Canterbury close in on front-of-jersey sponsor in time for Eel battle
There were jokes flying around at the NRL season launch about how the Canterbury jersey was missing a major front-of-jersey sponsor.
"'It looks like one of those supporter jerseys that have come straight from the rack at Best & Less','' one of the players quipped.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak makes a break for the Bulldogs.Credit:
The Bulldogs remain the only club without a major backer just six days out from their opening-round blockbuster against bitter rivals Parramatta.
The proud club lost long-term backers Jaycar after the Mad Monday fiasco at the end of 2018, then last year's sponsor Kia decided to remain on board but as a principal community partner.
National mineral drilling contractor DDH1 Drilling was used during the two-day Nines carnival, but Dogs officials are confident a front-of-jersey sponsor will be nailed down by the time the players run on to Bankwest Stadium against the Eels.
While a new front-of-jersey sponsor will prove a huge financial boost for the Dogs, skipper Josh Jackson is just as excited about what awaits the club on the field.
The Canterbury captain is so convinced the Bulldogs are on the brink of premiership success, it was the simple reason he committed to the club for three more years before Christmas.
Jackson's optimism has not been shared by plenty of experts nor bookies who have the Bulldogs $5 second favourite to collect the wooden spoon - but the workhorse forward could not care less.
"I can see where we're going, we have a heap of young guys and I want to be a part of it when we're travelling well and successful, and that's not far away,'' Jackson said.
"I want to win a comp with the Bulldogs.
"And if I was to leave, which was never a consideration, and had won a comp with another team, I don't think it would have felt the same for me as it would if I did it for the Bulldogs.
"I've been here such a long time. I'm a bit old school and I was brought up to be loyal.
"But there's a really good energy and positivity about this place. A lot of our younger guys have now played 30, 40 and 50 NRL games, and that's when you start playing good consistent footy. We just need a good start.''
Over the past seven years, the Dogs have lost six of their first-round games.
While they have finished strongly the past two years for coach Dean Pay, the Dogs have been ordinary with their starts.
"And we need to fix that,'' Jackson said.
Jackson said the amount of time on the road in recent weeks, which started in Perth and took in Papua New Guinea and Port Macquarie, had helped the team forge a closer bond.
For off-contract Pay, his main selection headache remains whether to partner Lachlan Lewis with cheeky halfback Brandon Wakeham or the reliable Jack Cogger in the halves.
Meanwhile, South Sydney will hold it's annual general meeting on Sunday with Nick Pappas expected to be re-elected as chairman unopposed.
Pappas will continue in his role for another two years, ending any speculation of him pushing to gain a spot on the ARL Commission.