Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs facts for kids

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Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Club information

Full name

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Rugby League Club

Nickname(s)

Berries, Blue and Whites, Dogs, Doggies, Dogs of War, The Family Club, The Entertainers

Website

bulldogs.com.au

Colours

Blue
White

Founded

1935; 90 years ago

Current details

Ground(s)

Stadium Australia (84,000)
Belmore Sports Ground (19,000)

CEO

Aaron Warburton

Chairman

Adam Driussi

Coach

Cameron Ciraldo

Manager

Phil Gould

Captain

Stephen Crichton

Competition

National Rugby League

2024 Season

6th

Uniforms

Home colours

Away colours

Records

Premierships

8 (1938, 1942, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004)

Runners-up

10 (1940, 1947, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2012, 2014)

Minor premiership

8 (1938, 1942, 1947, 1984, 1993, 1994, 2012)

Wooden spoons

6 (1943, 1944, 1964, 2002, 2008, 2021)

Most capped

317 - Hazem El Masri

Highest points scorer

2418 - Hazem El Masri

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are a professional rugby league team from Australia. They are based in Belmore, a suburb in Sydney. The team plays in the top competition, the NRL Telstra Premiership. They also have teams in other leagues run by the New South Wales Rugby League, like the NSW Cup and junior competitions.

The club joined the top league, then called the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership, in 1935. They won their first championship just four years later. After a quiet period in the 1950s and 1960s, they became very strong in the 1980s, winning four championships. In 1995, they won their first national championship.

The club was known as the Sydney Bulldogs in 1995. They went back to Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs until 1999. Then they changed their name to just The Bulldogs before returning to their current name in 2009. The Bulldogs have won 8 championships. Their most recent win was in 2004. In 2012, they won the minor premiership, meaning they finished first in the regular season. They last played in a Grand Final in 2014, where they lost to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. People often call them Canterbury, the Bulldogs, or just the Dogs.

History of the Bulldogs

The third annual Club Ball, 1938.

The Canterbury club joined the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in 1935. This was 13 years after the Canterbury-Bankstown Junior Rugby League started. The new club was sometimes called "Country Bumpkins" because they recruited players from country areas. They won their first championship in 1938. They won again in 1942. After that, they had a long wait of 38 years for another championship.

In 1967, the team, then known as "The Berries," beat St. George to end their 11-year winning streak. However, they lost to South Sydney in the Grand Final. This strong performance helped the club get ready for future success.

Becoming the Bulldogs

In 1978, Canterbury officially became "The Bulldogs." Their old nicknames like "Cantabs" and "Berries" seemed too soft. The club wanted a name that showed how tough and determined they were. They got their new name and logo from a local store owner.

A Grand Final appearance in 1979 was followed by a win in 1980. This young team was known as "The Entertainers" because of their exciting style of play. This started a great time for the club, with three more Grand Final wins in the 1980s: 1984, 1985, and 1988.

Artwork celebrating the 1980 NRL Grand Final win.

During the mid-1990s, the Bulldogs joined the Super League competition. They played in the 1997 season. In 1998, they almost won another championship but lost to the Brisbane Broncos in the Grand Final. On their way to the 1998 Grand Final, Canterbury made some amazing comebacks. They came from behind to beat the Newcastle Knights and then their rivals Parramatta.

Challenges and Comebacks

Chart showing the Bulldogs' yearly ladder positions in First Grade Rugby League.

After some mixed results, the club faced a big challenge in 2002. They were found to have gone over the player payment limits. Because of this, they lost all 37 points they had earned that year. This made them drop from first place to last. It was the first time they finished last since 1964.

The Bulldogs bounced back in 2003, reaching the preliminary final. In 2004, they won the Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters 16–13. This was a special win, especially for their captain Steve Price, who missed the game due to injury.

The years 2005 to 2007 saw the team struggle with injuries and inconsistent play. In 2008, key players left the club. This, along with injuries, led to the Bulldogs finishing last again.

New Beginnings

In 2009, new leaders joined the club. They brought in new players, like Brett Kimmorley. This helped turn the club around. Canterbury finished second in the regular season. In 2010, the club officially went back to being called the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. They celebrated their 75th anniversary that year.

In the 2012 NRL season, Canterbury finished first on the ladder, winning their first minor premiership since 1994. They reached the Grand Final but lost to Melbourne. In 2013, Raelene Castle became the first female CEO in the NRL's history.

In 2014, the Bulldogs made history by winning three games in a row by just one point. They reached the 2014 NRL Grand Final but lost to South Sydney.

Recent Seasons

In 2017, Andrew Hill became the new CEO. In 2018, former player Dean Pay became the new coach. The 2018 season was tough due to issues with player payments from previous years. The club had to let go of some players. Despite this, they finished 12th and won the NSW Cup and the NRL State Championship.

The 2019 NRL season started slowly, but the team improved late in the season. They won four upset victories against teams higher on the ladder. In the 2020 NRL season, coach Dean Pay resigned. Trent Barrett was announced as the new coach for 2021. The club finished 15th in 2020.

