Gould, Ciraldo ink huge Dogs deals, eye Crichton boost
George Clarke and Joel Gould |
Canterbury have taken a giant leap of faith in Cameron Ciraldo, extending the contract of the Bulldogs coach – and football boss Phil Gould – until the end of 2031.
In a further boost, the Bulldogs have agreed to a new deal with local winger Jacob Kiraz, who is now locked in at Canterbury until the conclusion of the 2028 season.
The new contract keeps Kiraz out of the sights of expansion sides in Papua New Guinea and the Perth Bears.
In addition to agreeing new terms with Kiraz, the Bulldogs say they are close to finalising talks for a bumper extension for captain Stephen Crichton.
Crichton was one of Ciraldo’s first major recruits after landing at the Bulldogs and the club’s long-suffering supporter base will hope the coach will be the man to end a 21-year premiership drought.
Ciraldo guided the Dogs to their first finals appearance in eight seasons last year and will head to Melbourne in a qualification final on Friday after finishing the regular season in third.
This season is the first time since 2012 the Bulldogs have secured a top-four finish.
Gould has been by Ciraldo’s side each step of the way, overhauling one of the NRL’s most dysfunctional clubs and turning the Dogs into a genuine premiership contender.
“I’m thrilled that we’ve locked in Gus and Cameron for the long term,” Bulldogs chairman Adam Druissi said.
“Gus has rebuilt our entire football operation while Cam has transformed us into genuine contenders on the field.
“Jacob has also grown to become one of the best wingers in the game.
“Having this core group locked in provides our players and supporters with certainty about where this club is going.
“Stephen has proven himself as an outstanding captain and one of the competition’s truly elite players. We look forward to confirming his future soon.”
Canterbury legend Jason Hetherington hailed the extensions of Gould and Ciraldo, saying they would give the club every chance of winning their first title since 2004.
The club’s 1995 premiership hooker played in an era when the Bulldogs were renowned for their defensive clout. In three years in charge, Ciraldo has taken the side from the worst defensive team in the NRL to the best.
“It brings stability to the club at the top, which is so important,” Hetherington told AAP.
“Ciraldo has turned them around defensively. That’s what has kept them in games and won games and what the club is built on.
“Now he can concentrate on coaching and developing the club with a really good system and football team.
“In three years he has taken them from 15th to a top four spot.
“It’s hard enough to win a game, let alone a title, but they are giving themselves every opportunity to win one. There is a lot of success ahead of them.”
AAP
