NRL 2024 market watch: Bulldogs re-sign multi-code sporting prodigy Mitchell Woods

Canterbury has secured the future of teenage cross-code sensation Mitchell Woods, with Phil Gould saying the club is “honoured and excited he has chosen our club”.

Mitchell Woods with the Harold Matthews Cup. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Canterbury has secured the future of local junior and cross-code sensation Mitchell Woods.

Woods, 17, signed an extension which will keep him at the club until 2027 after joining the Bulldogs from AFL rival the Sydney Swans last year.

The 2023 Harold Matthews premiership-winning captain has been earmarked as a potential long-term halfback for the club who will enter the top-30 in 2025.

The prodigious sporting talent is a former Sydney Swans Academy member and 2022 under 16s All-Australian star, and was selected in the Australian under 16s rugby union development squad the same year.

Canterbury football boss Phil Gould praised the signing while tempering expectations around the teenager.

“Mitchell could have chosen any number of sporting codes to pursue a professional career, our game is lucky that Mitchell has chosen rugby league… the Bulldogs are both honoured and excited that Mitchell has chosen our club,” Gould said.

ISA1’s Mitchell Woods playing against GPS. Picture: John Appleyard

Mitchell Woods was highly regarded by the Swans. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

“He is obviously still young, and has a long way to go, we certainly won’t be rushing him but we won’t be holding him back either. I am extremely excited about his prospects.”

Swans Academy director Leon Cameron echoed Gould’s praise of the teenager.

“He’s a talented young player,” Cameron said last year. “We’re rapt for him, he’s a really good kid.

“He was so upset telling us because he felt like he had let everyone down. But we told him he hadn’t … we wish him all the best.

“Yes, we’re disappointed that we lost another talented option to another sport, But we’re proud that the Swans played a part in helping him make a decision.”