Bulldogs' lack of bite puts heat on Hasler
Jul 26, 2017 - 6:11 AM Des Hasler denies he is under pressure to keep his job but he is in danger of recording the worst season of his illustrious NRL coaching career.After seven wins from 18 matches in 2017, Canterbury appear set to miss the finals and Hasler's future has been placed firmly in the spotlight.
With board elections to be held early next year, some directors will be feeling the heat, fearing their heads could be on the chopping block.
The fact Hasler's future could be questioned just three months after securing a two-year contract extension is a sign of how far the club has fallen this season after slipping last year.
The numbers explain why fans are restless.
The Bulldogs have averaged just 14 points per game this season, the worst in the league, according to Fox Sports Stats.
They have averaged only 3.3 line breaks per game, also a league worst.
Against that dispiriting effort, fans must weigh the fact that Hasler took the Dogs to the finals in each of his previous five years at the club, including twice to the grand final.
As well, as a head coach, he has only once missed the finals - in his rookie year at Manly in 2004.
That year the Sea Eagles recorded just nine wins as they rebuilt in the wake of the disastrous Northern Eagles joint venture.
Should the Bulldogs fail to record another two wins from their remaining six games, 2017 will go down as Hasler's least successful season at the helm of an NRL club.
Hasler's critics are circling following their 42-12 drubbing at the hands of Brisbane last weekend and they require a response against Penrith on Thursday night.
Former Bulldogs skipper Michael Ennis this week called for Hasler to be sacked, saying their football style had not evolved and the club had also made a mess of its retention and recruitment.
Ennis questioned why they had signed Wests Tigers captain Aaron Woods, when James Graham and Aiden Tolman filled similar roles.
Martin Taupau (Manly) and Dale Finucane (Melbourne) have gone on to be strong performers at other clubs while Ennis himself was influential in Cronulla's maiden title win last year.
Plenty has now been staked on the recruitment of playmaker Kieran Foran, who Hasler will reunite with after winning the title together at Manly in 2011.
He will be charged with re-igniting an attack that has spluttered.
Asked if his side had under-performed in 2017, Hasler said: "In some aspects we have definitely.
"In other aspects their performance has been OK."
ALL BARK, NO BITE
The numbers behind the Bulldogs' 2017 slump
* Points scored per game - 14 (16th in NRL)
* Linebreaks - 3.3 (16th)
* Tackles busts - 23.8 (12th)
* Tackles opposition's 20m zone - 23.8 (13th)
* Completions - 74.9 per cent (12th)
* Handling errors - 9.8 (11th)
* Run metres - 1384m (13th)
Source: AAP
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