Canterbury Bulldogs GM of Football Phil Gould has confirmed the club have made four new signings ahead of next season while six other players have been elevated to their Top 30 roster for the first time in the career.
Gould revealed on X on Saturday that Freddy Lussick and Jesse McLean will make the switch from the Penrith Panthers to Belmore for next year.
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Meanwhile, he confirmed the club have also recruited rookies Connor Votano and Jaxson Allen from the Newcastle Knights and Sydney Roosters, respectively.
A talented fullback, Votano is a former two-time Under-19s NSW Blues representative and has one NRL match to his name – from Round 24 of the 2025 season – as well as 38 NSW Cup appearances where he has scored 13 tries.
Allen, is also a former Under-19s NSW Blues representative and is one of the most highly-rated rookies in the No.9 position.
Recently spending him time between the Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup and NSW Cup competitions for the Roosters this year, he led the Tricolours to the Under-19s SG Ball Cup premiership in 2025.
Gould also confirmed AJ Jones, Gordon Chan Kum Tong, Jack Underhill, Jethro Rinakama, Logan Spinks and Sosaia Alatini will join the Top 30 roster for the first time in their careers.
TIGERS WINGER CONFIRMS DEPARTURE
Wests Tigers winger Jeral Skelton has confirmed on social media that he has departed the club after two seasons and 28 matches for the joint venture.
A former Rugby Sevens star who represented Australia, the two-time Samoan international was uncontracted for next season and the Tigers have decided against extending his contract.
He previously played eight games for the Canterbury Bulldogs between 2023 and 2024 and is knows for his physical presence and hard running ability.
“Gonna miss you,” former Tigers teammate Fonua Pole said.
Latu Fainu added, “All the best my toko.”
Daily Telegraph. Wednesday 05, March, 2025. West Tigers, Jeral Skelton, during an interview at Concord Oval, today. Picture: Justin Lloyd.Source: News Corp Australia
SECRET FLIGHTS THAT CREATED ROOSTERS STAR
It took one moment of magic against the Knights last year to find out about Salesi Foketi, but it took his classmates back in New Zealand a little longer to learn another secret about the emerging leader who mysteriously disappeared for a few months.
Back in 2021 when he was 16, Foketi left St Paul’s College in Auckland and made the trip to Sydney to play for the Roosters in the Harold Matts competition.
They reached the semi-final where they lost to a Panthers side featuring Jermaine McEwen who will line up opposite him in Sunday’s grand final.
He stayed in Sydney as part of the Roosters Academy until April but never really told anyone why he was able to skip school after he was scouted by former Roosters recruitment boss Daniel Anderson.
“We kept it pretty low-key,” he told NewsWire.
“A few of the boys knew, and the staff and teachers knew I was coming over here to play Harold Matts.
“They (my mates) just asked where I was and I said I was over in Australia playing footy. I didn’t really say who for or what I was doing.
“We kept it pretty low-key and I actually had to give up one of the leadership roles at school to come over here and play that first season.”
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Leaving New Zealand at such a young age wasn’t easy for Foketi, but it helped that Benaiah Ioelu and Cassius Tia were also travelling over to play.
“It was pretty tough,” he said.
“Luckily enough I had Benaiah and Cassius Tia who flew over on the same flight, so we all went together. We made it pretty comfortable knowing there were three of us going over.
“It was fairly comfortable for us to make that move. Thinking about leaving family was probably the hardest part about it all.
“Mum didn’t want to let me go; I was still the only boy and still a baby in her mind, so leaving mum, dad, and the family was the hardest part.
“To be honest with you, I was probably a bit spoiled growing up. Being the only boy, mum did everything.
“I had grandma and my granddad there, and dad drove me around and did everything. Moving here, that was probably the hardest part, learning to do things for myself.”
Keeping on top of the washing was the hardest thing for a teenager trying to fit in to a new environment, while there was always one go-to meal no matter what time of day it was.
“Honestly, most of the time I was having Weet-Bix for dinner,” he grinned.
“Depends on the night. If I was really hungry I could get up to 12. I’d have them with milk, honey, sometimes some peanut butter if I felt like it.”
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It didn’t take him long to earn a shot in the NRL, with Foketi making his debut in the round one shellacking at the hands of the Broncos last year.
That was a proper welcome to first grade moment, but he was then part of the inexperienced Roosters team that stunned the Panthers the following week.
There were signs from the outset that he would be special, but it took until round 15 when he scored a stunning solo try from near halfway to beat the Knights – his only one in 2025 – for people to truly take notice.
He has now developed into a genuine star on the left edge and has the chance to win a premiership ring less than two years after he was humbled on debut.
“I think round one would probably be my first welcome to first grade,” he said, downplaying the left foot step, the goose step and the raw pace it took for him to score against the Knights.
“Being in front of a big crowd in the first round last year was the real moment of realising this is what the NRL is.
“But I think that was a part of it. I remember speaking to Robbo after the game and he said he always knew I had that side of attack in me, and it was more working on the little things. Luckily enough, I had the opportunity to do what I ended up doing.”
— Martin Gabor (NCA NewsWire)
NO NEWS.COM NO NEWS WIRE NO AUSTRALIAN DAILY TELEGRAPH 21/9/26 MUST CHECK WITH PIC DESK BEFORE USING Salesi Foketi at Allianz Stadium, the Roosters play the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night for a place in the Grand Final. Picture: Jonathan NgSource: News Corp Australia