Tim Williams
SC Playbook founder, 2nd NRL 2020, 43rd BBL 21/22'
Squad Breakdown: Bulldogs SC roster analysis
We take an in-depth look at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs SuperCoach credentials heading into the 2022 NRL season.
NRL Pre Season Squad Breakdown
February 21, 2022
- SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: SC Spy drops his 2022 team
- BREAKDOWN: How the 2021 title was won and lost
After a tough stretch of years, Bulldogs fans finally get to see years of recruitment in action with a new-look roster.
They boast immense attacking upside, with speed littered across the park, and promising halves pairing of Matty Burton and Jake Averillo leading the way.
They should be big improvers in 2022, but it’s unlikely to eventuate immediately. They have a new look spine, and combinations have changed across the park, so it’ll take time for them to find their groove.
They open up with two friendly fixtures, before embarking on a treacherous three week period.
Sign up to SC Playbook for hundreds of extra premium articles across the NRL season, including access to our contributor inclusive Whatsapp group where your SuperCoach dilemmas can be answered minutes before kick off!
Embed from Getty ImagesThey kick off their campaign with games against the Cowboys (A), Broncos (H), Sea Eagles (A), Storm (A) and Panthers (H).
The tough draw, and fresh faces, makes it tough to start with any of their players, more so the attacking contingent, however a few forwards are of particular interest.
With our predicted teams, for SuperCoach purposes we’ve included any players returning from injury/suspension in the first three rounds in the starting line-up.
This combines both the likely starting teams and best 17s, as initial price changes occur after Round 3.
Let’s take a look at the Bulldogs’ SuperCoach prospects to begin the new season.
Embed from Getty ImagesPREDICTED TEAM
1. Matt Dufty 2. Josh Addo-Carr 3. Brent Naden 4. Aaron Schoupp 5. Corey Allan 6. Matt Burton 7. Jake Averillo 8. Paul Vaughan 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Luke Thompson 11. Jack Hetherington 12. Tevita Pangai Jr 13. Josh Jackson
Bench: 14. Bailey Biondi-Odo 15. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 16. Ava Seumanufagai 17. Jackson Topine
Injuries/suspensions: Matt Doorey (knee, mid-season)
Analysis: A new-look Bulldogs outfit is an exciting prospect heading into the new season.
I see Jayden Okunbor edging Corey Allan for a spot on the wing, while Braidon Burns and Aaron Schoupp will fight for the starting centre role throughout the pre-season and could go either way. I’m a fan of both, I think Schoupp will get the nod, although he is fighting to be fit for the opener.
Raymond Faitala-Mariner returns from a lengthy injury layoff, but he’s another who will be pushing fitness for Round 1. Provided he gets through the pre-season trials okay I expect him to be eased back off the bench, with reports suggesting Jack Hetherington will start on the edge.
Every bench spot is up for grabs with no standout options. Jackson Topine is highly regarded at the club and will benefit from experience last season.
He’ll compete with the likes of Max King, Joe Stimson and Corey Waddell for a spot on the bench, with pre-season trials to determine the entire bench make-up.
Embed from Getty ImagesGUNS
Tevita Pangai Jnr // $569,900 // FRF-2RF // 2021 Ave: 65.0
There’s plenty to like about TPJ as a Round 1 purchase.
While I’m not into the idea of paying up for FRFs early on, he does boast a ceiling that makes him a more viable option than most.
He can tonne up fairly easily and gets through a decent chunk of work.
Whether he plays edge or middle doesn’t tend to impact his scoring too significantly.
Like most, he’ll generally play bigger minutes on the edge, while getting through more work in the middle, so the scoring balances itself out.
I tend to prefer him on the edge just to enhance the likelihood of jagging attacking stats.
FANCY A SAME-GAME MULTI? Topsport offer the best in the business, where the market odds ACTUALLY add up. Give it a try, compare to other bookies, and see the difference for yourself! Use the code ‘SCPLAYBOOK’ when signing up.
He averaged 65 points in 61 minutes last season, with an okay 41 base per game.
In 2020, he averaged 70 points in 69 minutes.
Between offloading, tackle-busting, and attacking potential, he’s pretty well the full package in SuperCoach.
