Matty Johns is urging Canterbury to go back to the future with Des Hasler’s replacement as a surprise contender emerges for the Gold Coast coaching job.

Meanwhile Trent Robinson gives an honest take on the finals series so far and Josh Papalii withdraws from the PM’s XIII.

Catch all the latest rugby league news in Media Watch!

Round 20

MATTY: BRING BACK OLD SCHOOL DOGS

Dean Pay is the red hot favourite for the Canterbury coaching gig, and Fox League pundit Matty Johns is calling for more blue and white royalty to follow him back to Belmore.

Pay has broken his silence on the Bulldogs vacant role, confirming his interest and telling Fairfax Media that his former side remains “a club that’s close to my heart.”

Johns backed Pay’s prospects in what would be his first top grade appointment, and called for Chris Anderson, the Bulldogs legend who coached Pay during their 1995 premiership win, to be installed alongside him as well.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt it’s going to be Dean Pay. He’s the one the fans want (as coach),” Johns said on Triple M’s Grill Team on Thursday.

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“I would have serious consideration to bring Chris Anderson back into the fold at the Bulldogs just to be involved with the team behind the scenes and to guide Dean Pay.

“Chris Anderson ... he’s one of the most loved coaches out there. He understands how to give the team back to the players.”

Anderson hasn’t coached in the NRL since being punted by the Roosters a decade ago.

But he remains a popular Bulldogs figure after winning a title as one of the game’s best wingers of the 70s and 80s before coaching two more premiership wins at Canterbury and Melbourne.

At 65 years of age, Johns’ proposal would see Anderson take on a role similar to Phil Gould at Penrith, where the powerful NRL figure covers off on a range of football and club-related decisions.

Pay meanwhile has been sounded out by Warrington for a head coaching role, but the Raiders assistant says a return to the Bulldogs outfit he played 108 games for holds serious appeal.

“I’d be interested in it for sure,” Pay told Fairfax Media. “I’ve done a pretty big apprenticeship, if I’m not ready now I never will be.

“At the end of the day, if I go that way, that’s fine. At the moment I haven’t heard anything. I spent a lot of time there, at the end of the day it’s a club that’s close to my heart.

“If the opportunity comes up. I’d certainly have a discussion about it, that’s for sure.”

TITANS’ COACHING BOLTER

Channel Seven reports Jason Demetriou has emerged as a serious contender for the Gold Coast job.

Demetriou, who is currently an assistant coach under Wayne Bennett at Brisbane, has been interviewed by the Titans and could very well snare the gig.

Broncos assistant coach Jason Demetriou. Photographer: Liam Kidston. Source: News Corp Australia

Demetriou has won premierships with the Northern Pride and Illawarra Cutters in the Queensland and NSW Cup competitions and was an assistant at North Queensland when they won the title in 2015.

ROBBO’S HONEST FINALS TAKE

Roosters coach Trent Robinson believes the standard of football throughout the finals series has been poor.

Robinson reckoned he’d seen better quality rounds compared to what we’ve seen so far in the qualifying and semi finals.

“We have seen high intensity, close finishes,” Robinson told League Life.

“I don’t think we’ve seen great footy.

“That’s what these finals bring. Everyone’s trying to perform at their best under pressure and I don’t know whether we’ve seen that.

“We seen some really exciting close finishes, but I’m hoping our best footy is to come.

“To best honest I thought our game against the Broncos on that Friday night was one of the best of the finals so far.”

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover break down the Des Hasler sacking and what it means for the Bulldogs. Plus what went wrong for the four finals losers.

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PAPALII TO MISS PM’S GAME

Canberra backrower Josh Papalii has had to withdraw from the Prime Minister’s XIII game against PNG due to a family death.

Parramatta’s Corey Norman has been called up to take Papalii’s place in the squad.

“He’s pulled out to spend some time with the family and we wish him all the best, we send our love to him and the family — our thoughts are with him,” PM’s XIII assistant coach Adrian Lam told Fairfax Media.

RICKY: PAY’S READY

Canberra’s Ricky Stuart says assistant Dean Pay is ready for a head coaching role.

Pay is the hot favourite for the Canterbury gig after the Bulldogs decided to sack Des Hasler on Tuesday.

Current Bulldogs assistant Jim Dymock and recently sacked South Sydney coach Michael Maguire are also possible candidates.

Contender for the Canterbury coaching job Dean Pay. Picture: Kym Smith Source: News Corp Australia

“I’ve been very fortunate with the quality of my assistant coaches and Dean’s ready to be coaching first grade,” Stuart told Fairfax Media.

“He’s never going to be any more ready. It’s not a matter of time now it’s a matter of when.

“Dean’s very good at what he does. From a defence and an attack point of view we share a lot of ideas and as coaches we always come up with what’s best for the player.”

CHOOKS NEED TO IMPROVE

Sydney Roosters co-captain Boyd Cordner says his side still have a lot of improvement in them.

The Tricolours will do battle with North Queensland in the preliminary final on Saturday.

“Our discipline areas of the game,” Cordner told NRL Tonight.

“In stages of the game we’re playing some really good footy, but we’re not putting in that full game.

“Just that relentless hard work for 80 minutes.”