{"id":362242,"date":"2024-01-23T19:53:09","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T20:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=362242"},"modified":"2024-01-23T23:03:58","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T23:03:58","slug":"huge-decision-over-rusty-recruit-after-drugs-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=362242","title":{"rendered":"'Huge decision' over 'rusty' recruit after drugs ban"},"content":{"rendered":"

Plenty of critics have slammed the Bulldogs<\/a> for their recruitment for 2024 – but I don't mind it.<\/p>\n

Guru Phil Gould<\/a> has got rid of a lot of dead wood and while he has only signed one top flight player in Stephen Crichton, he has come up with useful gains at bargain prices.<\/p>\n

But the dilemma for coach Cameron Ciraldo will be where to play his newbies.<\/p>\n

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Of the 2024 signings, Connor Tracey (Sharks), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Jaeman Salmon (Panthers), Josh Curran (Warriors), Drew Hutchison (Roosters) and Kurt Mann (Knights) are all utilities.<\/p>\n

That can be an advantage for Ciraldo, having players who can cover multiple positions, but it could also cause him trouble when he chooses his team every week.<\/p>\n

Time will tell.<\/p>\n

\"Bulldogs<\/p>\n

'RUSTY' QUERY OVER CONTROVERSIAL RECRUIT<\/h3>\n

The other big call Ciraldo has to make is what to do with controversial recruit Bronson Xerri.<\/p>\n

Xerri is a powerhouse ball-running centre and has been training superbly – but is coming back after four seasons on the sidelines due to a drugs ban.<\/p>\n

After such a long absence, the 23-year-old former Shark is bound to be rusty – and a couple of trials may not be enough to get him back to his best.<\/p>\n

Does Ciraldo start him slowly in the lower grades to get his mind and body back in the game – or throw him straight into the fire?<\/p>\n

It's a huge decision.<\/p>\n

COACH'S NO.1 DECISION<\/h3>\n

Fullback has become the game's super position in recent seasons, and Ciraldo has four contenders for the key No.1 jumper come March.<\/p>\n

Incumbent Hayze Perham played some solid football last season without being spectacular, while new chums Taaffe, Crichton and Tracey all have claims to play at the back.<\/p>\n

Taaffe will probably get first crack at the key spot – unless he starts in the halves!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Plenty of critics have slammed the Bulldogs for their recruitment for 2024 – but I don't mind it. Guru Phil Gould has got rid of […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":362249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362242"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=362242"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":362252,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362242\/revisions\/362252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/362249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=362242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=362242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=362242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}