Huge crowds, a social media surge and corporate cash: How Bulldogs went from farce to force

2 hours ago 2

The only reason Arthur Laundy, a life-long Balmain supporter, got involved with Canterbury was to help his good friend Dean Pay.

There were ostensibly few other sound arguments for the pub baron to become involved midway through the 2020 season. The “Family Club” was riven by factionalism, languishing near the bottom of the NRL ladder and unable to attract anyone else as a major sponsor.

As far as favours to mates go, stumping up the cash to be emblazoned on the front of the Bulldogs jersey, even for a hotelier presiding over an empire now worth $1.75 billion, was a pretty big one.

“Dean has been a friend of mine since the 1980s, for about 45 years,” Laundy says. “He did as much as he could with the players he had, but we desperately needed to get some players.

“I only went on initially because Dean Pay was a friend of mine.”

Given what happened next, it was a pretty inauspicious start for Laundy.

“On the very first day that I went on [the jersey], Dean resigned that morning,” Laundy recalls.

The rise and rise of the Bulldogs has been one of the stories of the season.

Things got worse before they got better. Three months later, Canterbury chair Lynne Anderson and her closest allies on the board stepped down, opting not to fight a member-led move against them. The Bulldogs finished that season in 15th place.

The following year, under new coach Trent Barrett, they claimed the wooden spoon. By May 2022, Barrett too, was gone.

It was a far cry from the position the blue and whites find themselves in today. They will play a finals match against Penrith on Sunday, which is expected to attract up to 70,000 predominantly Bulldogs fans to Accor Stadium. It is their second consecutive season playing finals under Cameron Ciraldo, widely regarded as one of the most promising coaches in the game.

Canterbury are expecting another huge crowd at Accor Stadium on Sunday.

They have also doubled their membership, game-day attendance, and corporate partnership numbers in just four years.

“When I returned to the Bulldogs in 2021, I knew the incredible power and potential of this club – the passionate fan base, the rich history, the community connection,” said Canterbury chief executive Aaron Warburton.

“What we needed was the right people in the right positions and a clear strategic plan. Four years later, we’ve doubled membership, doubled crowds, and transformed every aspect of our operations.

“It proves that when you believe in your organisation, surround yourself with exceptional talent and execute relentlessly, remarkable things happen.”

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo and general manager Phil Gould have re-signed until 2031.

The Bulldogs are on an upward trajectory. They finished this season in the top four, gained the sought-after signature of young gun Lachlan Galvin, and recently had their three most influential leaders – Ciraldo, captain Stephen Crichton, and general manager of football Phil Gould – recommit for the long term.

The club’s pathways system, in disarray after a period of neglect, is now developing young talents such as Mitchell Woods, a halfback expected to enjoy a lengthy NRL career. It’s a pointer to why Canterbury were crowned NSW club champions in 2023 and again the following year.

An underrated forward pack will be bolstered by the addition of Leo Thompson ahead of the 2026 season, giving it a genuine enforcer.

It has been quite a turnaround. And Laundy remembers the two critical meetings that were the catalyst.

Appropriately, given the publican tapped his first keg as an eight-year-old while helping his father run the Sackville Hotel in Rozelle, they were both conducted in pubs.

Stephen Crichton has been a key addition for the Bulldogs.

The first was at Percy’s in North Sydney, midway through 2020. Club officials had been in negotiations with Gould for some time about the prospect of a return to Belmore when Laundy entered the fray.

“We met there one Monday afternoon at about 6.30pm,” Laundy recalls. “Gus didn’t have a lot of time because he had some television commitments.

“We met there and had a chat, then I got involved with the club and said, ‘Where are we going? I’m not going to hang around to run last.’

“From there on, it happened.”

The other key appointment was that of Ciraldo. Laundy was involved in a series of meetings, the first held at one of the watering holes he owns, The Red Lion Hotel in Rozelle.

“When the time was right, and he was ready to have a chat with Gus Gould – Gus didn’t know about it at that stage – I said to Gus, ‘He’s ready to talk to you mate,’” Laundy says. “I think Gus got a bit of a surprise. They then had a meeting, and the deal was done.”

There have been other significant signings. Gould and Ciraldo worked together at Penrith and have convinced former Panthers Crichton, Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, and Jaeman Salmon to join them. It seems fitting they will come up against their former club, hoping to advance to a preliminary finalnext weekend.

The Bulldogs have lost four of their past five games heading into Sunday’s semi-final against the Panthers.

Not that it has all been smooth sailing. The Bulldogs have lost four of their past five games, with their lone victory against a reserve-grade Penrith outfit. That has prompted debate about the use – or lack thereof – of Galvin and Reed Mahoney during the latter stages of the campaign.

The selection calls have divided Bulldogs supporters, although they have never been more engaged. A million more social media users are following the club compared to four years ago, while video views have rocketed from 10 million a year to 225 million.

“Digital media has exploded across all industries in recent years, but we didn’t just ride that wave – we designed a social media plan that was fan-focused,” Warburton says.

“We understood that amazing insights, brilliant content, and genuine fan connection were the keys to standing out in an increasingly crowded digital landscape.

“Growing to 1.2 million social media followers and achieving 225 million video views annually isn’t just about posting more content; it’s about understanding your audience, telling authentic stories, and creating experiences that resonate.

“In 2025, we’ve become the fastest-growing sporting organisation in Australia, circa 300,000 new followers. We made the decision that digital wasn’t just a marketing channel, it was a completely new way to build community and drive engagement.”

The punters have climbed on board, and they are demanding success. Given that the Bulldogs led the league for most of the season, being bounced out of the finals in straight sets would be disappointing. Either way, there’s a feeling that Canterbury’s best days are ahead.

Regardless of what happens next, they have converted an old Balmain diehard.

“I’m a Bulldogs man now,” Laundy says.

NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now.