Team by Team Preview: 8th – Bulldogs

Premiership Odds: (via betting.club): $11.00

Big Outs: Trent Hodkinson, Frank Pritchard, Tim Lafai

Big Ins: Will Hopoate

Key Player: James Graham

It’s not often that a team’s key player comes in the form of a front rower, but in James Graham, we are not talking about an ordinary prop.

Graham can tuck the ball under his arm and make metres with the best of them, but it is his ball playing ability that separates him from the majority of those in the front row.

His ability to stop at the line and pop a miracle pass had defences misreading plays, leaving them grasping at air.

Although most defences have highlighted Graham as a focal point of the Bulldog attack, it’s one thing to identify something, it’s completely different trying to stop it.

Young Gun: Moses Mbye

22 year-old Moses Mbye is a man under immense pressure, but is a man with immense talent and potential.

NSW Origin halfback Trend Hodkinson was practically allowed to walk out of the club to accommodate the versatile young Queenslander.

He showed plenty last season across multiple positions, and Des Hasler has an impressive record of turning unknown halves into stars.

Mbye has all the talent to succeed, but with a halves partner who did not enjoy a fruitful 2015, and plenty of pressure on him from the start, he probably doesn’t have a lot of time to settle into his new role.

Best Signing: Will Hopoate

The Bulldogs have allowed a few players to leave in order to upgrade and extend young talent, however they were able to land Origin winger Will Hopoate.

Truth be told, Hopoate’s form since returning to rugby league following a two year mission has not been great, but his talent is undeniable.

The Dogs have taken another gamble here moving on Tim Lafai, but Hopoate’s best form came under the guidance of Hasler at Manly.

At his best Hopoate was a genuine Origin star with the world at his feet. He’s been quoted in the media as saying he’s enjoying the best pre-season since his return to the game, which bodes well for fans of the Dogs.

Strength: Forward power

In terms of forward packs, the Dogs are amongst the elite. James Graham is one of the top props in the game, while Aiden Tolman, Josh Jackson, and Greg Eastwood are genuine superstars.

Tony Williams, Shaun Lane, David Klemmer, Tim Browne and Sam Kasiano are absolute behemoths are all able to distribute the ball.

If Mbye and Reynolds are unable to spark in attack, the Dogs have three or four 110 kilo-plus five-eighths in the forwards.

Tolman and Graham are typically big minute players, while Jackson is capable of playing 80 minutes, meaning they’re in a good position even if it does take their other big men time to adapt to the new interchange rules.

Weakness: Untested halves combination

Josh Reynolds is a former Origin five-eighth but his 2015 was poor by his own standards. Moses Mbye is a trememdous talent, but as mentioned previously, hasn’t played regular footy in the halves.

The Dogs enter 2016 with two supremely talented halves with huge question marks over their form.

The Dogs have try scoring ability in spades across their backline, with both Morris twins and Curtis Rona especially dangerous, but if there’s not much they can do without the ball.

There’s a real chance that the Dogs halves may take time to gel, it’s only natural, but with the closest competition in years predicted, the pressure will be on to avoid a slow start.

Strongest 17:

1. Brett Morris
2. Curtis Rona
3. Josh Morris
4. Will Hopoate
5. Sam Perrett
6. Josh Reynolds
7. Moses Mbye
8. Aiden Tolman
9. Michael Lichaa
10. James Graham
11. Josh Jackson
12. Tony Williams
13. Greg Eastwood

14. David Klemmer
15. Sam Kasiano
16. Tim Browne
17. Shaun Lane

Prediction: 8th

This Bulldogs side is arguably the most difficult to predict for the upcoming season.

Mbye and Reynolds are unknowns. Mbye is shifting into a fulltime halfback role from the outside backs, while Josh Reynolds had a poor 2015. Despite being a confident player, even those most sure of themselves have doubts after dips in form.

The Dogs forward pack is absolutely frightening. They’re massive behemoth human beings, but will they be able to play increased minutes?

Will the decision to move Hodkinson and Lafai on backfire, or will Mbye and Hopoate set the competition alight?

There are too many questions to predict a top four finish, but there’s too much talent here to have them missing finals footy.