However, the club hasn't taken long to move on, announcing Pay as their new coach two days after he was interviewed.
"The Bulldogs have a great history and tradition and I'm looking forward to the chance to work with a talented group of players, where respect and discipline will be the cornerstones of how we go about our business," Pay said in a club statement.
Pay, 48, takes on more than your standard head coach role as the club searches for on-field success - the last of their eight NRL titles was in 2004, after losing the 2012 and 2014 grand finals.