The Canterbury Bulldogs have agreed to sign Freddy Lussick on a two-year deal for next season, giving the 25-year-old a move to Belmore that cannot be completed before the June 30 deadline. The switch is expected to land him at the club next year and put immediate pressure on the Bulldogs’ hooker group.
Lussick’s arrival matters because Canterbury have been searching for more spark out of dummy half, and Bailey Hayward’s hold on the No. 9 jersey is already under scrutiny after the departure of Reed Mahoney. The signing of the freddy lussick bulldogs signing also raises the question of whether the Bulldogs see him as the answer at hooker or simply another option in a position that has lacked a clear takeover.
The deal comes at a time when Lussick has been forced back into the frame at Penrith, where he crossed for two tries on the weekend and has played 10 games this year. He signed with the Panthers on a one-year deal after earning an early release from the Warriors, and his path to the Bulldogs has already taken him through the Sydney Roosters, St George Illawarra Dragons and other NRL systems since his debut in 2020.
That is what makes Canterbury’s call notable. Bulldogs boss Phil Gould met with off-contract hooker Sam Verills at Magic Round, but the club chose to move on Lussick instead, a decision that points to a different read on the market and a preference for a player with recent first-grade exposure. Lussick has struggled to lock down a club’s starting hooker role since entering the NRL, yet the Bulldogs have clearly decided his experience is worth backing over another option.
For Penrith, the timing is awkward but manageable. Mitch Kenny’s long-term leg injury in April opened the door for Lussick to re-enter the side, and he is expected to be named at starting hooker for the Panthers against the Gold Coast Titans on June 20. His form there may be brief, but it could still shape how Canterbury use him when the move becomes official next year.
The real issue now is whether the Bulldogs have signed a genuine starter or a short-term answer with upside. If Lussick settles quickly, Canterbury’s spine changes with it. If he does not, the pressure on Hayward and the rest of the club’s dummy-half options will only deepen once the new deal begins.
