Canterbury Bulldogs finally land Cameron Ciraldo as next coach
The Canterbury Bulldogs have finally got their man, snagging the NRL’s most wanted young coach in a reportedly massive deal.
NRL
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Cameron Ciraldo is set to be the next coach of the Canterbury Bulldogs after a long drawn out process.
The Penrith Panthers assistant coach has long been tipped to land an NRL position and has been named in nearly every coaching vacancy over recent years but it appears the Bulldogs and Phil Gould have finally landed their man on a reported five-year deal.
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The Bulldogs parted ways with former coach Trent Barrett back in May.
The side had registered just five wins from 34 games under Barrett’s tenure and were 2-8 after 10 rounds.
Since parting ways, the Bulldogs have gone 4-7 under interim coach Mick Potter to move up to 12th on the NRL ladder.
But it’s long been rumoured it was a matter of not if but when Ciraldo would be unveiled as the club’s next coach.
Ciraldo will become the youngest coach in the game as he turns 38 in October but will join a team with plenty of familiar faces, including star half Matt Burton and incoming second rower Villiame Kikau, who are also Panthers alums.
NRL reporters rushed social media with the news on Sunday afternoon, as The Daily Telegraph reported Ciraldo had told the Panthers playing group he was leaving at training on Sunday.
The report also said Ciraldo will be a big bargaining chip for Burton as the Bulldogs look to lock the star five-eighth down to a long-term contract.
Panthers Group CEO Brian Fletcher confirmed the news to the Sydney Morning Herald.
“We just wish him the best,” Fletcher said.
“He’s done a great job for us coming through as an understudy and getting us to a Jersey Flegg grand final win. He’s been involved with Ivan and it’s only natural he’s been well sought after. It’s great to think he’s come through our system. We just wish him all the best.
“It’ll now be business as usual for us with Cameron for the rest of the year and he can worry about the Dogs from the 1st of November.”
Speaking on Fox League, Panthers deputy chairman Greg Alexander was pleased for Ciraldo.
“I’m excited for Cameron, it’s disappointing but assistant coaches, everyone knows they’re about to move on,” Alexander said.
“I would think so (that he’s going to be a success). I haven’t got any doubts. Obviously Gus has got no doubts either.
“The biggest thing a coach has in terms of whether he stays as a first grade coach or not, is his personality. Cameron Ciraldo has the personality and the temperament I think, to be a successful first grade coach for a long time.”
It’s exciting times for the Bulldogs, who despite not making the finals since 2016, have an exciting roster shaping up.
Adding the likes of Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr and Tevita Pangai Jr. this season, the Bulldogs will add Eels hooker Reed Mahoney and Kikau to the squad for next season.
Ciraldo has waited patiently for his chance at being a head coach, including sensationally turning down the Wests Tigers’ five-year deal.
After turning down the deal, Ciraldo was believed to be close to signing for the Panthers for another season as Ivan Cleary’s assistant.
But late last month, Ciraldo was snapped eating lunch with his manager George Mimis and Craig Laundy of Laundy Hotels — the Bulldogs’ major sponsor — at The Locker Room in Homebush.
It was claimed the meeting was between Ciraldo, Mimis and his accountant before Laundy joined the trio.
It sent the rumour mill into overdrive but the club’s football boss Phil Gould denied Ciraldo had met the club's board.
It’s a blow to the Panthers as fellow assistant coach Andrew Webster will coach the Warriors from 2023.
Ciraldo has been a brilliant development coach in his time at Penrith, becoming the club’s under-20s assistant in 2014 after retiring his 94-game NRL playing career following the 2013 season.
He then became the under-20s head coach in 2015, winning the premiership that year but losing in the grand final in 2016.
He was promoted to the NRL assistant position in 2017 under Anthony Griffin and other than a short stint as caretaker later that year and filling in when Ivan Cleary had knee surgery earlier this year, he has stayed in the assistant’s role.
Until now.
Originally published as Canterbury Bulldogs finally land Cameron Ciraldo as next coach
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