Dear Bulldogs Members,
As 2024 draws to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your incredible support throughout what has been a defining year for our Club. Your passion helped drive us to our first finals appearance since 2016, with record crowds returning to support the Blue and White – including an average attendance of nearly 35,000 fans across our final six games at Accor Stadium.
Under the leadership of Cameron Ciraldo and Stephen Crichton, our squad displayed remarkable resilience and that trademark Bulldogs grit. The electric atmosphere you created – particularly during Blake Wilson's match-winning try before 45,000 fans on the King's Birthday, our memorable triumph against the Raiders at Belmore, and our elimination final against Manly in front of 51,000 – showed exactly what this Club means to our community.
Pathways Success
Our success extended well beyond first grade. For the second consecutive year, we claimed the Flowers Memorial Pennant as NSWRL Club Champions, reflecting the strength of our entire football program. Our Harold Matthews team finished as Minor Premiers, our SG Ball squad were runners-up, and our Jersey Flegg team were crowned Premiers.
These achievements aren't accidents – they're the result of the clear vision and tireless work from Phil Gould and our entire football department in rebuilding our Club from the ground up. I couldn’t be happier with the progress we are making in our development pathways.
Women's Rugby League
The future of women's rugby league at the Bulldogs is equally exciting. Our junior women's teams have set a high bar, with our Lisa Fiola team crowned undefeated premiers and our Tarsha Gale squad reaching the preliminary final. These successes provide a strong foundation as Blake Cavallaro prepares our team to enter the NRLW competition in 2025.
Player Movements
As with every season, we say farewell to several members of our Bulldogs family. Chris Patolo (#819), Josh Addo-Carr (#822), Hayze Perham (#841), Jeral Skelton (#852), Liam Knight (#853), Poasa Faamausili (#856), Kitione Kautoga (#862) and Eli Clark (#868) will all move on to their next chapters.
Each of these players has contributed to rebuilding our Club's foundations during a crucial period. We particularly thank Josh for the excitement and energy he brought to our team and fans during his time at the Club.
We're excited to welcome several new recruits for 2025 including Sitili Tupouniua, Tom Amone, local junior Marcelo Montoya and Enari Tuala.
We're equally proud to announce the promotion of four players from our pathways program to our top 30 squad: local juniors Bailey Hayward and Mitchell Woods (a member of our 2023 Harold Matthews winning side), along with Harry Hayes and Jack Todd (both members of our 2023 Jersey Flegg Premiership team).
I'm also delighted to share that Bronson Xerri has extended his contract until 2027 and Josh Curran until 2026, demonstrating their commitment to our Club's future. Both Bronson and Josh had stellar debut seasons with the Club in 2024 and I can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store for them.
Grassroots Growth
2025 will see the Chipping Norton Kangaroos return to our junior league family after an 18-year absence. The Kangaroos, who will play out of their spiritual home at Childs Park, become our 13th junior club - marking our first junior league expansion since 2010. Their return strengthens our presence in Sydney's south-west corridor and builds on the tremendous growth we've seen across our junior league.
This growth was evident throughout 2024, with over 3,600 players across our district. Male participation was up 4%, while female participation surged by an impressive 15%. These aren't just statistics - they represent the next generation of Bulldogs players and supporters, ensuring a bright future for the Club.
Special thanks to our Deputy Chairman John Khoury for his tireless work with our junior league during 2024.
Commercial Success
Off the field, we've seen remarkable growth under the leadership of Aaron Warburton and his team. Our commercial partnerships have increased by over 150% since 2021, corporate hospitality sales more than doubled year-on-year, and retail sales have grown by an impressive 500% over five seasons.
Our membership base surged to over 25,000, while our media and marketing teams excelled in bringing you closer to the Club than ever before, generating an extraordinary 130 million video views in 2024 – a 1,200% increase from 2021. These figures represent the renewed strength and appeal of the Bulldogs brand.
Community Impact
We remain deeply committed to our role as a pillar of the Canterbury-Bankstown community. Under the outstanding leadership of Di Langmack and her team, our community programs continue to make a real difference, focusing on increasing school attendance and supporting school-to-work transitions.
With the support of both Federal and State Governments, we're creating positive change that extends well beyond the football field. Watch this space as we launch several exciting new community initiatives in 2025 including an expanded education program and new partnerships with local schools.
Club Governance
The strong partnership between our Football Club and the Canterbury League Club continues to provide a solid foundation for our future success. Both management teams and Boards work closely together, and we deeply appreciate the League Club's ongoing support throughout 2024.
I also want to acknowledge our voting members who help steward our Club. Thank you for your engagement this year, particularly your support of the constitutional reforms passed at our AGM. Our Constitutional Reform Committee, chaired by former director and current Football Australia Chairman Anter Isaac, has recommended further reforms which will be presented at February's AGM to ensure our governance continues to evolve with best practice.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Pre-season training is well underway and there's genuine excitement building around the Club as we prepare for our 90th anniversary season.
Our NRL campaign kicks off against the Dragons at Kogarah in Round 1, before returning to our spiritual home of Belmore Sports Ground in Round 2 to face the Titans. We'll again feature in marquee games including Good Friday against the Rabbitohs and the King's Birthday clash with the Eels.
Our inaugural NRLW team will debut against the Knights in Round 1, with four exciting double-headers scheduled alongside our NRL team throughout the season.
We've recently unveiled our special 90-year anniversary logo and 2025 playing strip, which pay tribute to our proud history while looking ahead to our future. The tremendous response to our 2004 heritage jersey this year - which became our highest-selling jersey in recent history - showed the enduring connection our supporters have to our proud traditions. We'll launch our anniversary season in style at Sydney Town Hall on 11 February.
We're also on track to commence construction of our new $50 million Centre of Excellence in 2025. This state-of-the-art facility will be more than just a building – it's a statement of our commitment to providing our players and staff with the best possible resources to compete at the highest level.
When I look around at our games, I see the very essence of what makes our Club special - generations of families sharing their passion for the Bulldogs. I see parents who cheered Terry Lamb, Steve Mortimer and Hazem El Masri now bringing their children to watch Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton create their own legacy.
As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we do so knowing that while players, coaches and administrators may change, the Bulldogs spirit that has carried us through nine decades remains as strong as ever. It's this spirit that will continue to unite and inspire us all in 2025 and beyond.
The players and coaching staff have been genuinely humbled by your passionate support this year. They would love nothing more than to build on that energy in 2025! If you haven't already done so, I encourage you to sign up as a 2025 Member to secure your seat for what promises to be a memorable season.
On behalf of everyone at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, thank you again for your incredible support throughout 2024. I look forward to celebrating our 90th anniversary with you all in 2025.
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and peaceful holiday season.
Best regards,
Adam Driussi
Chairman
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
