Freddy Lussick Bulldogs Signing Sends Bailey Hayward Heat Into 2026

The freddy lussick bulldogs signing gives Canterbury a two-year hooker option for next year, with the 25-year-old set to move to Belmore. He will not arrive before the June 30 deadline, but the deal adds another layer to a spine that has been searching for more strike out of dummy half.

Belmore Lands Lussick

Lussick has played 10 games for the Panthers this year and is set to finish that stint before joining the Bulldogs next year. The move comes after he spent time in four other NRL systems, including the Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra Dragons, and it extends a career that has still not produced a long-term No. 9 role since his NRL debut in 2020.

For Canterbury, the signing points straight at the hooker spot. Bailey Hayward is the incumbent, but he has struggled to create a spark out of dummy half since the departure of Reed Mahoney, and Lussick’s arrival gives the club another specialist option in a role that has lacked punch.

Phil Gould And Sam Verills

The Bulldogs’ interest in hooker depth was already visible at Magic Round, when boss Phil Gould met with off-contract dummy half Sam Verills. Images of that meeting surfaced online, and the club has now landed Lussick on a two-year deal instead.

That sequence says plenty about Canterbury’s direction. The Bulldogs are not treating the position as settled, and the Lussick move gives them a player who has already handled a heavier workload in Penrith this year. He also arrived there on a one-year deal after gaining an early release from the Warriors, then stepped up when Mitch Kenny suffered a long-term leg injury in April.

Panthers Duty Continues

Penrith still has him in the frame for one more game. The Panthers have a bye this weekend, and Lussick is expected to be named at starting hooker against the Gold Coast Titans on June 20.

For Canterbury, the immediate gain is simple: they have added a 25-year-old hooker on a two-year contract, with no chance of a transfer before June 30, and they have done it in a position where Hayward needed stronger competition. The deal also gives the Bulldogs a clearer look at how their spine may be reshaped next year rather than waiting for another midseason fix.