Canterbury Bulldogs head coach Cameron Ciraldo has expressed the importance of timely communication regarding rule changes for the upcoming NRL season. He revealed that he was informed via email that his team would participate in a trial of new kick-off rules during their game this weekend.
The Bulldogs are set to conclude their 2026 season with a match against the Brisbane Broncos on Thursday night at Stadium Australia. With both teams already out of finals contention, the NRL has chosen to implement a test of the new kick-off regulations, allowing teams that concede a try the option to either kick or receive the ball from the restart.
This initiative faced criticism during a recent match where Melbourne faced Brisbane, and Ciraldo indicated that he was caught off guard by the decision to involve his team in this trial without prior notice. He has reason to feel frustrated by the NRL’s frequent adjustments, especially considering his team was well-positioned in the top four last season.
The Bulldogs experienced a decline in performance after the NRL modified the six-again rule, shifting the threshold from the 40-meter line to the 20-meter line shortly before the season commenced. However, the team’s performance improved as the officials reduced the frequency of six-again calls.
While Ciraldo acknowledges that various factors contributed to the team’s struggles early in the season, he emphasized the need for clearer communication regarding rule changes. This would allow clubs to manage their training and player rosters more effectively. “You could link our early-season form issues to the rule changes, but there are many elements that impacted our results,” Ciraldo stated. “We aim to address these concerns in the coming weeks.”
He noted that as the rules reverted to their previous format, the team was able to regain their rhythm and return to their preferred style of play. “It coincides with other factors as well,” Ciraldo added. “It would be beneficial for everyone to know the rule changes before pre-season begins, rather than discovering them during trial matches.”
Ciraldo pointed out that the Bulldogs had limited time to implement the new kick-off rules this week. “I don’t check my emails regularly, so I had to be informed by someone else,” he said.
This match against Brisbane will also mark the final appearance for Bronson Xerri and Josh Curran before they transition to new clubs in 2027. Ciraldo acknowledged their contributions to the Bulldogs’ resurgence and confirmed that Sean O’Sullivan has signed a contract at Belmore for the 2027 season, despite interest from leagues abroad.
