Doubts have been cast over the Bulldogs\u2019 premiership credentials, with Dan Ginnane declaring \u201cthey\u2019ve beaten nobody\u201d as question marks linger over their attack.<\/p>\n
Canterbury have featured in five games against current top eight teams for three losses and just two victories \u2014 over the ladder-leading Raiders in Round 10 and the Sharks, who currently sit in eighth position, in Round 4.<\/p>\n
While Ginnane acknowledged the Bulldogs\u2019 stunning comeback in that victory over the Raiders, where they trailed 20-0 at halftime to recover to win 32-20, he mentioned they haven\u2019t beaten any other genuine title contenders this season.<\/p>\n
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer ><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThey had a good second half against Canberra and they\u2019ve beaten nobody,\u201d Ginnane said on NRL 360.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve beaten nobody. And that\u2019s not their fault. They can only beat the teams that they played.\u201d<\/p>\n In their most recent outing, the Bulldogs prevailed 20-18 over the Dragons in Round 20 on Saturday night, with Jethro Rinakama scoring the matchwinning try at the 77th minute, thanks to a brilliant Lachlan Galvin pass.<\/p>\n But Phil Rothfield felt that if the Bulldogs don\u2019t fix their attack, they won\u2019t survive for long in the finals.<\/p>\n \u201cI go back to the first 78 minutes before that great pass was thrown, and I didn\u2019t see enough in Canterbury\u2019s attack to challenge a top four side,\u201d Rothfield added.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got seven rounds to go. We\u2019re in the business end of the season and they need to sort it out pretty quickly or they won\u2019t last long in the finals.\u201d<\/p>\n Host Braith Anasta, however, defended Galvin, despite his struggles in the second half against the Dragons, before his matchwinning play.<\/p>\n \u201cThe second half I got a little bit concerned because their attack was poor, it really was, and I couldn\u2019t see too much evolution,\u201d Anasta said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut then he comes up with the big play to win the game, which is what you need, X-factor, class and under pressure delivering when you need to deliver at the right time of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI think, Buzz, in three weeks, you can go, you know what, it\u2019s either a failure or it\u2019s a success.\u201d<\/p>\n Ginnane then pressed Anasta, who won a premiership with the Bulldogs in 2004, on whether the Bulldogs could fix their attacking problems in time for the finals.<\/p>\n \u201cMy question to you, Braith, can they do this in six weeks?\u201d Ginnane asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a long time, Braith. And they\u2019ve got Melbourne in Round 25.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking at that. I think that\u2019s potentially must-win because that\u2019ll be for top two and Braith, to be honest, I think they\u2019re going to have to get a couple of finals at home if they\u2019re a fairdinkum chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Anasta was optimistic the Bulldogs could fine tune their game in time for the finals, but wants to see their senior players step up.<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n \u2018GAME TAKEN AWAY FROM US\u2019: Flanno fumes as \u2018outrageous\u2019 calls rob Dragons<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018ONE OF THE BRAVEST PASSES\u2019: Ciraldo\u2019s huge praise as Galvin answers critics<\/a><\/p>\n