Gunnedah prop Kye Conlan should be savouring his sophomore first-grade season, but instead finds his mind occupied by the Bulldogs’ “weird” form and the “embarrassment” of the club’s reserve-grade side folding this week.
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And it could get worse for last season’s preliminary finalists, currently third on the ladder, when they face second-placed North Tamworth at Kitchener Park on Saturday with a side Conlan says will be missing several players.
In the wake of Bulldogs coach Sean Hayne calling the side “pathetic” after their wobbly comeback win over Dungowan last round, Conlan admitted that he and his teammates were unsure why the side were struggling – although he mentioned last year’s Dogs outfit had more energy.
He also said the current crop of players had “commitment” issues, and “definitely need to turn things around”.
“I don’t know what it is, to be honest,” he said, referring to the poor form. “We’ve got a good team and it’s just not doing [the job]
“It’s got me buggered what the go is … Last year’s team, we definitely had a lot more energy. We were actually a bit more competitive [last year] … It’s a bit of a different feeling this year.”
He added: “It’s weird. It’s like a bit of a lack of commitment from everyone.”
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Hayne has no problem articulating what is wrong with Gunnedah. Following the Dungowan match, he said the side “dropped off tackles” and allowed the Cowboys to “dominate the ruck”. They did the same thing in a loss to Werris Creek the previous round, he said. In those matches, he urged his charges to show more energy.
A Bulldogs junior, Conlan rejoined the club last season after several years away from the game. He played a mix of reserve- and first-grade last season, finishing the year in the top grade.
Commenting on the reserve-grade team folding, he said: “As a club it’s embarrassing.”
