Bulldogs Bash Knights in Ruthless Shutout as Ciraldo’s Coffee Shout Seals Sweet Reward
Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo is set to dip into his own wallet this week, but he won’t be complaining. His side delivered a defensive clinic in their 20-0 win over the Newcastle Knights on Sunday night, earning their first shutout in over a year — and a well-earned place atop the NRL ladder with the competition’s best defensive record.
As part of a light-hearted team tradition, Ciraldo now owes the entire squad coffee after they held their opponents scoreless.
“Getting a zero is always really important,” Ciraldo said with a grin. “That means I’ve got to pay for the coffee cart on Tuesday morning now, so a win-win for everyone, I suppose.”
The coach praised the professionalism of his players, highlighting their discipline and intensity across both halves. “I thought we put a lot of work into them in the first half and came out in the second half and played more our style of game,” he said.
While pleased with the effort, Ciraldo acknowledged there’s still room to improve, especially in attack. “We’re going to look back on a lot of our attack and think we could have done it better,” he admitted. “But I’m really happy with our defence and how it’s getting better every week.”
With the Bulldogs heading into a bye before their Good Friday showdown against South Sydney, Ciraldo is eager to keep the momentum rolling. The return of stars Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau will boost the squad, though it presents a selection headache. “There’ll be some tough conversations,” he said. “But that’s what you want — awesome depth.”
The coach also praised the club’s development system, citing strong performances in both NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg as crucial to their long-term success.
Despite a scare when captain Stephen Crichton went down clutching his shoulder, Ciraldo confirmed it was a burner similar to one Crichton experienced last season, and the skipper bravely played on.
“We’re happy with how we’ve started, but you don’t win comps in April,” Ciraldo said. “There’s still a long road ahead.”