The 2021 NRL season was very difficult. Canterbury lost their first three games without scoring any points. This was a first for the club. They also had their third-heaviest defeat, losing 66–0 to Manly-Warringah. They finished last, earning their sixth wooden spoon.

In 2022, coach Trent Barrett resigned. Michael Potter took over as interim coach. The team improved and finished 12th. In 2023, Canterbury finished 15th. In the 2024 NRL season, the Bulldogs made the finals for the first time in eight years, finishing 6th. However, they lost their first finals match.

Team Name and Logo

The Bulldogs' name and logo have changed a few times. When the club started in 1935, they were just 'Canterbury-Bankstown'. People sometimes called them 'Berries' or 'C-Bs'. The 'Bulldogs' nickname started being used around 1977. In 1978, the club officially became the 'Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' with the bulldog as their mascot.

In 1995, they changed to 'Sydney Bulldogs'. Then in 1996, it was 'Canterbury Bulldogs'. In 2000, they became just 'The Bulldogs' to try and get more fans from different areas. But many fans and commentators still called them 'Canterbury'. In 2009, the club decided to go back to 'Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' for the 2010 season.

The first logo was a 'C-B' inside a shield. When they became the 'Bulldogs' in 1978, they used a snarling bulldog in a circle. In 1998, a more cartoon-like bulldog head was used. For their 75th anniversary in 2010, they changed the logo again. The new logo shows a standing bulldog. It also includes the 'C-B' emblem, the year they started (1935), and the blue and white 'V' design from their jerseys.

Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs – Logos
1935–1977
1978–1997
1998–2009

Team Colours and Jerseys

The Bulldogs have mostly worn blue and white since 1935. During World War II, they had to wear a maroon jersey with a blue 'V' because of fabric shortages. Fans often see this maroon jersey as "unlucky."

Here are the main jersey designs over the years:

Irregular Stripes: From 1935 to 1962, they wore blue and white irregular stripes with black shorts. This design is sometimes used for special "heritage" games today.
Maroon with Blue V: Used from 1943 to 1945 during the war.
The 'V' Strip: Used from 1963 to 1969, and again from 1973. This was a white shirt with a blue V and blue shorts. Their current "away" jersey is blue with a white V.
Blue & White Hoops: From 1970 to 1972, the jersey had blue and white hoops.

Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs – home jerseys
1935–1942
1943–1945
1946–1962
1963–1969, 1973–1977
1970–1972
1978–1996
1997–1998
1999–2006

Home Stadiums

Exterior of Stadium Australia

In their first year, the Bulldogs played their home games at Marrickville or Pratten Park. From 1936, they started playing at Belmore Sports Ground. This became their main home ground until 1994.

Interior of Belmore Sports Ground

In 1995, the club changed its name to "Sydney Bulldogs" and played at Parramatta Stadium. This helped them get more fans and they won the championship that year. They returned to Belmore Sports Ground in 1996.

Interior of Stadium Australia

When the new Stadium Australia was built for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the club started playing games there from 1999. From 2001 to 2005, they played at the Sydney Showground. But fans complained about the Showground, so the club moved all their home games back to Stadium Australia, where they still play today.

The club's training and offices were at Belmore Sports Ground until 2008. They moved to Sydney Olympic Park but are now back at Belmore after a big upgrade. Since 2015, the club has played some special home games at Belmore Sports Ground to celebrate their history.

Bulldogs Supporters

A crowd at the 2015 "Return to Belmore" match.

The Bulldogs Army is the main group of supporters for the team. They sit in a special section called 'The Kennel'. To sit there, fans need to be club members. They also need to register any large flags or banners they bring. At away games, the Bulldogs Army sits in the general admission area. Their goal is to show strong support for Canterbury.

The Bulldogs have many fans in the Canterbury and Bankstown areas of Sydney. They also have a lot of supporters outside of Sydney, especially in regional New South Wales and Queensland. The club used to have one of the highest average attendances in the league. In 2010, they were one of only two clubs with over 20,000 fans per home game. In 2023, their average home attendance was 16,243.

The club has many fans from different backgrounds, especially from the Lebanese and Greek communities. This is partly because of famous players like Hazem El Masri, who came from Lebanon, and George Peponis, who came from Greece.

Famous Bulldogs Supporters

Many famous people support the Bulldogs. Here are a few:

Tahir Bilgic, Actor and Comedian
Don Burke, Television Personality
Doug Walters, Cricketer
Harry Kewell, Soccer Player
James Magnussen, Olympic Swimmer
Ian Thorpe, Olympic Swimmer
Paul Keating, Former Prime Minister of Australia
Margot Robbie, Australian Actress

Team Rivalries

The Bulldogs have some strong rivalries with other teams in the NRL.

Parramatta Eels

The rivalry between the Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels is one of the most intense in the NRL. The two clubs are geographically close. In the 1980s, both teams won four championships and met in two Grand Finals (1984 and 1986).

