Josh Addo-Carr has declared Canterbury a realistic finals chance as general manager Phil Gould drives lofty standards at the NRL club.
Fresh from captaining the Indigenous All Stars, the NSW and Australia winger's focus has shifted back to the Bulldogs ahead of Monday's trial against Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium.
While Addo-Carr is set to sit out the match alongside fellow Indigenous representative Brent Naden and marquee recruit Matt Burton, who had COVID-19 last week, he is excited about Canterbury's prospects.
And he lauded Gould's involvement over the pre-season.
"He just wants the best for the team and always asks what we can do for the boys and for the club, seeing how we can make training better and everyone's job easier," Addo-Carr said.
"He's really intimidating, to be honest. He's just got that aura about him. Moving to the club, I've really got to know him and it's been awesome."
At 26, Addo-Carr is coming into his own as a leader, saying the responsibility feels "natural".
The two-time Melbourne premiership winner's experience will be a vital support for captain Josh Jackson.
"You're only as good as your team, so if I can help my teammates be successful then it's going to go a long way to winning games," Addo-Carr said, adding that his leadership style is to be "very loud".
"I understand the game well and (enjoy) helping my teammates be the very best they can."
Having not made the play-offs since 2017, Canterbury's recruitment drive has inspired optimism.
And while Addo-Carr isn't getting ahead of himself, he insisted the team's hopes of returning to the top eight are "definitely real".
"It was a shock to the system moving to a different club," he said.
"I knew it was going to be a challenge, but they're a good bunch of boys and they're willing to work hard."
