Recruit watch: Reed Mahoney

Vlasnik

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Recruit watch: Reed Mahoney
AuthorKelsey HoganNRL ReporterTimestampMon 2 Jan 2023, 06:01 AM

The NRL market has been in full swing for 2023 with several stars switching clubs ahead of the new season.
NRL.com takes a look at the major transfers and how your club will benefit from a star arrival.
Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs)
  • Age: 24
  • Position they'll fill: Hooker
  • Contracted until: 2026

What Mahoney will bring
Reed Mahoney will join the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs as one of the biggest player signings in 2023 and one of the competition's most durable dummy halves.
The Bulldogs first scouted Mahoney from the rural Queensland town of Nambour to play SG Ball Cup in 2016 before he moved on to Parramatta.
However, six years later and the 24-year-old has returned to the historic Belmore club as an established NRL player who is coming into the prime stage of his career.
As a former member of Eels’ star-studded spine consisting of Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown and Clint Gutherson, Mahoney knows how important cohesion in attack is to a side’s success.
His side-to-side distribution from dummy half is among the best in the competition while defensively he's a tackling machine, topping the NRL for tackles in 2022 with 1,207 for the season.
He also touched the ball more than any other player in the NRL last year, and with that comes a lot of decision making.
Mahoney caps a scorcher

Mahoney caps a scorcher

Why it’ll work
Rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo will have plenty of positional decisions to make over the off-season after a big campaign of recruiting, but how Mahoney fits into this side is very clear.
The Bulldogs have lacked creativity around their spine during their finals drought with the first improvement desperately needed at hooker.
Dolphins-bound hooker Jeremy Marshall-King did a fine job in his final season, later taking out the club's player of the year award, but the addition of Mahoney should take Canterbury to another level.
Mahoney will bring composure to Canterbury's attack, which should bring halves Matt Burton and Kyle Flanagan into the game more. He'll also get his forwards on the front-foot, something he did well with the Eels engine room.

Mahoney also has an opportunity to put up his hand to lead the Bulldogs in 2023 after former Josh Jackson announced his retirement, which should also be a leadership role that suits the Queensland junior.
The Bulldogs have missed the finals for the past six years, but alongside fellow recruits Viliame Kikau (Panthers) and Ryan Sutton (Raiders), Mahoney's game should grow.
 

Scoooby

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If he shows what he’s capable of then could be a great rake, In fact. He was bought to be the shining light to add to the spine what we’ve lacked. Very important position for us moving forward. Looking forward to it.!!!
 

Bulldogs09

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While kikau has me excited beyond belief mahoney is the bigger signing in my opinion.

Up there with Jac (I knew his energy and experience with storm and just his overall character was a huge signing for us)

Those 3 with burton and tpj are key for us next year.

Thompson really needs a big year too.

Guys like Rfm king kiraz are helping with quality in the roster.
 

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If he can make our attack "click" he may be a more important signing than Burto
I think if he starts the season fit after a big offseason, he is a bigger signing than Burton. He is the piece of the puzzle that hopefully allows Burton and others to fulfil their potential. Would be even better if we can sign quality at 7
 

D0GMATIC

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Yes I was about to say the very same thing..highly unlikely isn't it.
Not deathriding him hope somehow he miraculously improves a lot as that would be fantastic for the club and fans but i'm not sure at all Reed(who will be good undoubtedly)can help him much tho.
Miraculous would be Turvey playing 7.
2021 Flannos D and running game were non existent,they improved.Now he will have a good dummy half feeding him better ball, it will make a big difference. He has the elements to be a decent half, if he can grow in confidence and self believe that's half the battle
 

Bulldog1966

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Yeh mate, I suppose we're pretty soon going to find out.As I said hope your right that would be the best outcome for our season.
If we were to sign Moses how do you think that would affect him?
 

D0GMATIC

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Yeh mate, I suppose we're pretty soon going to find out.As I said hope your right that would be the best outcome for our season.
If we were to sign Moses how do you think that would affect him?
He will be gone as soon as Moses arrives
 

Bulldogs09

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Hooker has been the most neglected position since Mick Ennis
Hard to argue but halves and fullback same length. Obviously Mahoney and burton now though think…

Since barba?
Since ennis?
If you forget Foran or judge him on time on field not ability then it’s fucking noddy who was here same year we got Ennis in 09….. think he retired after 2010? Ennis had years longer. That’s how bad our spine been.

Yeh Hodko was ok and grub had some great years but fuck….
 

D0GMATIC

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Hard to argue but halves and fullback same length. Obviously Mahoney and burton now though think…

Since barba?
Since ennis?
If you forget Foran or judge him on time on field not ability then it’s fucking noddy who was here same year we got Ennis in 09….. think he retired after 2010? Ennis had years longer. That’s how bad our spine been.

Yeh Hodko was ok and grub had some great years but fuck….
Jellyfish have had a better spines than us in recent years
 

Bulldogs09

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Maybe Ciraldo is hoping that Mahoney will take the pressure off both halves having to steer the team around the field?
I’d say that’s 100% in the mind when Gus signed him. Mahoney is 24? Dude has along career ahead hopefully and is already in top 3-5 hookers of the game easily.

Still while he helps he’s not going to be able to mentor Burton in the halves. His service, ability to get the forwards rolling and putting players and himself into gaps will all help burton but he needs a partner who can threaten. Flanagans just not it. Moses is.
 

TheAlmightyJish

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If anyone has Moses/Gus details I'll happily pay him 25% of my salary under the table for the duration of the contract.
 
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