NRL: Bulldogs adamant all is well in the kennel

Bulldogs prop Ben Hannant wants out of the last year of his contract to return to Queensland. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Under-siege Canterbury players insist the NRL club is not in crisis as it deals with the fallout of a poor start to the season and the impending loss of want-away test forward Ben Hannant.

Hannant turned heads last week when he went public with his desire to return to Queensland, with the Australian prop wanting out of the last year of his contract in 2011 to return home.

News of his desire to leave the kennel came on the eve of Friday night's 20-point loss to St George Illawarra, that defeat signalling the first time the club had lost back-to-back games under coach Kevin Moore.

Injured prop Michael Hodgson, who will be out for 2-3 weeks with a medial ligament strain, said Hannant's revelation had not affected team morale, which will be put to the test in Sunday's vital clash against a red-hot Sydney Roosters side at ANZ Stadium.
"I wouldn't have thought so - rugby league's like the workplace - there's going to be things that aren't ideal that could affect harmony but we're all working together for a common goal," Hodgson said.

"I'm sure us wanting to win games is bigger than where Benny wants to reside next year."

Asked whether he felt Hannant remained committed to the cause, Hodgson said: "He's committed in my eyes, he's committed to us.

"He trains hard and me and him have a good working relationship - it hasn't affected me and he's obviously doing what he thinks is right for his family."

Moore openly questioned the team's attitude in their round one loss to Newcastle and while he noted an improvement against the Dragons, skipper Andrew Ryan labelled their effort "dumb".

The defensive inefficiencies of right side pair Jamal Idris and Steve Turner were shown up against the Dragons, while the combination between halves Ben Roberts and Brett Kimmorley has so far lacked the cohesion of last year's stellar campaign.

But winger Bryson Goodwin claimed too much was being made of the poor start to the season, given the form the Dragons have been in and the fact they came up against a Knights side which had plenty to prove after a tumultuous off-season.

"The Dragons, they're on fire, their completion rate is unbelievable - they've been at 90 per cent both games," Goodwin said.

"If they can keep that up all year they're going to be really hard to beat.

"Newcastle, we had the chance to beat them but our execution was down a bit ... it's not worrying us too much at the moment.

"We all know we can turn it around which is the main thing."

While the belief may still be strong, the Bulldogs will go into their meeting with the Roosters minus three first-choice forwards, with Mickey Paea joining Hodgson in nursing a medial ligament strain and Gary Warburton on Tuesday accepting a two-game ban for a grapple tackle on Dragons skipper Ben Hornby.

Their absence has forced Moore to alter his approach, with playmaking utilities Ben Barba and Blake Green both named on a four-man bench.

- AAP