'Boys From The Bush' Bulldogs building a hard-working country culture

Even Watts' star signing former Parramatta Eels duo Ethan Parry and Harry Duggan are country boys from Tamworth and Muswellbrook respectively.

Watts came to Kurri Kurri after success as the Newcastle Rebels coach where he formed a strong relationship with 2021 Bulldogs captain-coach Mitch Cullen.

His wide experience includes coaching NSW Country 18s and back-to-back premierships with the Scone Thoroughbreds in 2018-2019

"We're trying to make it a country culture," Watts said.

"I didn't want to regurgitate people from other clubs. The guys I brought in I wanted to make sure I had some association with them, whether I've coached them before or had some sort of input into their career previously.

"I guess it's getting them there, get them into the community and make sure they are embedded in the Kurri culture.

"Being a country boy myself I believe we should get a bit of loyalty out of it and they will be around the club going into the future so we are not having to continually build our roster each year.

"We are getting old boys and supporters down to training and they are seeing that they are country kids who will give us 110 per cent each week and build the platform from there."

The Bulldogs have trials against Western Suburbs on March 5 and Central Newcastle on March 12.

The new signings include Nick Harvey, a Western Rams front-rower from Dubbo, former NSW Country 18s back Jesse Wighton, Group 9 representative halfback James Smith from Cootamundra and Blake Carroll a backrower/centre from Darlington Point in the Group 20 competition in the Riverina.

Berin Hodgson, the brother of Newcastle Knights UK signing Bailey Hodgson, has also signed.

Closer to home dummy half Billy Gilbert joins the Bulldogs from Cessnock after playing with the Newcastle Rebels under Watts.

South Newcastle pair Tommy Biddle and winger Ethan Fowles have moved out to Kurri along with Tim Bridge who played with Scone last season after a brief stint with Central Newcastle in the Newcastle comp.

While they are not household names in Newcastle and the Lower Hunter, they all have good pedigrees and proven ability to play at representative level.

Bridges is a proven try scorer, scoring a record seven tries for Wingham in the Group 3 competition against Macleay Valley.

"Jimmy Smith the kid from Cootamundra played Country under-18s and was on one wing and Lachie Walmsley was on the other. We know how good Lachie has been since he got his opportunity at Souths," Watts said.

"A couple of younger boys who should be really good for us are Hunter Devon who played first grade and under-18s at Aberdeen last season and Sam Feckner from Scone who is down at university in Newcastle.

"Sam was captain of the Greater Northern Tigers under-18 team last year."

Watts said key players from the Bulldogs squad last season including Cullen, Mick Steel, Daniel Melmouth , and Tom Mckenzie were all training well and looking fit.

He said he was particularly excited by the development of Ethan Niszczot and Brodie Linanne.

Linnane, who made his first grade debut at 18 last season, is the son of Kurri premiership player Danny. His dad, uncle Steve (captain coach) and their cousin Jason starred in Kurri's 1993-95 premiership hat-trick.

Niszczot is the nephew of former South Sydney and New South Wales Blues centre Ziggy Niszczot.

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