The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are pleased to announce Matt Doorey, Paul Karaitiana, Jackson Topine, Kurt Picken and Chris Patolo as the club's development players for the 2021 season.
Every club is allowed up to six development players each year outside of their top 30 and the players will train full-time alongside the NRL squad.
Matt Doorey was a development player in 2020 and once again will be a part of the list heading into the new season.
Doorey, a hard working back-rower has crafted his trade in the club's Canterbury Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup squads over the past two seasons and was handed his NRL debut in 2020 against the Wests Tigers. The 20-year old scored on debut and finished the year with five first grade games next to his name. A member of the NSW under 18s and 20s teams in 2018 and 2019, as well as playing for the Australian Schoolboys in 2018.
Topine, a local junior and talented back rower was the club’s 2019 SG Ball Player of the Year and captained the NSW under 18s side as well as leading the Australian Schoolboys team to victory over the Junior Kiwis in the same year. The 19-year old was a well-deserved recipient of the Clubman of the Year Award, for a superb attitude and approach to being part of the squad at Belmore, where his enthusiasm, effort and positivity impressed everyone all season. Jackson is contracted with the club until the end of 2022.
Picken, a talented outside back played his junior rugby league for the Yarrawarrah Tigers and is a graduate of the club’s High-Performance Youth Program, as well as the Harold Matthews and SG Ball teams.
Patolo, a local junior from the Bankstown Sports club is a talented edge back rower or middle forward. He has been a member of the club’s Harold Matthews and SG Ball sides, as well as representing the NSWCCC side in 2018. Patolo is a graduate of the club’s High-Performance Youth Program and will be a first year Jersey Flegg player in 2021.
Karaitiana, is a young half and a product of Keebra Park State High and played his junior football for Souths Logan. He scored a try in Keebra Park’s victory over Westfields Sports High in the 2017 Schoolboy National Championship playing alongside the likes of David Fifita and Tanah Boyd. He has been contracted to the club since he was 17 and was a member of the Jersey Flegg team in 2019. Paul represented the Australian Men’s under 18 touch team in 2017 and is also a graduate of the club’s High-Performance Youth Program.
All five players will begin pre-season on November 16 in preparation for 2021.
