One of rugby league’s great characters Des Hasler has used Canterbury’s season launch to rally his troops ahead of the new season even using a quote from former US President George Washington in his speech at Sydney Markets.

Hasler, known for his short relationship with the media, was full of words at the Bulldogs’ official 2016 opening.

“Indeed 2015 was a year useful in lessons and clearly bought experience,” Hasler said.

“Despite our fair share of injuries, suspensions and players missing due to State of Origin there was not one game where the team was out of the fight.

“Instead of being annoyed and angry and frustrated at how we fared last year we use it as a motivator to improve and go to the next level (this year).”

And Washington?

“You probably wonder how someone in this position prepares for another season of the competition,” he said.

“And (to illustrate) I would like to use the words of a US president who said: ‘We should not look back, unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors and for the purpose of profiting by dear bought experience’”.