Bulldogs lose winger to serious injury, salary cap relief likely

The Canterbury Bulldogs are set to receive salary cap relief after Jethro Rinakama suffered a shoulder injury playing in the Pacific Championships for Fiji over the weekend.

The injury will reportedly need a full shoulder reconstruction and see him sidelined for up to six months per News Corp.

Given it's already mid-October, the injury will see Rinakama miss the opening weeks of the NRL season.

The Bulldogs actually commence their campaign a week ahead of the rest of the competition, with the blue and white to clash with the St George Illawarra Dragons in Las Vegas on the last day of February.

Estimates could then see Rinakama targeting a return to action by Round 6.

While he likley would have been outside of Canterbury's best 17 to start 2026 with Marcelo Montoya and Jacob Kiraz the likely first-choice options, NRL rules state clubs can gain salary cap relief for players injured during representative matches.

It's unclear how the Bulldogs will use the relief at this stage, but it does need to be a like for like player. There are few wingers still available for 2026 at this late stage of the pre-season.

The Fijian representative will need to likely work his way back through reserve grade once fit, but will then look to add to a promising start to his NRL career, having made his debut mid way through 2025.

Rinakama went on to score three tries in six matches, before lasting just 13 minutes of his debut for Fiji over the weekend.