Bulldogs recruitment drive continues as quartet sign
Canterbury have made a splash in the NRL player market by signing a quartet of players on two-year deals that will strengthen their depth in the spine in particular.
The Bulldogs have acquired hooker Jake Turpin, forward Poasa Faamausili and versatile duo Drew Hutchison and Kurt Mann through to the end of 2025.
The Cameron Ciraldo-coached side’s roster will undergo a major transformation in 2024 after the club had already announced the signings of Stephen Crichton, Bronson Xerri, Josh Curran, Blake Taaffe and Jaeman Salmon.
The 26-year-old Turpin and Hutchison, 28, both arrive from the Sydney Roosters. Turpin has 75 NRL games under his belt with the Roosters and Brisbane and will provide defensive clout and a tough mentality at No.9.
Hutchison, who has also played 75 NRL games with the Tricolours and St George Illawarra, has shown his ability to slot in wherever the team needs him and lined up at centre, half and hooker in recent seasons.
Veteran Mann has played 178 NRL games for Melbourne, the Dragons and Newcastle and will give Ciraldo plenty of options.
The 30-year-old can play in the halves, centre or lock and is an ideal bench utility.
Journeyman Faamausili has played for the Roosters, Warriors, Dragons and Dolphins in his short 43-game NRL career. The 26-year-old has an opportunity at the Bulldogs to establish himself as a first-grade regular in the pack.
The Bulldogs finished an unacceptable 15th in 2023 and have not played finals football since 2016 when Des Hasler was coach.
The roster reconfiguration is a sign Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould is prepared to make major changes to ensure success returns to the proud club that has won eight premierships, but none since 2004.
Off-contract Bulldog locks up NRL future
He has signed a new deal.
The Canterbury Bulldogs have confirmed a contract extension for youngster Kurtis Morrin.
Off-contract at the end of 2023, the young lock forward who can also line up across other positions in the team has signed a two-year extension that will lock him into Belmore until the end of 2025.
A local junior, the club posted the news to their social media, but have not provided an official media release on his contract signing.
Morrin is on the fringes of Canterbury’s first grade side, and has made 15 NRL appearances across the last season and a half since his debut, which came against the Wests Tigers in Round 15 of the 2022 campaign.
12 of his 15 NRL appearances were played for the battling Bulldogs during the 2023 season, with Morrin often impressing off the interchange bench.
He has crossed for three NRL tries in his games.
It’s unclear how much of a role he will play in the top grade during 2024 though. While Canterbury have lost Luke Thompson, and the future of Raymond Faitala-Mariner remains in the air, the club have already signed Josh Curran, and all reports suggest former Roosters forward Siosiua Taukeiaho, who has left the Catalans Dragons in the English Super League, will also ink a new deal.
In between his NRL games, Morrin has made 29 NSW Cup appearances, starting in eight out of nine in 2023 at either prop or lock, where he averaged 125 metres per game and scored three tries.
Morrin is the nephew of former Canterbury gun Brad Morrin who played 56 NRL games for the Bulldogs between 2005 and 2011.
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