Canterbury Bulldogs utility Bailey Hayward has earned a new deal as the club looks to secure their long-term dummy-half following the confirmed departure of Reed Mahoney at the end of this season.
Agreeing to a one-year extension until the end of 2026 in March, Hayward has now been extended through to the end of the 2028 NRL season.
A junior of the Bulldogs’ pathways system, he also spent time at the Sydney Roosters before taking a three-month hiatus from the rugby league field.
However, since returning to the game, he has become one of the club’s most underrated players and is highly regarded by his teammates as the best communicator on the field.
“I think there were a couple of things going on in life that I sort of thought were more important, but it wasn’t long,” Hayward previously told Zero Tackle.
“I was only out of the game for three months and I had that itch to come back. That love for the game and fire in the belly brought me back and it’s there still.”
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 22: Bailey Hayward of the Bulldogs in action during the 2025 NRL Pre-Season Challenge match between Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury Bulldogs at Kayo Stadium on February 22, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The move to tie down Hayward means the Bulldogs now seem him as their long-term hooker after starting in the position in the win against the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday evening.
Despite taking over the position that Reed Mahoney previously held, the youngster has credited the influence of the former Parramatta Eels hooker in the past.
“Having a positional switch and probably not playing there anywhere near as much in my junior footy, he’s [Reed Mahoney] been a massive help,” Hayward said.
“After trainings I’m picking his brain and he’s always there to answer questions that I ever need and he’s really clear. He’s taken me under his wing massively.”