Former Bulldog Johnathan Thurston is lamenting the ‘lost aura’ of the once-great team.

Trent Barrett is expected to leave his assistant coaching job at the Penrith Panthers to replace Dean Pay as head coach of the Bulldogs in 2021.

Mr Thurston told Mark Levy it’s hard to look at the current state of his former club.

“All through the 80s, the 90s, and the early 2000s the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs were a powerhouse club.

“They’ve certainly lost that aura about themselves.”

He warned Barrett will struggle with a foot in two camps, and said the situation “doesn’t make sense”.

“It’ll be extremely difficult for an assistant at another club … to recruit players and keep one eye on the Panthers and the other one on the Bulldogs.

“I’d be going after someone that’s got a hard edge about him, that’s got a lot of experience: a Wayne Bennett [or] Craig Bellamy type that can rule the roost with an iron fist, and get that club back to the glory days.”

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