No real truth to whispers Bulldogs are courting Ponga

Kalyn Ponga has not been speaking to the Canterbury Bulldogs, nor has the club been mooting him as a possible 2026 signing at recruitment and retention meetings heading into the offseason.

Whispers sprang up this week – just days before the Bulldogs were bundled out of finals by a resurgent Panthers – that the Sydney club had been speaking to Ponga with ambitions to sign him.

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The report, which came from Zero Tackle last Thursday, suggested “Kalyn Ponga is on the move, despite having committed himself to the club until the end of 2027.” Sources told the contributor media page that Canterbury “could be Ponga’s next home” and that Matt Burton would likely need to be shuffled away to make room for the transfer.

Word from both sides of the suggested deal has come back and said they’ve not heard anything about the play, however, suggesting the blockbuster move is never really going to eventuate before Ponga’s deal expires in 2027.

That’s not to say it wouldn’t instantly improve the Bulldogs, who just lost finals in straight sets.

And Ponga would likely appreciate moving to Sydney over two more seasons in Newcastle as well, from what we’ve heard.

But that doesn’t mean the move can just be conjured from thin air. Not only are the Knights uninterested in letting Ponga leave early unless a massive chunk of freight is paid by the other team, but the Bulldogs are already dealing with cap issues thanks to mega deals for Stephen Crichton, Viliame Kikau, and Leo Thompson, who they just pinched from Newy.

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Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin are both earning $750,000 a season each, too, while Sitili Tupouniua is set to make around $600,000. There’s simply no room for Ponga and his $1.2 million a year to fit in at Canterbury right now.

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Instead, the Bulldogs will have to actually go back to their “bred not bought” creed.

Connor Tracey and Kade Dykes (2026), as well as Aaymon Fitzgibbon and David Bryenton (2028), are options.

This Sporting Base writer also wouldn’t be surprised if Crichton swaps back into the number one jersey eventually, considering he’s already been attacking there once the Bulldogs get into the twenty metre attack line.

With that glut and no cash, though, it would be very, very shocking if Canterbury landed Ponga.