Injured Bulldogs playmaker Karl Oloapu is eyeing a return to junior club Redcliffe following talks with the Dolphins

The Dolphins have held secret talks with former Broncos prodigy Karl Oloapu, after the injured Bulldogs playmaker moved home to Queensland.

Former Broncos prodigy Karl Oloapu has held secret talks with the Dolphins as the injured Bulldogs playmaker fights to save his NRL career amid cryptic posts from Phil Gould.

Oloapu is living with family in Redcliffe and a chance of joining the Dolphins’ reserve grade team this year if he parts ways with Canterbury.

Oloapu, 19, has not played for the Bulldogs since round 16 of the 2023 NRL season due to a career-threatening neck injury.

There were fears Oloapu may be forced into retirement by the injury, which required spinal surgery.

However the former Brisbane schoolboys sensation is fighting to prolong his career.

Injured Bulldogs playmaker Karl Oloapu has held secret talks with the Dolphins about a possible return to Redcliffe. Picture: Tim Hunter

With no prospect of an immediate return to the NRL, Oloapu has returned to Queensland to continue his rehabilitation in the hope of being fit enough to play the game again.

He is contracted to the Bulldogs until the end of 2026, but there has been speculation Oloapu could be released from his deal by Canterbury.

That would open the door for him to sign with Redcliffe, prompting preliminary talks between the Dolphins and Oloapu’s camp.

Oloapu was one of Queensland’s most promising prospects, signing with the Broncos as a 13-year-old before a major falling out with Brisbane saw him shift to Canterbury.

Oloapu has not played for the Bulldogs since round 16 of the 2023 NRL season due to a career-threatening neck injury. Picture: NRL Images

The Dolphins targeted Oloapu before their 2023 NRL entry, but were blocked by the Broncos, who refused to release him to their Brisbane rivals.

An ugly spat followed, with Oloapu reportedly declaring: “I will never play for Brisbane as long as I live.”

He was eventually granted a release in January, 2023, after the Bulldogs agreed to pay the Broncos an unprecedented transfer fee in the vicinity of $500,000.

Gould rated Oloapu highly and brought him to Belmore on a four-year contract until the end of 2026.

Oloapu played for the Dolphins as a junior. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Oloapu made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs in 2023 and showed promising signs in seven games before being sidelined by the neck issue in June that year. He hasn’t played since.

While the Dolphins NRL arm has distanced itself from reports Oloapu was joining them, a reunion with his junior club Redcliffe is a genuine chance.

Bulldogs football chief Gould further fuelled the speculation with a series of posts on X this week.

Karl Oloapu?
Karl is still working on his recovery from injury … Very slow process for Karl unfortunately… https://t.co/EdjjlvpmB2

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) January 7, 2025

Karl is living with his family in Redcliffe … That’s where they live … https://t.co/Y1dIh6gsY6

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) January 7, 2025

“Karl Oloapu? Karl is still working on his recovery from injury … Very slow process for Karl unfortunately…,” he responded to one punter.

“Karl is living with his family in Redcliffe … That’s where they live …” Gould wrote to another.

When probed on why a contracted Bulldogs player was living in Queensland, Gould replied: “It makes perfect sense to us … That’s all that counts … Karl is being well looked after …”

For now, the curious case of Karl Oloapu continues.