The Bulldogs' season has been inconsistent, impressing with a big upset but struggling against weaker teams. Contenders or pretenders?
What to make of the Bulldogs so far this season - contenders or pretenders?
It's fair to say after seven rounds the jury is well and truly out.
After opening the season with back-to-back wins over the Dragons and Raiders, the Dogs fell in consecutive games to the Knights and Rabbitohs.
Then they turned up to score the upset of the season over the previously unbeaten Panthers last round, where the Dogs absolutely mauled Nathan Cleary.
But just when we thought the halves combination of Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton had finally gelled, this week the Dogs were sent home with their tails between their legs after copping a 38-20 reality check by an injury-ravaged Parramatta, themselves missing about $4 million in salary cap value.