Josh Jackson won’t be the only Western product at the Canterbury Bulldogs next season and the tough-as-nails back-rower has backed Dubbo’s Dean Pay to achieve success at the club.
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Jackson, in the running to be named to new Bulldogs skipper following James Graham’s move to St George Illawarra, believes Pay will reintroduce a "successful culture" at Belmore.
Pay, who coached Dubbo CYMS to the 2007 Group 11 title, signed a two-year deal to take over from Des Hasler and was announced as the new Bulldogs coach on Thursday.
Pay played 108 matches for the club from 1989 to 1995, with a premiership win in his final year the undoubted highlight, while he also represented NSW and Australia.
"It will be great for the club," Gulgong product Jackson said.
"He's won a premiership with the club, he knows what the Bulldogs culture is all about, he has a lot of experience, he's been an assistant under guys like Craig Bellamy and Ricky Stuart at the moment, and he's well respected by all the players he has coached.
"It will be great for the club."
Jackson added Pay – who played 85 games with the Bulldogs from 1989 to 1994 – understood the intangible quality that is the famed culture of the family club.
"We just need to get back to a successful culture, and obviously he knows what it's all about because he was there in 1995 when they won the grand final," Jackson said.
"The Bulldogs club demands success and hopefully he can bring it."
Another pleased to see Pay take on the top job was Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.
Bellamy worked alongside Pay when he spent time as the Storm’s under 20s coach and expected him to help the Bulldogs climb the ladder.
"Again, Dean's done a wonderful job for us in our under-20s; he brought a lot of our young kids through. He's a terrific bloke and a really decent guy. He'll be a great success,” he said.
