![The Kurri Kurri Bullodgs haven't won a game in 2023. Picture by Marina Neil The Kurri Kurri Bullodgs haven't won a game in 2023. Picture by Marina Neil](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gNecaFSpqFSLkittedmeiY/067c0566-8382-413a-b547-4ed7e9530e68.jpg/r0_292_4236_2683_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
KURRI KURRI coach Danny Linnane describes it as "one of the toughest periods in the club's history".
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Halfway through the Newcastle Rugby League season for 2023 and the Bulldogs have yet to register a win, conceding close to 40 points on average and already using 34 players in the opening nine rounds.
It's a far cry from Kurri's halcyon days remembered fondly by Linnane, a three-time premiership winner (1993-1995) who took over as first-grade mentor in February following the departure of Aaron Watts.
"We're a proud club and we haven't won a game this year. It doesn't sit well with me," Linnane told the Newcastle Herald.
"It's probably one of the toughest periods in the club's history to be honest."
Last year's wooden spooners have two competition points, courtesy of a bye, and sit four shy of Northern Hawks and Lakes (6).
Linnane admits "nothing helps lift morale more than a win" and "drawing on all my previous experience" he identifies "working for each other more than what we have" as key.
The mentor gathered a "young and inexperienced" squad at Kurri Sportsground on Wednesday night to watch the State of Origin together.
"Obviously the injury toll doesn't help, but we've used 34 players so far this year which is a ridiculous amount of players. It's hard to play for each other when you hardly know each other," Linnane said.
Kurri opened their campaign with a 44-10 loss to upcoming hosts, ladder leaders and defending premiers Maitland.
"I'm nervous about the result and I'm nervous about the side I can field," Linnane said ahead of Saturday.
The Bulldogs conceded 24 unanswered points in the second half of a 50-18 result against the Hawks at Tomaree Sportsground on Sunday.
Kurri's worst defeat this season came against Macquarie (62-6) in round four, getting closest to Wests (26-6) the following weekend.
The Coalfields club have a points differential of -242, leaking a competition-high 336 and scoring a competition-low 94.
They last played a grand final in 2013 and fell one game shy in 2018.
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