With the 2025 season complete, the Canterbury Bulldogs have a clear identity again. A cluster of players who once wore the Australian Schoolboys jersey are now anchoring the club's pathway driven rise as Canterbury turns toward 2026.
From schoolboys to Belmore
The story begins in the schoolboy arena. In 2023 the Australian Schoolboys featured Lachlan Galvin, Finau Latu and edge forward Logan Spinks.
A year later, Mitchell Woods starred as the 2024 Australian Schoolboys halfback and represented New South Wales Under 19s in both 2024 and 2025.
Those same names now form the backbone of Canterbury's next generation, each progressing from elite junior honours to professional systems within a remarkably short span.
The new core
Mitchell Woods is about to embark on his second full time NRL pre season with the Bulldogs Top 30.
The two time NSW Under 19 representative and 2024 Australian Schoolboys playmaker has earned high praise within Belmore for his discipline and calmness under pressure.
Phil Gould has indicated that Woods will be given every opportunity to push for a starting role in 2026, provided he continues to build on his current trajectory.
Lachlan Galvin, the high profile rival from the 2023 Schoolboys season, debuted for Wests Tigers in 2024 and has now played 45 NRL matches across Wests and Canterbury.
He joined the Bulldogs mid 2025 as a 19 year old and has already settled as a genuine first grader. Now 20, Galvin is spending his off season working with sprint coach Roger Fabri to improve acceleration and top end speed.
His long range tries against Penrith in the semi final and the Dragons earlier this year showcased that developing pace and his instinctive support play, traits Bulldogs fans associate with club legend Terry Lamb, the ultimate support runner.
Finau Latu, another 2023 Schoolboys standout, joined from the Dragons in 2025. His mix of leg speed, power and toughness through the middle gives Canterbury a genuine weapon who can lift the ruck tempo.
Together Woods, Galvin and Latu headline a core that can reshape the Bulldogs' spine and forward pack for years to come.
Logan Spinks, the rising edge forward
Logan Spinks continues his rapid rise through the system. After a breakout NSW Cup campaign in 2025 while still Flegg eligible, Spinks joins the Bulldogs development list in 2026 before being elevated to the Top 30 in 2027.
Development listed players are eligible for NRL selection from Round 1, and Spinks' power running, timing and defensive consistency make him a realistic chance to feature next season.
A graduate of the Greater Northern Tigers and Bulldogs pathways, he epitomises the club's new commitment to developing regional talent.
Emerging depth
Jack Todd made his NRL debut in 2025 and, despite arm fracture setbacks, remains part of the club's long term plans. Jack Underhill, a mobile forward from Queensland, is tipped to debut in 2026 following strong Cup form. Local junior Lipoi Hopoi has earned his Top 30 upgrade for 2026 after an excellent year in NSW Cup.
Jethro Rinakama has also been promoted to the development list for 2026 after debuting straight from Flegg in the back half of 2025. The explosive winger is pushing for a starting spot against competition from Jacob Kiraz, Marcelo Montoya and Enari Tuala, and is viewed internally as a long term option on the flank.
Rinakama made an instant impact in his debut season, famously scoring the match winning try off a Lachlan Galvin cut out pass, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, a moment that typified the club's next generation spirit.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Sua and Cassius Tia (recruited from the Roosters) continue to progress through the system, each seen as future contributors at NRL level.
The Bulldogs also made a statement with the signing of David Bryenton, the Keebra Park High School and Australian Schoolboys fullback who led his side to a national championship in 2025 and claimed the Peter Sterling Medal for player of the year.
The East Auckland product joins Canterbury at the end of 2025 with big expectations surrounding him. Still only a teenager, Bryenton will begin his career in the Bulldogs junior system, likely through SG Ball or Jersey Flegg, as he adjusts to Sydney life and the professional environment.
While he has a long way to go, club officials view him as a potential long term backline star who will lead a future wave of emerging Bulldogs talent.
Pathways rebuilt from the ground up
The Bulldogs' modern transformation began when Lyn Anderson recruited John Khoury to run on her successful 2018 reform ticket, which unseated the previous administration led by Ray Dib. Khoury's passion for junior pathways and commitment to building from the grassroots up reset the club's long term vision.
When Anderson stepped down, Khoury became Chairman, guiding the club through a vital phase of cultural and structural renewal. He was instrumental in recruiting Aaron Warburton as CEO to professionalise operations, Phil Gould to lead football, and Adam Driussi, now Chairman, whose calm and community minded leadership has stabilised the club off the field. Khoury moved into the Deputy Chair role in 2024 but remains heavily involved in junior development and governance.
Under their direction, Canterbury strengthened its junior network through partnerships with the North Coast Bulldogs and Greater Northern Tigers, ensuring a continuous stream of young talent from regional New South Wales.
Gould's blueprint
Since returning in 2021, Phil Gould has rebuilt Canterbury's football identity from the ground up. Working alongside head coach Cameron Ciraldo, he has aligned every level of the pathway, Harold Matts, SG Ball, Jersey Flegg, NSW Cup and NRL, into one cohesive system.
Under this structure, players such as Bailey Haywood, Harry Hayes, Kurtis Morrin, Paul Alamoti and Jake Averillo have successfully graduated into first grade, proving the model works.
The blueprint taking shape
Canterbury now operates as a hybrid of Penrith's home grown cohesion and the Roosters' targeted recruitment, both frameworks developed under Gould's influence. Within a few years, the Bulldogs' starting 17 could feature a majority of players developed internally, supported by selective elite signings. It is a system built for sustainability, not short term fixes.
Belmore rising
Off the field, 2025 has been one of the club's best modern seasons. The Bulldogs recorded three of the top five NRL crowds of the year, behind only the Grand Final and State of Origin, with average home attendances surpassing 30 000. The club's digital and media output has reached new levels, with record fan engagement and a growing history database that connects younger fans with the club's storied past.
Summary
The Bulldogs head into 2026 with optimism and momentum. Woods is preparing for his second Top 30 pre season with a chance to push for a starting role.
Galvin, already a 45 game first grader at just 20, continues to refine his game under Fabri's guidance. Latu adds power through the middle, while Spinks joins the development list and is eligible for NRL selection from Round 1. Todd, Underhill, Hopoi, Rinakama, Sua, Tia and Bryenton form the next layer of depth.
Guided by having the right people in the right places, with the extensions of Phil Gould and Coach Cameron Ciraldo, and great work being done by management and the board, the Bulldogs are positioned for sustained success.
Ciraldo's reputation for developing elite young talent is unmatched; he coached the 2015 Panthers Under 20s, widely regarded as the greatest youth class of all time and the foundation of Penrith's historic four peat.
The Bulldogs are no longer rebuilding; they are rising, fuelled by a home grown pathway system and visionary leadership that link the Australian Schoolboys of yesterday to the NRL stars of tomorrow.
