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.
2. Damien Cook
After leaving junior club St-George Illawarra for pastures new, Damien Cook signed for the Bulldogs ahead of the 2014 season.
While his first season at the club was largely unremarkable, featuring predominantly for their reserve grade side, it was in 2015 where Cook began to display his talents. With Michael Lichaa failing to make an attacking impact for the majority of the season, Des Hasler began to inject Cook off the bench towards the back end of the season to great effect. Cook displayed his electric running game and managed to score four tries in seven appearances.
Sadly, for Bulldogs fans, the hierarchy at the club thought Lichaa to be their long-term hooker, and they allowed the now NSW and Australian hooker to join Souths on a two-year deal beginning in 2016.
Once again, hindsight has proven to be a cruel mistress. Since Cook departed the club, the Bulldogs have completely lacked any attacking threat from dummy-half, whilst Cook has gone onto establish himself as the gameโs premier attacking hooker.
Chalk this one down as another case of if only for the Doggies faithful.
