The Canterbury Bulldogs have signed Tom Amone from the Leigh Leopards.
A forward who was originally born in Sydney, Amone, who is of Tongan descent but has never represented the island nation, orignially worked his way through the Sea Eagles' system before signing a two-year deal with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
He made his NRL debut for the club in 2019, but only managed nine games across two seasons for the now Maroubra-based club.
He would then link up with the Wests Tigers in 2021, but that only lasted a single season, where he managed another eight games.
Amone has since been in England, playing for the Leigh Leopards, and has become a permanent part of the fabric at the club, including making 28 appearances for the club during the Super League season and playing in the Challenge Cup final.
He has undisputably become one of the best middle third forwards in the English game during his stint in England, and the 27-year-old is now ready to return to Australia.
The Bulldogs confirmed his signing on a two-year deal today, commencing in the 2025 season.
"We are very excited to have Tom Amone returning to the NRL. He has been the best front row forward in the UK for the past two years and he will certainly be a boost to our forward stocks," Bulldogs' director of football Phill Gould said.
"We look forward to welcoming him to Belmore for the pre-season."
The Bulldogs have made no secret of their desire to rebuild the club under director of football Phil Gould and coach Cameron Ciraldo. They have essentially turned the entire roster around in the last two or three seasons and aren't done yet, with the middle third now turning into a priority for a club who have also added Josh Curran from the New Zealand Warriors this season.
