Baby Blues
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BULLDOGS hooker Reed Mahoney is the latest key position player out the door at Belmore with the tough no.9 to join the North Queensland Cowboys next season.
In the wake of the Bulldogs blowing an 18-point lead against the Broncos on Friday night, Mahoney has told Canterbury-Bankstown he will be joining the Cowboys on a three-year deal in 2026.
Mahoney’s departure at the end of the season follows halfback Toby Sexton being set to link with French-based Super League club Catalans Dragons as the Bulldogs continue to turn over their roster in the wake of the arrival of Lachlan Galvin.
The outgoing Canterbury-Bankstown hooker was again one of the Bulldogs best despite the club blowing an 18-point lead to lose back-to-back games for the first time this season against Brisbane in round 18.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo shifted Matt Burton into the centres to accommodate Galvin starting at five-eighth against the Broncos with Sexton at halfback and Mahoney dummy-half.
But once State of Origin III is complete with Jacob Kiraz on 18th man duties the Bulldogs coach is tipped to start Galvin at halfback, Burton at five-eighth and Stephen Crichton and Bronson Xerri in the centres.
The Galvin experiment is still very much a work-in-progress with the young gun playmaker having one try-assist against the Broncos but also getting his timing wrong in terms of the way the Bulldogs attack rolls at stages and making two errors.
Early on the in the game he pushed a pass to Viliame Kikau when he should have held it but quickly made amends with a hand in the Bulldogs opening try to Marcelo Montoya the following set.
There’s no question it’s a huge gamble by the Bulldogs to tinker with a winning formula so close to September but if any coach can make it fly it’s Ciraldo who has shown in the past 18 months why he’s the best emerging coach in the game.
Fox League analyst Cooper Cronk said in commentary if the Bulldogs want to win the premiership they need Matt Burton playing five-eighth.
That will most likely mean Galvin – who was named in jumper no.14 on Friday night but started at five-eighth – will be the Bulldogs starting halfback with the club having to make a tough decision around outgoing halfback Sexton who has been superb for them this season.
With nine games remaining until the finals Ciraldo needs to settle on his best 17 to have a genuine crack at trying to win the premiership.
The Bulldogs coach sidestepped questions about combinations after Friday night’s loss but will need to quickly decipher how he’s going to piece it together.
Mahoney will definitely finish the season as the club’s starting and first-choice no.9 before departing for the Cowboys to replace NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson next year.
It seems a tough call on Mahoney who was appointed captain of the Bulldogs at one point before having the leadership taken off him at the end of 2023 and now being forced to out as the club has clearly opened a premiership window.
The Bulldogs long-term plan is believed to be to play Bailey Hayward at dummy-half once Mahoney departs at the end of the season.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/a534d4a57061a0a9a754263d2c1935b6NRL 2025: Reed Mahoney signs with North Queensland Cowboys, breaking, James Hooper, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, news, videos, highlights
In the wake of the Bulldogs blowing an 18-point lead against the Broncos on Friday night, Mahoney has told Canterbury-Bankstown he will be joining the Cowboys on a three-year deal in 2026.
Mahoney’s departure at the end of the season follows halfback Toby Sexton being set to link with French-based Super League club Catalans Dragons as the Bulldogs continue to turn over their roster in the wake of the arrival of Lachlan Galvin.
The outgoing Canterbury-Bankstown hooker was again one of the Bulldogs best despite the club blowing an 18-point lead to lose back-to-back games for the first time this season against Brisbane in round 18.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo shifted Matt Burton into the centres to accommodate Galvin starting at five-eighth against the Broncos with Sexton at halfback and Mahoney dummy-half.
But once State of Origin III is complete with Jacob Kiraz on 18th man duties the Bulldogs coach is tipped to start Galvin at halfback, Burton at five-eighth and Stephen Crichton and Bronson Xerri in the centres.
The Galvin experiment is still very much a work-in-progress with the young gun playmaker having one try-assist against the Broncos but also getting his timing wrong in terms of the way the Bulldogs attack rolls at stages and making two errors.
Early on the in the game he pushed a pass to Viliame Kikau when he should have held it but quickly made amends with a hand in the Bulldogs opening try to Marcelo Montoya the following set.
There’s no question it’s a huge gamble by the Bulldogs to tinker with a winning formula so close to September but if any coach can make it fly it’s Ciraldo who has shown in the past 18 months why he’s the best emerging coach in the game.
Fox League analyst Cooper Cronk said in commentary if the Bulldogs want to win the premiership they need Matt Burton playing five-eighth.
That will most likely mean Galvin – who was named in jumper no.14 on Friday night but started at five-eighth – will be the Bulldogs starting halfback with the club having to make a tough decision around outgoing halfback Sexton who has been superb for them this season.
With nine games remaining until the finals Ciraldo needs to settle on his best 17 to have a genuine crack at trying to win the premiership.
The Bulldogs coach sidestepped questions about combinations after Friday night’s loss but will need to quickly decipher how he’s going to piece it together.
Mahoney will definitely finish the season as the club’s starting and first-choice no.9 before departing for the Cowboys to replace NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson next year.
It seems a tough call on Mahoney who was appointed captain of the Bulldogs at one point before having the leadership taken off him at the end of 2023 and now being forced to out as the club has clearly opened a premiership window.
The Bulldogs long-term plan is believed to be to play Bailey Hayward at dummy-half once Mahoney departs at the end of the season.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/a534d4a57061a0a9a754263d2c1935b6NRL 2025: Reed Mahoney signs with North Queensland Cowboys, breaking, James Hooper, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, news, videos, highlights
