Dean Pay stopped short of confirming he will wield the selection axe over his misfiring Bulldogs but urged Canterbury fans to show patience with the wooden-spoon favourites after they crashed to a second heavy defeat in as many weeks.
The off-contract coach tried his best to put on a brave face after the Eels ran riot either side of half-time in a 36-16 win at ANZ Stadium on Sunday, plunging the Bulldogs to the bottom of the NRL ladder.
Dylan Napa was a rare shining light for the Bulldogs against the Eels.Credit:NRL Photos
Crippled by lingering salary-cap problems from last year, it seems a long road back for Pay and the family club with bookmakers quick to install them as the top pick to rack up the most losses in 2019.
Asked whether he would ring the changes for their clash against the Tigers at Campbelltown, Pay said: "Well address that during the week. Well see where we need to be better with our players. Theres a few guys putting pressure on them."
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But it will be nothing compared to the pressure heaped on them externally if similar performances follow after they blew a promising start against the unbeaten Eels.
Early tries to Kieran Foran and Reimis Smith powered the hosts to a 10-point lead, but that margin was all but forgotten as the Eels raced in five tries in 21 minutes.
"Weve got the youngest squad in the competition," Pay said. "Were learning how to handle difficult situations and thats where we need to be patient with these younger players. Hopefully, theyll learn and be better with handling those situations.
"We need to make sure we build this team. Where it is, is where it is. Were doing everything we can to build this team into one that can compete with the best teams in the competition.
"I thought our attitude wRead More
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