It was 43-years ago when I convinced Canterbury-Bankstown Rugby League club to change their nickname from Berries to Bulldogs. I was pilloried from pillar to post by senior Berries' officials, especially "top dog" Peter Moore. Read: The Prenter Report: Best of the Best-part two Read More: Berrima District Sports Awards 2019 winners and recap Read Further: Southern Highlands Water Polo set to host gala dinner for past members "How dare you meddle with our affairs," barked Bullfrog Moore. I started the Berries to Bulldogs campaign mid-way through season 1977. The reception I received from Peter Moore for the rest of that season was frosty to say the least. I may have been a mere coincidence but my rival at the Daily Mirror seemed to get the pick of the Berries' stories from then on in. Why then, "Bulldogs?" To me Berries belonged on trees. Too easily crushed. Bulldogs were ferocious, more in keeping with the club's blue collar following. "Go the Berries" sounded feeble. "Go the Bulldogs," had a more football sound to it. One night, late at night after the season, I got a phone call from Det. Sgt Barry Nelson. "Geoff, it's Barry Nelson. Sorry to call so late." "What have I done," I anxiously replied, aware that Det. Sgt Barry Nelson was head of the NSW Police Consorting Squad. In those days consorting with convicted criminals was a serious offence. While I did have a "head nodding" acquaintance with George Freeman and Joe Taylor I never mixed with them socially. "You've done nothing wrong," explained Det.Sgt. Nelson. "The Canterbury-Bankstown board met tonight and decided to change our nickname from Berries to Bulldogs. "Thanks for the idea. I felt you should be the first to know." The Bulldogs haven't won a premiership for 18-years. No one wants to see this once great club return to the days of the Berries. It's "pay-up" time. Time for the likes of Will Hopoate, Joe Stimson, Marcello Montaya, Dean Britt, Sione Kato and Dylan Napa to "pay-up." "Pay-up" and bark. Bark like a Bulldog just the way Peter Moore growled at me. Just for the record. Peter Moore was one of my best mates. I never held a grudge for a man who stuck up for tradition, that is until he steered the club into the Super League.