The Canterbury Bulldogs have flipped almost the entirety of their squad in the last couple of years.
There is virtually nobody left from when Phil Gould took over as director of football, and subsequently, Cameron Ciraldo as head coach.
The recruitment campaign has been aggressive – maybe one of the biggest the game has ever seen – and it’s hard to say it hasn’t worked.
The Bulldogs, even in Ciraldo’s first season at the helm, were bottom of the table cannon fodder.
They are now in their second consecutive finals series, and were looking like minor premiers for much of the year.
That all said, it’s fairly clear they are not finished looking at more recruits yet to go with the players already contracted long-term, and, indeed, the club’s junior pathway which is beginning to develop.
Current Canterbury Bulldogs 2027 squad
Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton, Lachlan Galvin, Harry Hayes, Bailey Hayward, Max King, Jacob Kiraz, Finau Latu, Jacob Preston, Jaeman Salmon, Logan Spinks, Leo Thompson, Sitili Tupouniua, Jack Underhill, Mitchell Woods, Bronson Xerri
Off-contract at the end of 2026
Josh Curran, Kade Dykes, Lipoi Hopoi, Samuel Hughes, Viliame Kikau, Zyon Maiu’u, Kurt Mann, Marcelo Montoya, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Jack Todd, Connor Tracey, Enari Tuala
Current best 17 for 2027
1. Stephen Crichton
2. Jacob Kiraz
3. Matt Burton
4. Bronson Xerri
5. No player signed.
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Mitchell Woods
8. Max King
9. Bailey Hayward
10. Leo Thompson
11. Jacob Preston
12. Sitili Tupouniua
13. Jaeman Salmon
Interchange
14. Jack Underhill
15. Harry Hayes
16. Finau Latu
17. Logan Spinks
As it stands, the Bulldogs do have almost a full 17 for 2027, although there are certainly some holes to plug and upgrades needed if they are going to be competitive.
With Stephen Crichton about to be upgraded though, that will take even more of their salary cap away, so the signings the blue and white make are going to have to be strategic, and balanced when it comes to the cash flow element.
It could certainly be argued that Mitchell Woods is going to be ready to play at number seven by 2027, but with the jury well and truly out on Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin as a halves combination, there is little doubt they may look for another name there, albeit not a senior one.
The backline looks a player short as it currently stands, while dummy half is another question mark with Bailey Hayward preparing to take over that on a full time basis in 2026 from Reed Mahoney, who leaves for the North Queensland Cowboys.
The middle third is strong, although another ball-playing lock, potentially to start, could be their highest priority, while depth in the forwards will also be key to pick up along the way as they continue to build a squad that, fans and administrators will hope, can challenge for the premiership.
Option 1: Dylan Walker (Parramatta Eels)
The Bulldogs have a couple of areas right now that you could argue are holding them back from being genuine premiership contenders.
They looked it during the first half of the year, but the more the year has gone on, the more they look short of an impact style ball-playing lock.
Kurt Mann and Jaeman Salmon are certainly serviceable in the 13 jersey, but they could do with a fresh voice, and Dylan Walker could provide just that.
As it stands, Salmon is contracted into 2027, while Mann is not, but there are other roles for Salmon, most likely off the bench where he can play a combination of second-row and lock.
Whether Mann re-signs is up for dispute, and there is no doubt he has had a strong season, but adding the experienced voice of Walker to close his career would potentially be a smart way to go about things for Phil Gould and Cameron Ciraldo, who have no issues signing veterans provided they fit the mould of what the club are attempting to build.