Corey Allan says the biggest difference in the Bulldogs' young spine compared to the veterans he played with at Souths is the instinctual side of the game that can only be developed by years of first grade. At the end of last season, Allan was playing fullback in a winning State of Origin decider with Daly Cherry-Evans, Cameron Munster and Jake Friend in the other key playmaking roles. Before that, he was working through a finals campaign at the Rabbitohs with three more Origin players in Adam Reynolds, Cody Walker and Damien Cook rounding out the spine. So when he ran out for round one at fullback for Canterbury in a spine that featured 20-year-old Jake Averillo in his third ever game at five-eighth, 22-year-old halfback Kyle Flanagan in his second full season as a No.7 and utility forward Sione Katoa covering for Jeremy Marshall-King at hooker, he wasn't expecting miracles.