Phil Gould Sounds Alarm Ahead of Bulldogs’ Clash with Desperate Titans
Canterbury Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould has urged his team to remain alert ahead of their Magic Round clash against a resurgent Gold Coast Titans outfit, warning that this weekend’s encounter could pose unexpected dangers despite the Titans’ current struggles.
The Bulldogs will head into Sunday afternoon’s fixture at Suncorp Stadium looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the 2024 NRL season — a humbling 42-18 loss to the Brisbane Broncos. While the Titans sit near the bottom of the ladder and have only managed a single win so far this year, Gould has made it clear that the Bulldogs cannot afford to take their opponents lightly.
Adding fuel to the fire, Titans coach Des Hasler made headlines this week with the shock decision to demote star forward David Fifita to reserve grade. The high-profile $1 million player has been out of form in recent weeks, and Hasler’s move signals that no one is safe from accountability within the struggling club. Gould believes this shake-up may ignite a strong response from the rest of the Titans squad.
“You always have to be wary of a side with something to prove, especially after a bold move like that,” Gould said. “They’ll be hurting, and they’ll come out firing. It’s a real danger game for us.”
While much of the attention has been on the Titans’ woes, the Bulldogs have their own concerns to deal with. The team will be without several key contributors due to suspension. Star five-eighth Matt Burton, powerful second-rower Sitili Tupouniua, and dynamic utility Josh Curran have all been ruled out, weakening Canterbury’s depth and placing added pressure on the remaining squad members.
Gould acknowledged the absences as a setback but backed the team’s resilience and depth. “We’ll be tested, no doubt,” he said. “But that’s the nature of the NRL. You need to adapt and lift, regardless of who’s missing.”
The Bulldogs had been one of the early season’s surprise packets, stringing together a series of strong performances and building confidence within the squad. However, the defeat to Brisbane was a harsh reality check and a reminder of how quickly momentum can swing in the NRL.
Facing a Titans team with nothing to lose and a point to prove under Hasler’s leadership could prove trickier than expected. The Bulldogs will need to regain focus and deliver a composed, disciplined performance if they hope to avoid a second consecutive defeat.
“This isn’t a week to relax or look at the ladder,” Gould concluded. “We’ve got to treat this like a finals match and bring the same intensity we had earlier in the year.”
With both teams entering the contest with something to prove, Sunday’s clash is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing battles of Magic Round.
