Bulldogs want big NRL name in doghouse

NOTICING a trend beginning to emerge among ex-NRL stars, Cootamundra coach Mark Elia believes the club should be quick to attract a big name star to Group Nine next season.

In the same way he fancied a stint in the bush almost 20 years ago, the former New Zealand international coach yesterday admitted the Bulldogs are on the hunt for a captain-coach with big credentials.

Although Elia said he will be around as a backup coach if the plan falls through, he yesterday encouraged the club to see what’s out there. 

“We’re just asking for admissions of interest for all grades, you never know,” he said.

“There just seems to be a lot of ex-NRL players like Jason Ryles that are coming back to the bush, like it used to be a few years ago.

“I said to the club to get out there and have a look, there might be someone like that we can snare. I think country towns like us, you never know who you’re able to snare.

“That’s how I came here 18 years ago, I had no affinity to Cootamundra I just fancied coaching in the bush for a while and you get that feeling a lot of players are talking about going back to play for their junior clubs. 

There’s a few ex-Cootamundra guys around, and they might be looking to come back.”

Among others, Elia named ex-Cootamundra star and retiring London Broncos prop Mark Bryant as a potential candidate. 

“Someone like Mark Bryant, he might be looking to come home when he gets back from London,” he said.