Are the Bulldogs… back? Their new and old tricks point to a finals charge

July 31, 2026 — 5:00am

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Are the Bulldogs … back?

Five wins from their past six starts says they’re getting warmer.

Brutal injury tolls for Friday’s opponents Melbourne, Souths and Newcastle, along with Manly’s post-Origin slide, suggest that a top-eight finish is there for the taking – if that run of victories over some strugglers and stragglers hasn’t misled.

Canterbury’s road home is rough and ready. But as the third-placed Warriors just found out, the Bulldogs might just have the blend of old and new to run roughshod.

The new: How they’ve made the Steeden sing

One set early on in Canterbury’s impressive 18-6 disposal of the Warriors looked, frankly, as if it was executed by a completely different team.

Rarely in the past two seasons have the Bulldogs played so expansively, so early. From one side of the field to the other and back they went in just two tackles and five passes, as Canterbury’s outside backs engaged a dozen Warriors defenders before Jacob Kiraz and Stephen Crichton broke into the backfield.

The Bulldogs have scored the fewest first-half points of any team this season. But since Crichton’s shift to five-eighth against the Titans (after a test drive late against Manly the week earlier), Canterbury have notably upped their offloads, particularly in the opening 40 minutes.

The one game the Bulldogs didn’t produce at least nine........

© The Sydney Morning Herald