The Canterbury Bulldogs have confirmed the immediate signing of Enari Tuala on a two-year deal.
The outside back was officially confirmed as one of the Newcastle Knights' departing players at the end of 2024, and after a number of weeks looking for a new home, it has now been made official that he will join the Canterbury Bulldogs.
“Enari has shown his capabilities as a reliable player and his addition will no doubt complement our squad,” Canterbury Bulldogs director of football Phil Gould said in a club statement confirming Tuala's immediate signing.
"He will enter his ninth season in the NRL, and his experience and professionalism will be a valuable asset.
“He is equally adept at playing on the wing and in the centres, which is a great bonus, and will be pushing to solidify a spot in the backline.”
The contract, which will see the experienced campaigner link up with the blue and white across the 2025 and 2026 NRL seasons, will see Tuala enter the running to take the wing spot left vacant by Josh Addo-Carr's axing recently.
The former New South Wales Blues and Australian Kangaroos winger was axed by the Belmore-based outfit for an off-field incident in the week leading up to the club's return to the finals for the first time in eight years.
With Jeral Skelton also departing the club over the off-season, it will likely leave Tuala and Blake Wilson in the mix, but behind Marcelo Montoya who signed with the Bulldogs from the New Zealand Warriors as the most likely replacements for Addo-Carr.
Canterbury will have captain Stephen Crichton, Jacob Kiraz and Bronson Xerri as the other three members of their outside backs, while Connor Tracey and Blake Taaffe could continue to squabble over the fullback jumper.
Kiraz has also made it clear he wants to eventually play fullback, while Crichton was originally signed with the prospect of playing in the number one, so one of the duo could yet take the number one jumper and leave an open spot for either Tuala - who can play both centre and wing - to slide into.
Tuala has scored 42 tries in 105 NRL matches and also represented the Prime Minister's XIII in 2018.