very good side, particularly in the forwards. Did I leave anyone out? Do any of Cameron Ciraldo’s 2024 squad of overachievers deserve to be there?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.