NRL 2023: How Canterbury Bulldogs signed Reed Mahoney with a $52 Chinese banquet

It was the secret meeting that sparked a Bulldogs roster overhaul. Now it can be revealed what went on, and what was consumed, at the Chinese dinner between Canterbury powerbrokers and Reed Mahoney.

It’s the $52-a-head Chinese meal that delivered Reed Mahoney to Canterbury on a platter.

And on Sunday, Mahoney will look to serve it up to his former side Parramatta for the first time.

Mahoney’s arrival, along with the injured Viliame Kikau, signalled a Belmore overhaul which can be traced back to a three-course meal at what fans hope is the aptly named ‘The Dynasty’ restaurant inside Canterbury League Club.

It was there, 17 months ago, Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould pitched the Bulldogs vision to Mahoney, at a dinner also attended by his agent Sam Ayoub, then coach Trent Barrett, chairman John Khoury and recruitment manager Peter Sharp.

Gould’s sales pitch was clearly as satisfying as the ‘gold banquet’ Khoury ordered that night as they discussed Mahoney’s potential role over a selection of spring rolls, seafood san choi bao, sang tung chicken and salt and pepper king prawns.

“Gus (Gould) never over promises, I have been in a number of meetings with him,” Ayoub said this week.

“He was not overplaying his hand other than to assure Reed he is going to be one of many the club was going to have to recruit to start the rebuilding process.

Reed Mahoney (black jumper) at ‘The Dynasty’ Chinese restaurant with Phil Gould and Trent Barrett.

“Reed weighed up a lot of things after the meeting.”

So did Gould as soon as he arrived at Belmore in July 2021, the most important being a roster rebuild.

And the Eels hooker was at the top of the list of targets.

Mahoney had been on the open market for just nine days when eagle-eyed diners spotted the high-powered meeting tucked away in the corner of the popular restaurant.

“It was just a meet-and-greet meeting, one of those positive things clubs do when they are recruiting,“ Ayoub said.

“When Gus got to Canterbury, his first call to me about players was in regard to Reed and if he was available, he’d be very interested,” Ayoub said.

The succulent Chinese meal that sealed the Mahoney deal.

“He identified a critical spine player such as Reed as a target. It went from there.

Two weeks after the dinner, Mahoney agreed to a four-year deal to join the Bulldogs, the club that had initially let the rake slip through their fingers as a junior back in 2016.

The Eels wanted to keep Mahoney at the club but ultimately did not come to the table with an offer good enough.

Ayoub believes Mahoney’s impressive start to his career as Bulldog proved the Eels had undervalued the 24-year old.

“At the time Parramatta probably didn’t value Reed to the extent that we did, and the way Canterbury eventually did. There was a difference in what was offered, Canterbury reflected fair value and that’s showing now (in his form),” Ayoub said.

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According to Fox Sports Lab, Mahoney is making 103 possessions in the blue and white, which is actually around 12 less per game than during his final season at Parramatta.

But those touches have been far more effective. Already, in just six games Mahoney has had five try assists and five linebreak assists. In 28 games last season he had a total of seven try assists and nine linebreak assists.

In comparison, Melbourne hooker Harry Grant has four try assists and three linebreak assists so far this season.

Mahoney has also kicked three 40-20s.

Reed Mahoney and the Chinese restaurant.

Like the first impression Mahoney has made in Bulldogs colours on the field, he left an indelible mark on Khoury the night Canterbury bosses began wooing him on November 9 in 2021.

“We’re pretty good hosts, we went with the gold banquet. It’s basically the best picks of the menu. The Dynasty is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Sydney,” Khoury said.

“Everything since that night has told us we have not only signed a great football player but a great person too.

“He was very impressive (at dinner).”

So was the spread, as the now Bulldogs hooker recalls.

“Good dumplings up there (Canterbury League Club). Very good,” Mahoney said on Tuesday.

“A few spring rolls, they were very good.”