Incoming Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has revealed the reason behind his decision to exit the Penrith Panthers, where he had become the most successful assistant coach in the game.
Ciraldo will take his first head coaching role at Belmore after turning down a number of jobs in the preceding years.
He also knocked back the Wests Tigers for the 2023 season, with the outgoing Penrith assistant finally electing to head to Belmore where he will work under director of football Phil Gould.
Ciraldo has worked with Gould previously when he was in the process of setting up the Panthers, who are now the competition's juggernaut.
Ciraldo said knowing Gould helped the decision.
“I've known Gus for a long time, he's been really good for me and done a lot for me throughout my career so to work with him again is exciting and I know that as a young coach he can really help me,” Ciraldo told Nine News.
“Because there's a lot you've got to deal with and at different stages I'm going to want to focus on the team first and let him worry about a lot of other peripheral stuff.”
Beyond that, he simply said the move to the Bulldogs 'felt right'.
“I know one reason it just felt right and it felt comfortable and it's a proud club with a proud history and I see the potential there in the next few years and I wanted to be apart of it,” the new coach said.
The Bulldogs will be attempting to turn around a long period of unsuccessful results in 2023, with new recruits Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney to join the club after a cleanout ahead of the 2022 season.
