Hazem El Masri can really feel a way of the early 2000s at Canterbury.
Not simply within the bodily presence of a number of of his 2004 premiership teammates, but additionally within the influence they’re having on the subsequent technology of Bulldogs.
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The NRL’s multicultural spherical launch this week served as one thing of a premiership reunion for the Bulldogs at Belmore, who’ve lengthy been leaders on this space.
Sonny Invoice Williams helped host the occasion, weeks after returning to Belmore once more to speak with gamers and current jerseys to Canterbury’s debutants.
Willie Mason additionally spoke alongside El Masri, with each on Canterbury’s assist employees.
Andrew Ryan, Mark O’Meley, Roy Asotasi are additionally within the soccer division, with the Bulldogs exhibiting promise forward of Sunday’s conflict with Wests Tigers after surprising Melbourne final week.
“To have them right here instructing the subsequent crop of Bulldogs is improbable, and they’re going to study quite a bit from their expertise as properly,” El Masri stated.
“Once I first got here into the membership and I noticed the likes of Terry Lamb and Billy Johnston and Steve Folkes and Turvey (Mortimer), Jim Dymock and all of the boys, I simply thought, ‘wow’.
“Simply to have them come and handle you and say hiya and information you was improbable.”
It is apt that the Bulldogs’ public reunion got here in multicultural week.
Canterbury had been leaders within the house with the primary multicultural recreation 30 years in the past in opposition to Parramatta at Belmore.
Lebanese-born El Masri was additionally on the forefront of one of many league’s first true multicultural groups on the flip of the century, coaching via Ramadan as one of many NRL’s first Muslim stars.
“We discovered about one another’s tradition and nationality… it introduced us nearer collectively,” El Masri stated.
“I went via in all probability essentially the most turbulent time, I reckon, of any footballer.
“It began off, for instance, with the Tremendous League struggle, after I first entered the sector, then we had the wage cap and the Coffs Harbor stuff.
“Then as a Muslim, there was 9-11, the Bali bombing, the Skaf brothers and the Cronulla riots. You simply go, ‘cease, somebody presses the cease button’.
“I used to be like an open e-book in entrance of everybody… I liked being a part of that staff, instructing and studying on the similar time.”
Collectively, that group is now united in attempting to revive the Bulldogs.
