Bulldogs Coach Cameron Ciraldo Issues Strong Warning to Players Following Shock Loss and Quick Turnaround

After an unexpected defeat to the Eels, Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo took to the podium to issue a grave warning to his players.

Ciraldo expressed that his team was “far from our best,” having recorded a 75 per cent completion rate, alongside conceding six penalties and making 13 errors.

The Bulldogs had recently delivered a surprising victory over Penrith and were favoured to win on Sunday, particularly given Parramatta’s ongoing injury woes and poor form.

The coach acknowledged that complacency might have crept into his team’s mindset.

“I’d like to think that’s not the case, but it certainly seems that way,” he remarked candidly.

The coach further lamented his side’s lack of resilience in the face of accumulating errors and penalties.

“We started with a good energy and intent, but any mistake or penalty we incurred seemed to sap our resilience to defend it. The scoreboard just kept ticking over,” he noted.

“I thought Parramatta played really well, just as we expected. They deserved their win, but we were nowhere near our best.”

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As the season reaches its seventh round, the Bulldogs find themselves sitting in 10th place on the ladder and are struggling offensively, with only the Dragons recording fewer points.

Ciraldo shared that he’d need a “psychology degree” to bridge the disparity between his team’s highs and lows.

“Our best can compete with anyone, but our worst is significantly off that mark. We aim for consistency and to play near our best every week, but today was far from it, and we need to understand why,” he explained.

The Bulldogs will have a quick turnaround, facing the Broncos in Brisbane on Friday.

Ciraldo has no excuses and cautioned that if his team performs similarly again, it could lead to serious issues.

“It doesn’t matter how short the turnaround is,” he asserted.

“If we arrive with the right mindset, we give ourselves a shot. If we show up with that performance, we’ll get what we deserve.”