However, he always finds a way to make himself SuperCoach irrelevant, be it suspension, injury or on-field discipline. Hopefully this is the year he can put it all together.
If you do select him, I’d try make it in the FRF position as there’s stacks of strong 2RF options, while we want to chase that upside where possible.
Embed from Getty ImagesLuke Thompson // $582,700 // FRF-2RF // 2021 Ave: 66.5
Thompson is a rock solid option and is one of the more consistent scorers in SuperCoach.
With a likely improved Bulldogs outfit, it should lead to less blow out score lines, and more ball in play.
This bodes well for everyone, namely forwards who should see an increased base.
Thompson averaged 66 points last season in 56 minutes, with a very strong 55 in base.
I used to be very critical of his ceiling, but he showed enough in the back end of last year to show he can jag attacking stats to boost his 70s into tonnes.
He had just one score under 15 in his 15 games last season.
Not for me to start the season, but he is among the top tier of FRFs in SuperCoach who often goes overlooked.
Embed from Getty ImagesMID-RANGERS
Paul Vaughan // $482,200 // FRF // 2021 Ave: 55.0
Probably a bit above the genuine mid-range price point, but I thought Vaughan was worth a mention.
Personally I’ll be getting a look at his minutes early on before strongly considering, but there is an argument to make that he’s undervalued to start the year.
He’s averaged 55-60 in his past three seasons, with 49 in base in 2021.
He averaged 50 minutes which is pretty bang on the norm across his career.
He finished last season with scores of 84, 81 and 58, with exceptional base of 60, 59 and 60 in those three fixtures. He also had two try-assists in the period.
While you could argue he has a big ceiling, the fact is he’s scored just three tries in the past three seasons.
That infamous try-scoring run a few years back appears to be an anomaly in his career.
Not for me, but worth watching early on if a few extra minutes fall into his lap.
BARGAIN BUYS
Paul Alamoti // $175,400 // CTW // 2021 Ave: –
Alamoti is a seriously enticing prospect at the Bulldogs.
The 18-year-old centre is highly regarded at the club and may feature in the top grade this season.
While Round 1 is a stretch, big performances in the trial fixtures may put him in the mix.
As identified by NSWRL.com:
“In Alamoti’s six SG Ball matches he scored five tries and set up four, made five line-breaks, had four line-break assists and threw seven offloads, all while averaging 104 run metres and six tackles busts per game.”
An offloading, metre-eating centre is gold for SuperCoach, even if we are only basing on SG Ball footy!
Unless named in Round 1 he’s not one to start with, but he’s worth monitoring at all times.
Embed from Getty ImagesCorey Allan // $264,500 // CTW-FLB // 2021 Ave: 30.2
Allan starts in genuine cheapie range, but it’s not as a result of any discounts.
He averaged 30 last season across 18 games, scoring three tries with 30 in base.
He can definitely be an improver as the Bulldogs evolve their attack, but he’s not overly SuperCoach relevant even then.
There’d have to be a serious dearth of cheapies in Round 1 to consider him, but perhaps down the track if he goes on a try-scoring run in a hot Dogs outfit.
Embed from Getty ImagesAVOID
Matt Burton // $576,300 // 5-8 // 2021 Ave: 65.7
While he’s probably going to be the best SuperCoach player at the club this season, I can’t go near Burton to start the year.
As mentioned, he’ll take time to gel with his new teammates.
He comes from the NRL premiers to the wooden spooners, so despite the move to his preferred halves position, I don’t think he’s a value proposition at all.
He scored 16 tries in 22 games playing on the Panthers lethal left edge.
In seven games in the halves last season, he averaged 71 points, including two tonnes and an 18.
The kid is an absolute gun, and he could definitely feature in SuperCoach down the track, but I won’t even remotely be considering him until at least after Round 5 once the tough run ends.
hetherington?
Not for me mate, averaged 53 minutes last season so does he actually play many more? Awkwardly priced at $375k. Scored at 0.81 points per minute last year and 0.73 the year prior, that’s in the middle, so will likely only be lower on the edge (barring attacking stats). If he comes out and plays 80 mins perhaps but not for now, happy to watch.