Josh Curran has been officially released from the final year of his contract by the New Zealand Warriors to sign with the Canterrbury Bulldogs.
In news that was first reported a few weeks ago and ramped up yesterday, Curran has found a new home at the Canterbury Bulldogs for 2024.
In what is a two-year deal, his contract at Belmore will run until the end of 2025.
The Bulldogs teased the idea of more news coming for the club on Wednesday through their Twitter/X account after re-signing young winger Blake Wilson for two years.
Do the fans want more announcements today? https://t.co/evmdSNt1fo
— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) October 24, 2023
The Warriors revealed in a statement that they had given permission for Curran to negotiate with other clubs after it became apparent they would not be able to re-sign him beyond the end of 2024.
โWe recently advised Josh that it was unlikely we would be able to re-sign him beyond next year,โ Warriors CEO Cameron George said in a statement.
โWe told him we were happy for him to see out his contract but if he did find an option that provided him with longer term security to please come back and talk to us.
โWe're pleased for him that he has found a new club and he leaves with our best wishes. We really appreciate the contribution Josh has made in his five seasons with us.โ
It comes with coach Andrew Webster looking to promote more young local talent into a Warriors' side who finished in the top four and made a preliminary final to shock pundits during 2023.
Curran, who debuted with the Sydney Roosters in 2019, has played 60 of his 61 NRL matches for the Warriors, but found himself used predominantly in a bench role during 2023.
Able to play in the middle and on the edge, it's little surprise the Bulldogs have targeted his services.
The club have already made multiple signings in the backs for 2024, but after their forward pack came up short this year, the inclusion of Curran, to go with the likely addition of Siosiua Taukeiaho who is returning from the English Super League, and the potential of Ryan Matterson joining in a direct player swap with Josh Addo-Carr will give fans plenty of reason for hope.
The Bulldogs, in confirming the news, said Curran was at Bulldogs HQ this morning to sign the deal.
"From the first time I saw Josh Curran play, he looked like a Bulldog to me," the club's director of football Phil Gould said in a club statement.
"Once he became available, we just had to sign him up. At 24 years of age, his best football is clearly in front of him. We are very excited to have Josh in our Club".
