Gus' ruthless first job to fix broken Bulldogs

Rugby league large Brad Fittler says helium expects recently appointed Bulldogs General Manager of Football Phil Gould to enactment "everyone connected notice" erstwhile helium archetypal walks done the doors.

In 1 of the biggest caller signings for the nine successful caller times, it was revealed past week Canterbury had successfully lured Gould, who had spent the past twelvemonth with the Warriors arsenic a consultant.

Prior to his stint with the Warriors, Gould famously spent 8 years betwixt 2011-2019 with the Panthers arsenic their General Manager of Football. He had a immense manus successful processing the existent Penrith roster owed to his engagement successful revamping the club's improvement pathways.

While Gould was instrumental with the harvest of young endowment who are present regular starters for the Panthers, including the likes of Blues duo Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai, helium besides wasn't acrophobic to fto players go, which is wherever Fittler believes the erstwhile Penrith brag volition start.

"The mode the Bulldogs are going, perfectly [I complaint the move]," Fittler told Wide World of Sports' The Final Whistle.

Phil Gould talks with manager Ivan Cleary during a Penrith Panthers NRL grooming league astatine Sportingbet Stadium connected April 15, 2014 (Getty)

"He (Gould) has an accidental to beryllium backmost and look for a while, listen, and spot what's going on.

"Everyone talks astir however they (Bulldogs) person got problems with their rooster and their wage cap, they're immense jobs and it's thing helium did retired successful Penrith.

"He had to marque immoderate truly pugnacious decisions wherever helium moved immoderate of their leaders on, Matt Moylan moved connected and determination were immoderate others. But each of the enactment retired of that radical moved connected astatine the aforesaid time."

Gould's ruthless club-first attack was a hallmark of his clip astatine Penrith. He famously allowed section juniors and Origin stars Luke Lewis and Michael Jennings to depart the nine during his tenure.

"We ne'er privation to person to spell done the symptom of allowing a Luke Lewis, Michael Jennings, Lachlan Coote and Tim Grant to person to permission the club... But that's been a necessity and decisions that person been made successful the champion semipermanent interests of the club," said Gould successful a caller Sunday Telegraph interview.

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But Gould was besides unafraid to region coaches, having replaced Ivan Cleary astatine the extremity of 2015 with Anthony Griffin before the second was shown the doorway during the mediate of the 2018 season contempt being successful finals contention.

Following Griffin's departure, Cleary, who was nether declaration with the Tigers, joined Penrith successful 2019.

"Gus volition marque large decisions and helium volition tally with his gut instinct," Fittler added.

"He puts them (players) connected announcement and staff. When helium walks in, helium puts them connected notice.

"He moved Ivan connected and it astir apt wasn't the astir favourable decision... helium moved Hook (Anthony Griffin) connected arsenic good conscionable aft helium re-signed him.

"So, he's blessed to marque a large telephone and arsenic I said, helium puts everyone connected announcement and that volition sharpen everyone up."

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Gould's storied past successful rugby league arsenic a player, coach, commentator, writer and head is good documented.

He was conscionable 30 erstwhile helium guided the Bulldogs to a rubric arsenic manager successful 1988 earlier adding different premiership ringing to his manus successful 1991 with Penrith. He's besides the astir palmy NSW Blues manager successful past with six Origin bid wins.

Discussing the signing with Fittler, rugby league immortal Andrew Johns said the Bulldogs made the close determination by bringing Gould in.

"It's tremendous [the signing]," Johns said.

"My clip successful rugby league, helium was 1 of the smartest minds. Not lone arsenic a manager but arsenic an administrator.

"Look what helium did retired astatine Penrith, they were connected their knees.

"Sensational. Great for the crippled and large for the Bulldogs."

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