The 2019 NRL season isn't one the Bulldogs will measure on wins and losses.

At least, they shouldn't.

Issues in the front office have forced the Bulldogs into a lengthy rebuild. One that is only just beginning to lay the foundations for the future. Down on talent compared to the rest of the NRL, Dean Pay is trying to make up the difference in creating a culture centred around effort and resilience.

While sitting 15th on the ladder with a month running in the season, doesn't paint a picture of success, Canterbury's four wins in six weeks is proof that the club is on the right path.

Pay talked about the path he was headed shortly after signing with the club in 2017:

''My style, I want to be a real aggressive team with our defence and especially with our attack. We want to make sure that we execute really well, so we'll be drilling that in the off-season and making sure we can execute what we really want to put out on the field."

The aggression isn't translating into competition points in 2019, but there is hope for the future.

The Bulldogs worked through a horror start to the season to eventually find some consistency and become competitive in 2019. They've pushed the Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Raiders and Roosters close throughout the year while picking up wins against the Knights, Panthers and Tigers more recently.

As other teams begin to consider their summer holidays or look ahead to the finals, the effort levels of the Bulldogs remain at a high standard. If you're not ready for an arm-wrestle, Pay's "dogs of war" style can catch unsuspecting teams out.

It hasn't been all smooth sailing for the Bulldogs. Their attack is still mind-numbingly poor and adjustments need to be made before this side threatens the Top 8. It may all happen sooner than people expect, though.

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2019 Attack

The Bulldogs have played with the worst attack in the NRL scoring just 13.1 points per game this season. Regardless of the effort and desperation in defence, an ineffective attack has cost the Bulldogs competition points. 

Running for 1,567 metres (10th in the NRL) and averaging 26.4 tackles inside the opposition 20-metre line (11th), the Bulldogs haven't been terribly short of opportunities. However, the turnover in key playmakers has stopped the Bulldogs from turning opportunities in attack into points. 

The Dogs have been forced into using eight different spine combinations this season. While some teams have the capacity to deal with such changes, the Bulldogs and their lack of talent do not. They require an elite level of cohesion which they've been unable to generate with the regular changes.

2019 Defence

Attitude is a significant part to team defence. Tackle technique and structures can only take you so far in the NRL.

Canterbury's lack of elite talent is well-documented. To make up for it, Pay gets as much out of his players as he can. Like drawing blood from a stone, Pay is instilling a culture at the club that demands a certain level of effort.

Rhyse Martin, despite his much-needed ability in attack, appears to be collateral damage for Pay's heightened expectations. Lewis was hailed as the next big thing at the club before spending nine weeks out of the first-grade side.

As a result, the Bulldogs have built a reputation as a tough nut to crack. While the odd game can get away from them resulting in an average of 21.8 points conceded per a game (13th), they've kept 11 of their 20 opponents in 2019 to fewer than 20 points.

Key Stats

80% Completion Rate - The Bulldogs play with a focus on completing their sets above all else. While they do make the fewest errors at 9.3 per game to lead the NRL in completion rate at 80%, it quite clearly isn't translating into points.

12.4 Offloads - Completions are a big part of the Bulldogs style of play, but they're not afraid to throw the ball around. Their 12.4 offloads per game is second in the NRL.

2.9 Linebreaks - Only Cowboys break the line less than the Bulldogs at the moment.

31 Tries Conceded - The Bulldogs' left edge defence has been a turnstile for most of the season. They've conceded 31 tries down that side of the field - second-most in the NRL.

10 Appearances - Kieran Foran has only managed ten appearances due to injury in 2019. While he's not living up to the price tag - and probably never will - Foran has shown he can lead the side and create points. He's scored three tries and handed out seven try assists in ten games. His presence on the field in good ball sets has been sorely missed. 

Required Tweaks & Adjustments

Jesse Ramien is on the market and looking for a club in 2020. The Bulldogs need to do all they can to get him there.

He's exactly the sort of player they need in what is currently a weak position. While a number of contributing factors have resulted in a disappointing 2019 season, Ramien is still only 22-years old. Whatever the reason for his failed stint at the Knights, the talent remains.

A centre pairing of Ramien and Will Hopoate is an appealing prospect.

In Ramien, the Bulldogs have an individual to feed early ball and send to work. Their laboured shifts have been easy to defend in 2019. Should they not significantly improve for 2020, there are worse ways to end a shift than by handing it off to their powerful centre.

On the other side of the field, Foran and Hopoate can link up. Foran has shown glimpses of the elite half he once was by taking on the line this season. With Hopoate's fast hands on his outside, the Bulldogs left-side attack will have some potency to it.

To help with those shifts, seeing some more width through the middle of the field is something the Bulldogs can do more consistently. There was a period through the middle of the season in which the props completed one-out passes to stretch the defence. Dylan Napa passed the ball more times in one game than he had done the whole previous month at one stage. 

It puts Dallin Watene-Zelezniak into positions he can thrive. At his best when pushing through the middle, the movement away from the ruck opens up space. He's more suited to a role revolving around coming off a teammates shoulder than the ball-player out the back of a block shape he has been more recently.

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Outlook For 2020

Should the Bulldogs make some of those adjustments and ask more questions in attack, this team can sniff around the Top 8 in 2020. 

They're developing combinations and the first-choice spine should be ironed out by the end of this season to allow a full preseason training together. Jack Cogger has put his hand up and has been improving all year. At just 22-years old, he's another young player that can be fashioned into the future of the club. 

With toilers in Dean Britt and Joe Stimpson arriving at the club next year, the Bulldogs are building their depth in the middle and creating more competition in an area that Pay has willingly turned over throughout the year.

The Bulldogs were put into a strange situation following their breakup with Des Hasler. It put them on the back foot and forced a rebuild from almost rock bottom. But so far, they're making the right moves.

Dead wood has been shipped out for younger players eager to earn a regular spot in first-grade. That in itself has aided in the turnaround in culture Pay preached when arriving.

The turnaround in results will begin sooner rather than later.

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