Curran shapes as latest victim of Bulldogs’ squeezed salary cap

The ever-tightening salary cap squeeze in Canterbury-Bankstown looks set to claim another victim, with Josh Curran the latest Bulldog on the outer as Cameron Ciraldo’s team looks to build towards a premiership.

Curran only joined the Bulldogs last season, signing a two-year deal after half a decade playing for New Zealand. Through his 45 appearances in blue and white, he played all across the forward pack.

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It’s sounding more and more unlikely that Ciraldo and club supremo Gus Gould will offer Curran a deal beyond 2026, and may even let him leave this offseason if he finds a better deal elsewhere.

“I’m hearing whispers about Josh Curran, that potentially the Bulldogs, if they need to reshuffle their roster, he could be one that falls out,” journalist Michael Chammas said on The Bye Round Podcast this week. “It’s not like he’s playing for peanuts. He’s been good for them, but he’s one they deem as a sellable commodity if they need to reshape their roster.”

Curran has been able to speak to rival clubs since November 1, alongside other Bulldogs that may be on the way out, like forwards Viliame Kikau, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Jack Todd, and Lipoi Hopoi and reliable fullback Connor Tracey.

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The Sporting Base has previously reported that the Bulldogs would, if able to, sign Kalyn Ponga to play fullback for the club (which makes sense with Tracey likely leaving, too). To that end, it looks like the club is shaving as much as they can before the superstar Knight becomes available. He’s currently signed up to 2027 on $1.2 million a year.

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While there’s been no public talk about Curran’s possible suitors, the usual contenders are already preparing packages: The Perth Bears could certainly use him in their expansion roster, while Shane Flanagan needs to fill three empty roster spots at the St George Illawarra Dragons next year; that latter move would likely see him leave Canterbury immediately.

There’s also every chance Curran goes back to the Bulldogs and asks for a pay cut, but with how tight the salary cap is at Belmore right now, it’s unlikely the organisation looks to sit down with him and renegotiate.

The other factor is that Leo Thompson is coming in this year, so the club’s pack is quite full.