2 weeks Ago
The Bulldogs have stunned the NRL with five wins from their first five games to sit on top of the ladder as the only undefeated team in 2025. Canterbury’s flawless start to the season has their fans hopeful their 21-year wait for premiership glory may be about to come to an end. Here, we look at how quickly Cameron Ciraldo’s side turned it all around, in just the 30 games they’ve played since the start of the 2024 season.
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Limited-time offer. WHERE THEY WERE IN 2023 2023 was Ciraldo’s first season as Bulldogs coach, and it was a year to forget for the Bulldogs. They finished third last, winning just seven games for the season.
But their finish of 15th wasn’t even the worst of it. The Bulldogs had by far the worst defence in the competition, conceding 769 points at 32 a game. To put how poor the Bulldogs’ defence was that season into context, the next worst defensive team was the Wests Tigers.
The Tigers conceded 675 points – nearly 100 less than the Bulldogs. Canterbury also had the worst differential of any team that year, of minus 331 points. 2024 RESURGENCE After finishing 15th in 2023, the Bulldogs showed huge improvement in 2024, finishing sixth with 14 wins for the season – double the number of victories they had in 2023.
Ciraldo was defensive coach for the Panthers in their 2021 and 2022 premiership wins, and the indications were that his defensive blueprint was filtering through at Belmore. The Bulldogs conceded just 433 points in the 2024 regular season, just 18 per game, and 336 less than the previous season. Canterbury finished the regular season last year with the third best defence of any team, behind only premiers Penrith and preliminary finalists Cronulla.
In 2024, Canterbury reached the finals for the first time since 2016. While the Bulldogs suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Manly in their week one elimination final last year, the signs were apparent that this was a team well and truly on the rise. AN HISTORIC START IN 2025 According to the Fox Sports Lab , the Bulldogs have started a season at 5-0 for just the fifth time in their 90-year history.
It’s the first time the Bulldogs have started the season at 5-0 since 1993. That year, they finished as minor premiers, as they did in 1938 and 1947, which were two other seasons when Canterbury started the season at 5-0. The other time the Bulldogs started a season at 5-0 was in 1974, with the club making the grand final that year.
The 2025 Bulldogs are the 20th team to start the season 5-0 in the NRL era (since 1998). The 2023 Broncos were the last team to achieve the feat. LEAGUE LEADING DEFENCE In 2025, the Bulldogs have only conceded 58 points from their first five games, which is the least of any team.
The Dogs are conceding just 11.6 points a game in 2025, which is a world away from their defensive struggles in 2023. How have the Bulldogs turned their defence around so drastically? Writing for foxsports.
com.au earlier this month, former NRL player Alex McKinnon says the Bulldogs use their head, rather than their size, in defence. “The Bulldogs aren’t the biggest pack in the competition but they’re quickly becoming the smartest,” McKinnon wrote.
“I noticed something they were doing against the Knights that I’ve never seen before and it was incredibly effective – and clever. “In defence I saw a real conscious effort from them to essentially carry the attacking players sideways in the seconds between contact and the attacker looking to find the ground. “I found it a very interesting tackling technique and one that would be quite frustrating to play against.
“The Dogs’ approach is designed to make life as awkward as possible for the dummy-half, and the player that is preparing themselves to carry next. “A small disruption of the dummy-half’s fluency done over and over can have a big impact on the game – and therefore the result. “It’s a very smart tactic and great coaching from Cameron Ciraldo because it’s a play perfectly suited for all his utilities.
It requires communication and a relentless pursuit of their opponents. “It suits their up-tempo, hustle defence and it’s clearly working and the best part is they should be able to maintain it all season. “Canterbury have identified they won’t match teams with brawn but that they can beat them with brains and effective body control.
” Immortal Mal Meninga believes the Bulldogs’ high completion rate in attack helps with their defence as well. “Because they complete really well, defensively they can come up with the right decisions,” Meninga said. SUCCESS DESPITE STARS’ ABSENCE Both five-eighth Matt Burton and gun forward Viliame Kikau suffered knee injuries in round two against the Titans.
So their wins over the Eels, Sharks and Knights came without those two superstars. Burton has been named to return for the Bulldogs on Good Friday against the Rabbitohs, while Kikau has been named in the reserves. HAS THE DRAW HELPED? While the Bulldogs have had a great start and can only beat the teams put in front of them, they’re yet to meet a team who currently sit inside the top eight.
Their wins have come against the Dragons (10th spot), Titans (11th), Eels (17th), Sharks (9th) and Knights (12th). The Bulldogs’ traditional Good Friday clash with the Rabbitohs will present them with an opportunity to beat a top eight team, with South Sydney currently sitting in fifth position. The crowd is expected to be in excess of 70,000.
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