The Canterbury Bulldogs have undergone one of the all-time roster overhauls in the last two seasons, and it finally paid dividends this year as they returned to the finals for the first time in eight years.
From the additions of Stephen Crichton and Josh Curran - who were both among the blue and white's best players in 2024 - to the removal of far too many players to name, Director of Football Phil Gould and head coach Cameron Ciraldo have been on a war path at Belmore.
The good news for Canterbury is that many of their key figures are already locked up for 2026 as the club now look to solidify their finals run and add more over the coming years.
We will run the rule over all 17 clubs on Zero Tackle in the lead up to November 1 to determine who their top targets are. Today, the Bulldogs.
Current 2026 Canterbury Bulldogs squad
Tom Amone, Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton, Josh Curran, Samuel Hughes, Viliame Kikau, Max King, Jacob Kiraz, Reed Mahoney, Marcelo Montoya, Karl Oloapu, Jacob Preston, Connor Tracey, Sitili Tupouniua, Mitchell Woods, Logan Spinks (dev.)
Off-contract at end of 2025
Josh Addo-Carr, Bailey Hayward, Drew Hutchison, Kitione Kautoga, Kurt Mann, Kurtis Morrin, Jaeman Salmon, Jordan Samrani, Toby Sexton, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Ryan Sutton, Blake Taaffe, Jake Turpin, Blake Wilson, Bronson Xerri
Current best 17 for 2026
1. Connor Tracey
2. Jacob Kiraz
3. Stephen Crichton
4. No player signed
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Matt Burton
7. Mitchell Woods
8. Samuel Hughes
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Max King
11. Jacob Preston
12. Viliame Kikau
13. Sitili Tupouniua
Interchange
14. Karl Oloapu
15. Tom Amone
16. Josh Curran
17. No player signed
Despite the enormous roster overhaul the Bulldogs have undergone in recent years, they still have plenty of wiggle room for 2026 and beyond.
Only 15 players are currently signed, with key positions not yet locked into place.
That could well be that the club are waiting to see how 2025 starts, although it would also be no surprise to see a number of off-contract players locked into new deals before the start of the new season, with the likes of Kurt Mann, Jaeman Salmon, Toby Sexton, Blake Wilson and Bronson Xerri likely at the top of the list.
Even if all five of those players were re-signed though, they still could create plenty of waves in the transfer market, and with Josh Addo-Carr unlikely to be retained, will have the cash to make at least one of two big plays.
Where they elect to go with those plays remains to be seen, but it's a fair guess to say fullback and the middle third of the field will be at the top of the priority list.
McInnes is the type of player who would simply fit right into a system run by Phil Gould.
He values defence, and there are few more tenacious defenders anywhere in the competition than McInnes.
Cronulla will be keen on retaining McInnes, who has developed a reputation as one of the game's hardest-workers, but it wouldn't surprise if there is plenty of interest in his services from elsewhere given a shortage of middle third forwards off-contract.
Canterbury, as it stand, would be looking at using Sitili Tupouniua at lock, but even re-signing the likes of Kurtis Morrin or Kurt Mann don't justify not making a play for McInnes.
Cobbo is looking for an opportunity to move into the number one jumper. Of that there is little to no doubt.
It could well be enough to see him walk out on the Broncos, given there is next to no chance of him playing at the back there while he is stuck behind Queensland State of Origin player Reece Walsh.
Connor Tracey is currently the fullback signed, and while he was serviceable throughout 2024, Cobbo would mark an upgrade.
What's more, Cobbo can play at wing and centre. Gould has shown a liking for players with versatility, so he could fit in well at Belmore.
The Bulldogs have made it clear middle forwards are still a high priority agenda item when it comes to recruitment.
After signing utility after utility ahead of 2024 - a strategy which was mocked right up until the moment it started working - middle forwards have become the focus. Gould has said as much publicly.
The market for middle forwards looks somewhat skinny for 2026, but if the blue and white are looking for a cheaper option, then Xavier Willison should be somewhere near the top of the list.
A towering forward who can play in the middle and on the edge, Brisbane are yet to sign him to a new deal which is something of a surprise, and could see them lose a star youngster to a club like Canterbury.
Ryan Matterson is off-contract again. He might have had more clubs than most, but there is little denying that when he is at his best, he is close to an unstoppable force.
Able to play second-row or lock, Matterson is the type of player you certainly want to have on-field.
The big question is whether Canterbury want his personality around the club.
If they could overcome that, he is the sort of player who would add flexibility and strength to their engine room - desperately needed it might be added.
You only have to remember his 2023 season. Matterson was among the best forwards in the game. If he can recapture that, any price Canterbury would pay for him in 2026 could well be a steal.
Given the Bulldogs have already signed Marcelo Montoya to effectively take the wing spot of Josh Addo-Carr, there is very little point in the club chasing yet another wing option.
That, in our view, means it's going to be versatile fullback type players they chase with the money they have, and Clint Gutherson could be on the list of targets.
Canterbury are yet to be linked to the disgruntled Parramatta captain, who is off-contract at the end of 2025 and it now seems clear he will not be in blue and gold come 2026 one way or another.
Whether he is able to play fullback long-term remains to be seen, but Gutherson has plenty of miles left in the legs, and plenty of experience as well.
He is the sort of player Canterbury would like to have.