The stunning salary cap figures that reveal Bulldogs played with a $1.6 million handicap in 2024

Bulldogs GM of football Phil Gould has revealed that the club played $1.6 million short on their salary cap in 2024 – a saving that is going to have a big impact in the transfer market for 2025, writes DAVID RICCIO.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA : NewsWire Photos - SEPTEMBER 10 2024; Canterbury GM of football Phil Gould addresses media in a press conference at Belmore Sportsground this morning at 11am to discuss the Josh Addo-Carr cocaine scandal. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Canterbury’s return to the finals this season for the first time in eight years captivated the NRL fan base and routinely forced Burwood Road into a standstill.

This latest revelation will be felt all the way from Belmore to Brisbane.

In the worst possible news for rival clubs with off-contract stars, and adding fresh lustre to the Bulldogs’ 2024 season, this column can reveal that coach Cameron Ciraldo led Canterbury to the finals by finishing $700,000 under the salary cap.

The figure is the equivalent of an elite representative player, capable of individually changing the result of a match.

It’s what the Knights have been paying Bradman Best, the Cowboys Reece Robson and the Panthers Liam Martin.

There’s even more weight to the performance of Canterbury in 2024.

An estimated $900,000 of the Bulldogs’ salary cap was also spent paying formerly contracted players to play at other clubs in 2024.

That list includes the likes of Nick Cotric at the Raiders, Raymond Faitala-Mariner at the Dragons and Andrew Davey at the Eels, to name just a few.

Canterbury GM of football Phil Gould has salary cap money to play with. Picture: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

This is a strategy to which Bulldogs GM of football Phil Gould isn’t a stranger. While at Penrith, he took hits to their salary cap with the likes of Waqa Blake and Reagan Campbell-Gillard paid to play at rival clubs, knowing that in the long-run, the decision would pay off.

It means that from an $11.65 million salary cap, the Bulldogs were at a $1.6 million handicap in 2024.

It’s nothing short of staggering.

Yet it keeps going.

Another $1 million in talent didn’t even play NRL this year including Ryan Sutton, Jackson Topine and Karl Oloapu.

Of course, what all this means is, Gould is driving to meetings with player agents in an Armaguard truck.

The Bulldogs are poised to strike and rock the November 1 free-agency period like never before.

The anticipated release of Josh Addo-Carr will add another potential $500,000 to their available spend for next season, after the club officially gave the winger permission to test the open market.

Addo-Carr, on Friday, accepted the NRL’s four game penalty and a $15,000 fine after testing positive to a roadside drug test.

The Dragons are expected to chase the NSW and Australian star for next season, despite him having 12 months remaining on his deal at Canterbury. The club have already indicated they won’t be in a position to offer the 29-year-old a new deal in 2026.

Newcastle’s Leo Thompson will be a target. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Addo-Carr’s departure will elevate the Dogs into a position of salary cap power for 2025 and beyond that will be unrivalled across the game.

The likes of Newcastle’s Leo Thompson will be a primary target.

That being the case, there’s something to be said about the Bulldogs’ strategy in restraining from spending the $700,000, simply to spend it.

Plenty of other clubs would have gone and spent it for spending sake.

Which, in reality, is what separates the poorly run clubs from the well-run clubs.

The Dogs railed against making a reactionary call to fix a short-term problem during the year, by bringing in something of the same, merely because they had a briefcase full of money. Instead, they relied on their rich blood of young talent and no-nonsense pack to arrive at the finals.

Under NRL rules, every club must spend 97.5 per cent of their salary cap each year. By playing $700,000 under the cap, the Bulldogs have got a head start of forward-paying or extending the contracts of current players, while also keeping the maximum amount in reserves to go to market.

Gould spoke to Locker Room about his pride in the Dogs’ achievement this season.

“Our coaches and players did a great job,” Gould said.

“It was a breakthrough year for the club in terms of culture building, relationship building, work ethic and professionalism.

“It felt a lot more like the Bulldog culture I remember.

“It’s a big reason why the fans returned in such big numbers. You can cheer for this team.

“They give their all. They also set a great example for our younger kids in the academy programs.

“We had five young players make their NRL debuts and there is more of this to come in the next few seasons.”