Not many Canterbury Bulldogs players have had a better 2024 year than Harry Hayes, which saw him follow in his grandfather's footsteps and earn a new contract in the process.
The grandson of former Bulldog and Great Britain international Merv Hicks - a member of the 1967 Grand Final team that lost to the Rabbitohs - Hayes' remarkable 12 months saw him make his NRL debut, win the Terry Lamb Medal for the club's best NSW Cup player and earn a new deal.
An Entrance Tigers junior, his career surprisingly began with him playing at fullback before he moved onto the wing and into the centres.
Now, Hayes is primarily playing in the back row, where he was a key piece off the interchange bench later in the season and even appeared in the week one finals loss to the Manly Sea Eagles.
Starting this year on a train and trial contract,ย Zero Tackleย understands that he has not only been upgraded to the club's Top 30 roster for 2025 but has signed a two-year contract extension until the end of the 2026 NRL season.
"I definitely want to stay here. I couldn't think of a different club I'd want to go to at the moment," he toldย Zero Tackle.
Playing nine matches in his first season in the NRL, Hayes's journey to the top grade hasn't been easy.
Failing to make the club's SG Ball Cup squad, his confidence took a massive hit, and he admitted that there were thoughts that he wouldn't be able to turn his dream into a reality.
However, he bounced back within a limited time frame and made the Bulldogs' Jersey Flegg Cup team in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
"It was a weird time at that moment because I was a fullback...and then they started putting me on the wing, the coach did, and I wasn't having the best time," Hayes added.
"My confidence was definitely low. Didn't really know many of the boys coming in because, after COVID, there was a whole different bunch of coaches.
"I don't think I could blame it on anyone else by me, but I think once I wasn't selected, I was pretty upset.
"After that, I just thought I'm not supposed to be going down there, but if I'm in the development squad, I'm going to be going in and giving it my best shot, and I'm happy I did."
