Dean Pay wants the chance to prosper as Canterbury coach, the under-pressure mentor putting his case forward on Friday but denying he’s approached the NRL club’s board about his future.
A loss to the struggling Brisbane on Saturday would sink the Bulldogs (1-7) to their worst season start since 1964.
Pay prefers to look ahead though, confident he is the coach to guide the Bulldogs back up the ladder.
“We’ve worked really hard over the last two or three years to get ourselves in a position where we can start to move forward now,” he said.
“And of course, I want to keep coaching here.
“But my job is to make sure whatever player we do bring in here a better player and that way, we will make ourselves a better team and a better club.
“Of course we want to keep progressing and keep moving forward.”
They could jump ahead of the Broncos (2-6) with a win in what will be the first time they’ve met as bottom-three sides.
Victory would release some pressure on the only NRL coach off contract at the end of this season.
“I think (all games are) crucial,” he said, denying he had approached the club about a two-year extension.
“I haven’t spoken to the board about whether they’re making a decision or not, but that’s out of my control.
“I’m here at the moment, so my focus is this week and it doesn’t go any further than that.
“Hopefully, we can get a result tomorrow and it will help everyone at the club.”
Backrower Dean Britt (back) will miss the Suncorp Stadium clash, replaced by Ofahiki Ogden, while highly-rated English prop Luke Thompson will make his NRL debut.