After the club's 58–18 thrashing at the hands of the Raiders in Round 15, coach Steve Folkes admitted that the Bulldogs were "at the bottom of a fairly big hole with no way out of it in the short term".
The loss to the Roosters in particular was made bitter notably because Willie Mason and Mark O'Meley were playing against the Bulldogs for the first time.
Further souring the Bulldogs' season of shame, Sonny Bill Williams left the club without warning late in July to pursue a career in rugby union (read more below).
Throughout May and June, there was heavy media coverage of star player Sonny Bill Williams' discontent with Bulldogs management and with his contract arrangements, and of his rumoured desire to leave the club to play rugby union or in the Super League.
The Bulldogs commenced legal action against Williams for breach of contract, and eventually received substantial compensation for the walkout.