Cameron Ciraldo acknowledged that the Bulldogs are facing consequences for their slow start to the season, effectively ending their finals chances after the loss to the Penrith Panthers.
Even though the Bulldogs demonstrated strong attacking potential and solid defense, they could not take advantage against a precise Penrith side, spearheaded by star halfback Nathan Cleary.
This latest defeat leaves Canterbury with a significant challenge ahead to keep their season alive, relying on favorable outcomes in other matches.
If both the North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs win on Saturday, the Bulldogs' hopes for finals will be extinguished.
"It's disappointing because if we played like that in the first eleven rounds, we wouldn't be sitting here in this situation," the Bulldogs head coach remarked after the match.
"Since Round 12, we've put a lot of good footy together, but the way we played in the first eleven rounds probably has made it a pretty hard job."
Reflecting on the missed opportunities, Ciraldo admitted the Bulldogs could face a tense finish to the season if their finals aspirations extend past Saturday.
"We're going to probably have a few more battles and it's probably going to be three tries to two," Ciraldo noted.