FROM WORST TO FIRST If the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs become minor premiers - as it seems they will - it will complete a remarkable turn-around after finishing last year in a rabble and in possession of the dreaded wooden spoon.

Anything that could go wrong did go wrong, from departure under stealth by superstar Sonny Bill Williams to the demise of international Reni Maitua to the resignation of coach Steve Folkes, after a decade at the helm. Throw in the scandal which led to the sacking of media manager Chris O'Brien and the sudden resignation of chief-executive officer Malcolm Noad and it was the "year from hell" for the Bulldogs. The depressing state of affairs didn't end there with one of the club