In other words, as long as the bottomless pit of money from the Leagues Club keeps flowing down Belmore Road around the corner and into Belmore Sportsground, the football club will keep humming along. They don't chase waterfalls at Canterbury, though. They chase premierships. How much longer will they be content without one? Feeling the strain: Coach Des Hasler instructs his team during a Canterbury Bulldogs training session at Belmore. Credit:Renee McKay The Bulldogs' five-year strategic plan, released a year ago, sets out the club's plans in blue and white: "Measuring our success: two grand final wins by 2019". Their last premiership came in 2004. Tick. Tick. Tick.

It says much about the strength of the club and the reputation of coach Des Hasler that the Bulldogs rarely come under scrutiny for what happens on the field. Since Hasler's dramatic arrival in late 2011, just days after winning the premiership with Manly, he's revolutionised the club. Universally described as a "mad scientist", he didn't just drag the Dogs into the professional age but shoved them in front of everyone else, including Melbourne and South Sydney. He was injecting his players with cow's blood at Manly. He was using GPS before anyone else, with the vital stats of his players coming in on this brand new thing called the iPhone. The Bulldogs would smash it out in their rundown gym before Des arrived. Now, during a field session at Belmore, the play will break down and the coach's raspy voice will explain what went wrong as video from numerous cameras around the ground is shown on the big screen. How much does all this cost? I've been told the Dogs spend about $15 million per year on footy, and that includes player payments. About $8 million is spent on the football program.

Hasler, who once stopped in the Brookvale tunnel at half-time as a player to pick up a 50-cent piece, was lured to Belmore for more than $1 million a season. It's always hard to tell with these things, but other clubs are certain the Dogs spend more on football than any other NRL team. Are they getting bang for their buck? Four finals appearances including two grand finals in the last four seasons suggests they are. Yet how much longer will the headstrong Bulldogs board be prepared to coast along without a premiership? There's been talk for months now the board and Hasler keep butting heads over football expenditure, although this type of discussion would happen at most clubs where the coach wants to be on the cutting edge of sports science. Hasler is contracted until the end of next season, but this is his fifth at Belmore.

Some players report he has openly admitted at training he's "under the pump". Nobody can confirm, however, if he's saying it with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek. With Dessie, you never know. Tick. Tick. Tick. A future can be built around the likes of David Klemmer, Moses Mbye and Josh Jackson, but the window is closing. The Dogs' style of play, for what it's worth, is very limited, with most of it based off the back of captain James Graham's rampaging runs through the middle. It's dour and it's effective in finals footy, no doubt. We saw that in 2012 when they reached the grand final. But their form has been streaky this season. They should've beaten Manly by 50 points in the opening round with the amount of ball they had; they snuck home after the siren against Penrith; they struggled to find points against the Eels and were thumped.

At the heart of the Hasler philosophy, too, is blind faith in his players. He was adamant Graham never bit Billy Slater's ear in the 2012 grand final, just as he was certain Klemmer never touched referee Ben Cummins in the match against Penrith. The way Hasler manipulated the Klemmer controversy showed just how streetwise he is. He played the NRL off a break. Infamous incident: James Graham was banned for biting Billy Slater in the 2012 grand final. Credit:Channel 9, via ABC The day after Klemmer was charged, many journalists were briefed on similar incidents that had escaped the eye of the match review committee. It was House of Cards stuff. In the end, Cummins ended up providing critical testimony in front of the judiciary and Klemmer was set free. But the siege mentality that was so prevalent and effective at Manly can only work for so long. Des versus The System can only take them so far. On Good Friday, the Bulldogs meet South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

It comes a year since the infamous match in which Graham was penalised, Klemmer was marched, and referee Gerard Sutton had to dodge 600ml bottles of Coke as he left the field. That match brought out the worst in the Bulldogs. We'll find out this season how much they've changed. Brian Smith once said a coach's worth isn't necessarily defined by premierships. "I'd say that, too, if I never won one," grinned a rival coach at the time. At a club like the Bulldogs can only tolerate being without one for so long. Sam set to brush Nine's overtures There's every chance Channel Nine's coverage of the Sam Burgess incident at the SCG last Sunday will cost it signing the South Sydney dual international as exclusive talent. Nine types weren't pleased when this column was critical of the decision to show Burgess's distraught mother, Julie, in the grandstands as her son lay motionless with a neck injury. Believe us, South Sydney weren't entirely happy about the way Nine handled it, neither.

The club was particularly displeased shots of Burgess' mother was shown on the big screen as Sam's young brother, George, warmed up on the sidelines to replace him - and then for a second time. Nervous moments: Sam Burgess is taken from the field on a medicab. Credit:Mark Kolbe Nine's argument is the first shot came in its commercial break, and it has no control what Fox Sports and the big-screen operator at the SCG – which both pick up the Nine feed – decide to show. But the fact Nine decided to have a second bite, when Julie was in utter distress, just so it could get the shot was the wrong call. Network executives have been elbowing each other out of the way to sign Sammy up as exclusive talent. Nine just went to the back of the queue.

Blake and Whitney progressing slowly It was very clear from the mounting yard scenes after the Golden Slipper that jockey Blake Shinn – who booted Capitalist to victory – and Whitney Berry were an item. Those in the racing fraternity were hardly surprised the leading hoop and the widow of the late jockey Nathan Berry, who died two years ago in tragic circumstances, were an item. Whitney's father, Glyn Schofield, had tweeted an image of the pair at Doyle's in late February. As we understand it, the pair are taking their relationship slowly. Shinn is aware of the sensitivity around the situation. Meanwhile, the Theatre of the Horse at Randwick cops criticism – personally, I think it's a ripper – but X Factor judge and former Boyzone band member Ronan Keating will be bringing it to life on the first day of The Championships on April 2.

He'll be belting out the tunes after the last. Should be great background music as some of us go chasing lost money at Richmond dogs. Parko colours up for the cause Joel Parkinson will wear this rainbow leg rope to suppprt the anti-homophobia Knot Me Project It's the Easter long weekend and that can only mean one thing: the world's longest running surf competition at iconic Bell's Beach must also be on. If you watch closely, you will see the evergreen Australian surfer Joel Parkinson tearing it up with a rainbow leg rope strapped to his ankle.

That's his way of supporting the anti-homophobia campaign Knot Me Project. The leash has been made by Dakine, and is almost a throwback to the look of surf gear from the 1980s. "It started as a conversation with Searley [manager Michael Searle, then turned into an idea and then became what it is now," Parko told us. "I support equal rights. I'm a happily married man with three kids, and I thought it was a good thing to support because it's something I truly believe in. "The actual leash is really good, too. I hope it creates awareness about the issue of homophobia in sport. As long as everyone is getting along, it shouldn't matter. Surfing is a very open sport." Parkinson has rung the bell at Bell's three times, in 2004, 2009 and 2011. At the age of 34, having joined the world tour in 2001, you'd think he would start slowing up.

But he says he has a renewed hunger as this year's World Surf League cranks up. "I was disinterested in some events last year and I didn't feel like being there," he admits. "This year, I am a lot hungrier. The run of good surf in the last couple of weeks has made me fall in love with surfing again." He's also got a strong social conscience, too. The Rainbow Leash is part of his "Legacy Projects" initiative, which started at Snapper Rocks last weekend with the inaugural Indigenous Surfing concept to drive indigenous surfing participation. Question & Answer: Harry Cunningham

Asking the question: Swans youngster Harry Cunningham. Credit:Robert Cianflone We speak to the Swans young gun ahead of Saturday night's opening-round blockbuster against Collingwood at the SCG. I'm told you're an exceptional interviewer of Hollywood talent. I wouldn't say exceptional but I've done one of those interviews and apparently it's all right. So you interviewed Jack Black at the Kung Fu Panda 3 premiere for Swans TV.

Yeah, we were on the red carpet and Dean Towers I interviewed him. He gave us plenty of his time considering there was a lot of people trying to speak to him. There was a fair bit going on. And you've got Hugh Jackman coming up? I only got told this the other day. He's a big name so it's a big opportunity for us so. I've got to work out what I am going to asking him. Is your career post-Swans "entertainment reporter"? I don't know. I'm only 22 so hopefully that doesn't happen too quickly. I'm not one of those who likes to be around the media all the time.

We're all right, mate. Leave us alone. I don't like getting my face on tele. I'm more of a head for radio. I hear you ... What part of pre-season training was the toughest? Before Christmas, we have our biggest running block where we do four weeks of big running sessions three times a week. Those sessions go for a couple of hours, and they really get you. No vomiting?

I usually have the last couple of years, but I didn't this year. How's the build-up been in the lead-up to this game? To bring the game back to the SCG, we're really pumped for that so hopefully we get plenty of red and white fans in the ground for game one. The week The quote

"I Iook at a Big Mac and I think I put on 2kgs ... Night is not a good time to eat two chicken schnitzels with a big side of mash". - So says Manly giant Siosaia Vave. Speak for yourself, big fella. Thumbs up Serena Williams, we love you. First, you gracefully take down the gibbering Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore for his misogynistic remarks, then calmly ask Novak Djokovic to explain to his kids why male players deserve more money than women. Serena 1, Chauvinists 0. Thumbs down Last week, the NRL judiciary set David Klemmer free for touching the ref. This week, the match review committee lets Marty Taupau off with a one-match suspension for a swinging arm on Jack Bird. He did the same thing to James Maloney last year. Insanity.

It's a big weekend for … Australia, as it takes on Pakistan at the Twenty20 World Cup in Mohali, India, following an ugly win against the Bangers. Warner must open. Smith needs runs. Why isn't Lyon there? It's an even bigger weekend for … Buddy Franklin, as he emerges from dark times late last season to return for the Swans for their opening-round clash against Collingwood at the SCG on Saturday night. Good luck to him. Follow me: