Canterbury pull off incredible coup with Cameron Ciraldo, Phil Gould signing contract extensions
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Canterbury has received a major boost on the eve of the NRL finals, with three key figures of the club's turnaround committing long-term and another soon to join them.
As revealed by Nine's Danny Weidler, star captain Stephen Crichton is on the verge of signing on for another five years, while local junior Jacob Kiraz has inked a fresh deal.
The skipper's touted contract will see him remain at Belmore until 2030, while the ever-improving Kiraz will be donning the blue and white until the end of 2028.
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Crichton has established himself as one of the best players in the game and has starred at State of Origin and international level for NSW and Samoa.
Stephen Crichton Getty
The other big news coming out of the Dogs is new deals for head coach Cameron Ciraldo and general manager of football Phil Gould until 2031.
The pair have formed a strong bond and have done a tremendous job getting the club back on track and turning them into a premiership force after some dismal years.
Ciraldo told 9News Sydney he was excited to keep working alongside Gould.
"He assures me he won't be alive for that long, but it's been a pleasure to work with him over the last 12 years," Ciraldo said.
"We've formed a great partnership, I've learned a lot from him and continue to learn from over the next five years.
"It's great - I've loved my time here at the Dogs so far and I'm really excited about what we're building and the opportunity in front of us.
"The most important opportunity is the one in the next month and we're really excited."
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Gould arrived at the Bulldogs in 2021 and has since made plenty of sweeping changes, which saw Trent Barrett dumped as coach in favour of Ciraldo for 2023 and beyond.
After a shaky start under Ciraldo, the side have cemented themselves as a genuine top-eight team and will head into this year's finals series as a leading contender.
Club chairman Adam Driussi heaped praise on both men's impact at the Dogs.
"Gus has completely transformed how we operate as a football club," he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Cameron Ciraldo and Phil Gould Canterbury Bulldogs
"His vision and experience have been invaluable in getting us back to where we belong.
"Having him locked in until 2031 means we can continue building on the solid foundations he's established here at Belmore.
"Cameron has been outstanding from day one and the transformation he's overseen speaks for itself.
"What he's achieved with this group in such a short time has been remarkable.
"Having him locked in until 2031 gives our players and fans confidence in our long-term direction."
Canterbury finished in third spot on the NRL ladder this year and will take on the Storm in a qualifying final on Friday night.
