The Canterbury Bulldogs have secured their captain for years to come. Stephen Crichton has inked a contract extension to the end of 2031, upgrading from the deal that previously ran to 2027. The new agreement reportedly lifts him toward the one million dollar per season mark, reflecting his status as a generational signing for the club.
Crichton has publicly embraced Belmore as his permanent home, expressing his desire to be wherever Cameron Ciraldo is as head coach. At just 25 years of age, he stands as both the present and future of the Bulldogs premiership ambitions.
What Crichton means to Canterbury
Since arriving from Penrith, Crichton has been transformative. He has won back to back Dally M Centre of the Year awards and led the team to high ladder finishes, sixth in 2024 and third in 2025. His leadership standards and defensive presence have become foundational to the club identity.
His injury in the semi final loss to Melbourne was a severe blow. Canterbury’s finals campaign felt incomplete without their captain on the field. Even across that disappointment, what the club built over the season is undeniable, and Crichton is central to that rise. The key question now is not if he is worth it, but where he plays to justify such investment.
The five eighth experiment
Early in 2025 against the Titans, Matt Burton was forced from the field with injury. In response, the Bulldogs moved Crichton into five eighth. Two quick tries were conceded down the right edge, so Cameron Ciraldo reverted Crichton to centre and used Bailey Hayward in the halves.
Ciraldo later explained they had prepared for this scenario in preseason and trained Crichton at six, but the defensive cohesion did not hold on the day. A permanent switch to five eighth seems unlikely. That does not mean Crichton could not handle the role in a pinch. He is such a gifted footballer that he could play almost any position on the field. With Matt Burton established, Lachlan Galvin arriving, and pathway playmakers like Cassius Tia, Mitchell Woods, Matthew Barakat and Alex Conti developing, Canterbury already has strong halves depth.
So the real debate becomes who plays fullback in 2026 and beyond.
The fullback conundrum
When Crichton arrived there was a strong expectation that he would eventually be Canterbury’s long term fullback. At Penrith he stepped in for Dylan Edwards on several occasions and produced big work rate games, including multiple outings past 300 metres. His toughness and competitiveness have never been in doubt.
At Canterbury he has already been used in hybrid roles. When Connor Tracey was injured against Manly in Round 21, the Bulldogs split the load. Crichton took much of the attacking fullback responsibility, while Jacob Kiraz carried significant defensive coverage and backfield duties. That approach proved the concept and showed how the staff trusts Crichton to influence the game from the back.
Crichton’s ball playing has progressed. If he is to be a full time number one, the only barrier is durability. He managed nerve pain and leg issues across the season and then suffered an ankle and foot injury that ended his semi final after 19 minutes. The number one jersey demands repeat high speed efforts and heavy backfield carries. His body needs to be right to shoulder that load every week.
The case for Connor Tracey
Connor Tracey makes this decision genuinely difficult. Since coming from the Sharks he has been one of Canterbury’s most reliable performers. By Round 21 he was in the form conversation among fullbacks. His injury stalled momentum and he could not train for two weeks. That absence disrupted the backline structure and forced the hybrid reshuffle that asked Crichton and Kiraz to share duties.
Tracey returned and performed well through the finals, still building back to peak condition. His defensive organisation and improved contact work have been important to a side that finished as the best defensive team over 27 rounds. Fullbacks deserve credit for that, from talk to positioning to last line saves.
There is also a money question. Tracey is approaching 30 but has a relatively fresh body and could have several strong years left if healthy. Other clubs will value him both as a starting fullback and as an elite utility. Canterbury may need to pay more than he is currently earning to keep him. Retaining him protects the position and allows the club to make a measured decision on when Crichton moves to fullback.
Depth and pathways at fullback
The Bulldogs now lack experienced depth at fullback for 2026 and beyond. Blake Taaffe has signed a deal overseas that starts in 2026. Blake Wilson has also signed elsewhere from 2026. That removes two senior options from the depth chart going forward.
There are promising youngsters. David Bryenton was a standout at schoolboys level and projects as a future X factor. Taye Cochrane has logged fullback games in NSW Cup and is progressing through the system. There is also Latrell Fing performing in the lower grades. These are exciting pathway names, but they are prospects rather than immediate week to week NRL solutions.
This is why extending Connor Tracey makes sense. Keeping Tracey stabilises the position, buys time for the younger fullbacks to develop, and gives the staff freedom to plan the timing of a full time shift for Stephen Crichton if and when his body and the roster balance make it the logical play.
Bulldog for life, but which way forward
Stephen Crichton has committed to Canterbury until 2031. He is the captain, the best defensive centre in the game, and a complete leader. The club will be built around him.
The million dollar question is simple. Does he continue to dominate at centre, or does he become the number one in 2026 or soon after. The logical long term arc points to fullback. For that to work, the club should retain Connor Tracey and maintain real depth at the position so one injury does not expose the squad.
Make the right call here and the Bulldogs set up their window from 2026 to 2031 with clarity. It is the decision that will shape whether Stephen Crichton, Bulldog for life, delivers the premiership he and the club are chasing.