Dolphins equally desperate as Canterbury for win: Woolf

The Bulldogs have scored the second-fewest points this season behind only winless St George Illawarra and produced just one line break in their last-start loss to North Queensland.

They have conceded 30 points three times already this year, as many as for the entire regular season in 2025, when the Dolphins handed the Bulldogs their biggest loss of the year.

But coach Woolf said the 11th-placed Dolphins will also be desperate for a win when the teams clash at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.

Last week's defeat of Melbourne snapped a four-game losing streak that featured tight losses to heavyweights Penrith and the Warriors.

"(The Bulldogs) are going to be desperate, they're a good footy side, but we're desperate too," Woolf said.

"Our season hasn't rolled as well as we would've have liked it to have and we certainly haven't got the wins that we would've liked at this stage.

"It's important that we really consolidate on three good weeks and a good win last week, and worry about ourselves."

Asked whether a win was crucial on Thursday given the state of Canterbury's season, coach Cameron Ciraldo was defiant.

"We're not talking about wins and losses," he said.

"We're just talking about improving each week and working on the things that we need to work on and making sure we come out and give the best performance we possibly can.

"If we do that, then the scoreboard will take care of itself."

Ciraldo confirmed the Bulldogs' travelling squad all made it to Queensland on time after four players missed their flight up for the round-eight clash with Brisbane.

The club has said one of the quartet was unwell in the bathroom at Sydney Airport, with the remainder staying behind and catching a later flight with him.

"No one missed the plane so that's the first little win we've had for the weekend," Ciraldo quipped on Wednesday.

Ciraldo was unaware of media commentary that four players missing a flight, including captain Stephen Crichton, reflected poorly on the club's culture.

"I haven't seen it so I can't speculate on it but I know what our culture's like internally. We're very proud of that culture," Ciraldo said.

"I'm happy that three of our guys stayed back to make sure one didn't miss the plane. That's a good thing. But when you're losing, these little things happen and you need to do better.

"We moved on pretty quick."