In 1998, Parramatta was winning against Canterbury 18–2 with less than ten minutes left in a preliminary final. But Canterbury made an incredible comeback, winning 32–20 in extra time. In 2009, Parramatta beat Canterbury in a preliminary final in front of a huge crowd of 74,000 fans.

Former players from both teams have spoken about how strong this rivalry is. They say there's no "love lost" between the players and fans.

Sydney Roosters

The Bulldogs also have a long rivalry with the Sydney Roosters. They have met in four Grand Finals. Canterbury won their first championship against the Roosters (then Eastern Suburbs) in 1938. The Roosters won in 1940. Canterbury won again in 1980, ending a 38-year championship drought.

In 2002, the Roosters won the championship. This was the same year Canterbury lost many points due to player payment issues. In 2003, the Roosters beat Canterbury in a preliminary final. In 2004, the Roosters beat Canterbury 35–0, and there were fights in the stands. But later that year, Canterbury beat the Roosters 16–13 in the Grand Final.

St. George Illawarra Dragons

The Bulldogs have a fierce rivalry with their neighbours, the St. George Illawarra Dragons. St. George beat Canterbury 91–6 in 1935, which is a record loss for Canterbury. But Canterbury won their first championship in 1938, before St. George won theirs in 1942.

In the 1942 NSWRFL season Grand Final, Canterbury beat St. George 11–9. St. George then won eleven championships in a row from 1955 to 1966. Canterbury ended that amazing run in 1967. The two teams have also beaten each other in Grand Finals, with St. George winning in 1979 and the Bulldogs winning in 1985.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown play each other every Good Friday since 2012. They met in the 1967 Grand Final, with South Sydney winning. The rivalry became even stronger when South Sydney beat Canterbury 30–6 in the 2014 NRL Grand Final to win their first championship since 1971.

Their Good Friday game in 2015 was called "Bad Friday" because of a big controversy. South Sydney won with a late penalty goal. Some Canterbury fans were very angry and threw bottles at the match officials, causing one to slip. Some fans received lifetime bans for this.

In the 2021 NRL season, South Sydney beat Canterbury 38–0 on Good Friday. This was a tough loss for Canterbury. In 2023, South Sydney scored 50 points against Canterbury in the Good Friday game, winning 50–16.

Canterbury League Club

The Canterbury League Club is the official club for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. It opened in September 1956 to support the football club and the local community. It started small but quickly grew.

In the 1990s, the Canterbury League Club became one of the most successful league clubs in New South Wales. It was known as a top leisure facility in Australia. The club started trading 24 hours a day.

In 2000, the club started major renovations. New restaurants and a health club opened in 2002. The club also joined with other local clubs, like Lakemba Services Memorial Club (2008) and Belfield RSL (2013). Today, the Canterbury League Club is a popular place with restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and a 24-hour health club.

Team Statistics and Records

Hazem El Masri holds the record for playing the most games for the Bulldogs, with 317 appearances. He also holds records for the most points and most tries scored for the club. He scored 2,418 points, which was a record in Australian rugby league until 2019.

The Bulldogs' biggest win was in 1995, when they beat the North Queensland Cowboys 66–4. In their first season in 1935, they had their two heaviest losses ever, losing 91–6 to St. George and 87–7 to Eastern Suburbs. However, despite these big losses, they won their first championship just three years later in 1938. This made them the fastest non-founding club to win a title.

In 2002, the club won 17 matches in a row. In 2014, Canterbury became the first club to win three games in a row by just one point.

Canterbury is the only team in the league's history to win a championship and then finish last for the next two years. They won in 1942 but then finished last in 1943 and 1944. They also had one of the longest championship droughts, not winning between 1942 and 1980 (38 years).

Team Honours and Achievements

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have won many awards and championships.

Top League Champions: 8 times

1938, 1942, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004

Top League Runners-up: 10 times

1940, 1947, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2012, 2014

Minor Premierships (finished first in regular season): 7 times

1938, 1942, 1947, 1984, 1993, 1994, 2012

Other Team Honours

Club Championships: 7

1938, 1939, 1993, 1994, 2009, 2010, 2011

Pre-Season Cup: 2

1962, 1970

NRL State Championship: 1

2018

Junior Team Honours

Jersey Flegg Premiers: 10

1963, 1971, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2023 (This is a record for most titles!)

SG Ball Premiers: 3

1972, 1978, 2009

Harold Matthews Premiers: 4

2007, 2009, 2011, 2023

Women's Teams

The Bulldogs also have women's rugby league teams. They play in competitions run by the New South Wales Rugby League. These include the open-age Harvey Norman Women's Premiership and junior teams like the Under 19 Tarsha Gale Cup.

In March 2024, the NRL announced that the Bulldogs would join the NRL Women's Premiership from the 2025 season. This is a big step for women's rugby league at the club! They have already named their first NRLW coach and started signing players.

Canterbury-Bankstown Junior Clubs

The Canterbury-Bankstown area has many junior rugby league clubs. These clubs help young players develop their skills. Some of the current junior clubs are: