The most unusual and exciting of off-seasons is almost at an end for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs as they look to a 2012 season filled with promise and hope far exceeding anything seen in the last few seasons.

The journey began well before the final whistle of 2011 sounded - we go right back to Round 19 when former coach Kevin Moore sensationally left the club mid-season after facing much scrutiny for the Bulldogs' poor form during the past 18 months. Less than two months later the club farewelled a raft of players, most notably boom rep centre Jamal Idris, and the club's captain for over seven seasons in Andrew Ryan.

And so the off-season began. The club made the much-awaited move home to its original base at Belmore. A state-of-the-art multi-million dollar facility awaited them and little did they know the new media facilities would be used so quickly...

The speculation buzzed initially in Grand Final week.