Following the dire results of Des Haslerโs 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 Haslerโs 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 โDogs of Warโ 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.
5. Michael Ennis
Another piece of business that at the time, looked like a decent result for the Bulldogs on paper. However, hindsight can be a cruel mistress, and it has certainly proved to be so in this case.
After six successful seasons and 136 games for his beloved Bulldogs, it was decided that Michael Ennis would not be re-signed in order to accommodate the acquisition of much-hyped Cronulla Sharks junior Michael Lichaa to a three-year, $1 million deal.
It was hoped by the higher-ups at Canterbury-Bankstown that Lichaa could replicate Ennisโ dangerous ball-running and probing around the ruck. However, unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Lichaa proved to be an extremely un-inspired signing, with his renowned ball-running game going out the window as the Bulldogs largely struggled without their inspirational leader Ennis.
While his old club was struggling, Ennis was conversely playing some of the best football of his career under Shane Flanagan. With his probing runs out of dummy half and cunning ball-playing close to the line proving to be a great asset to the Sharks. Ennisโ decision to finish his career in the Shire was also vindicated, making a surprise return to the Origin arena for game III of the 2015 series, as well as winning a well-deserved premiership following his efforts in the 2016 season.
