From high school programs and junior league visits to grand final appearances and vital community partnerships, the Bulldogs have continued to make a meaningful impact off the field in 2025.
- Game-Changers Program Builds Early Momentum
- Bulldogs Influence High School Attendance Rates
- NRL Squad Hits the Park for Junior League Blitz
- Bulldogs Wheelchair Team Reaches Grand Final
- Josh Curran Nominated for 2025 Ken Stephen Medal
- Rescue, Rehome, Bulldogs: Supporting RSPCA NSW
- Huddle for Mental Health: Bulldogs and Young Academics Lead the Way
- Stadium Sell Out for Sick Kids
Game-Changers Program Builds Early Momentum
Earlier this year, the Bulldogs proudly launched Game-Changers — a new educational program designed to equip high school students with real-life skills beyond the classroom.
Developed in collaboration with schools, law enforcement, industry and the Australian Defence Force, the program covers seven key topics: mental health, physical health, financial literacy, safe social media use, career planning, road safety and leadership.
Game-Changers: Inside the Bulldogs' Latest Community Youth Program
The first course delivered was Road Safety, proudly supported by Kumho Tyre, with students from Punchbowl Boys High School taking part in the pilot.
Sessions were held weekly at Belmore Sports Ground and led by a NESA-accredited teacher, with Bulldogs players and staff sharing personal stories to inspire and connect with students.
Following that, students from Kingsgrove North High School completed the Physical Health module, focusing on nutrition, sleep, personal hygiene, and the dangers of harmful substances.
Supported by The Butcher Boys, the sessions also featured Bulldogs staff who offered relatable insights and motivation.
The course not only empowered students to take control of their wellbeing, but also boosted school attendance, confidence, and engagement.
With six schools involved and strong feedback from students and educators alike, Game-Changers is already making a meaningful impact — with plans to expand in 2026.
Bulldogs Influence High School Attendance Rates
Canterbury Boys High School has seen a marked improvement in student attendance, thanks in no small part to the incredible support of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
The local NRL club has stepped up in a major way, backing the school’s key initiative of rewarding positive student behaviour, particularly strong school attendance.
As part of this initiative, the Bulldogs have generously allocated tickets to home games for students who maintain attendance rates above 90 percent. The response from students has been immediate and enthusiastic.
“Boys now seek me out before each Bulldogs home game and ask, ‘Sir, have the tickets come in yet?’” said Principal Ross Dummett.
“They follow up with, ‘I know my attendance is above 90 percent, so I’m eligible.’ It’s this kind of positive reinforcement that is changing the culture around attendance at our school.
The generosity of the Bulldogs and their commitment to improving educational outcomes has truly been a game changer.
The results speak for themselves. A comparison of Semester 1 attendance data shows a positive upward trend.
In 2025, overall attendance at Canterbury Boys High School rose to 84.1 percent, up from 83.7 percent in 2024.
More importantly, the proportion of students attending more than 90 percent of the time increased from 41 percent in 2024 to 48.8 percent in 2025. This is a significant shift toward consistent school attendance.
There was also a notable decrease in chronic absenteeism, with students attending less than 85 percent of the time falling from 38 percent to 34.8 percent.
Further analysis reveals that the average number of student absences per week has dropped from 166 in Semester 1 of 2024 to 135 in 2025. This reduction reflects a growing engagement with school and a deepening commitment to learning.
Deputy Chair of the Bulldogs, Mr John Khoury, expressed the club’s pride in being part of the change.
“The Bulldogs understand our role in the local community and the importance of regular school attendance.
If a ticket to a game helps motivate a young person to show up and engage with school, then it’s our pleasure to provide it. We are proud to be part of something so meaningful.
The school also extended heartfelt thanks to community leaders such as Mr Khoury and Ms Diane Langmack for championing the partnership and helping to drive positive change.
“These early improvements are promising,” said Principal Dummett.
“They show what’s possible when schools and the community come together to support our young people.”
NRL Squad Hits the Park for Junior League Blitz
In a major show of grassroots support, the Bulldogs’ full NRL Top 30 squad recently took part in a Junior League Blitz across the Canterbury-Bankstown District.
Split across all 13 local junior clubs, players visited weeknight training sessions to meet young athletes, join in drills, and offer encouragement.
The Blitz provided a powerful moment of connection between the next generation of Bulldogs hopefuls and their NRL heroes, reinforcing the Club’s commitment to growing the game from the ground up.
From high-fives to skill tips, the visits were a hit with players, parents and coaches alike.
Bulldogs Wheelchair Team Reaches Grand Final
The Bulldogs were proud to support their Wheelchair Rugby League team throughout the 2025 season, with the squad doing the club proud by reaching the Grand Final of the NSWRL Plate competition.
In a high-intensity contest, the Bulldogs showed enormous heart and resilience against a strong Sharks outfit.
While the final scoreline read 30–12 in the Sharks’ favour, the Bulldogs fought bravely from start to finish, delivering a performance full of grit, courage and team spirit.
It was a fitting end to a season that saw the team grow in confidence, skill and cohesion — setting a strong foundation for the future.
Their Grand Final appearance marked a significant milestone, and the club looks forward to continuing to support the team as Wheelchair Rugby League continues to grow.
Josh Curran Nominated for 2025 Ken Stephen Medal
In June, Bulldogs forward Josh Curran was proudly nominated for the 2025 Ken Stephen Medal – Man of the Year, recognising his outstanding commitment to community service.
A proud Indigenous man, Josh has made a lasting impact through his work with programs including Deadly Choices, RSPCA NSW, the Bulldogs School Blitz and NASCA.
He also initiated school and juvenile centre visits in partnership with NSW Police, using his platform to support and inspire young people—particularly Indigenous youth—across New South Wales.
While voting for the Medal closed on July 3, Josh’s nomination shone a spotlight on his humility, cultural pride, and the leadership he continues to show off the field.
Rescue, Rehome, Bulldogs: Supporting RSPCA NSW
As part of the Bulldogs’ ongoing partnership with RSPCA NSW, players have continued to lend their time and voices to champion animal welfare and adoption.
Earlier this season, Bulldogs forward Josh Curran and teammate Toby Sexton visited the RSPCA shelter to meet Rocky, a rescue dog in need of a forever home.
Their visit, held on a personal day off, helped shine a light on the importance of adopting pets — with Rocky becoming an official Bulldogs Pet Member.
Their efforts followed earlier visits by Club legends James Graham and Josh Reynolds, whose support further strengthened ties between the Bulldogs and RSPCA NSW.
Right now, fans can get involved too — those who donate to the campaign will go into the draw to win a signed Bulldogs jersey.
Donate now to support RSPCA NSW and help find homes for animals in need.
Huddle for Mental Health: Bulldogs and Young Academics Lead the Way
The Bulldogs teamed up with Young Academics Early Learning Centre for Huddle for Mental Health — a powerful initiative focused on building emotional resilience in young children through play-based learning.
Held at the Harris Park centre, Bulldogs players Blake Wilson and Bailey Hayward joined educators to lead age-appropriate conversations around emotional wellbeing.
The day featured breathing exercises, mindfulness, storytelling, and role-play, helping children recognise and express their emotions in safe and supportive ways.
Bulldogs + Young Academics Huddle for Mental Health!
By sharing their own experiences and answering questions from the children, Wilson and Hayward helped normalise big feelings and encouraged open conversations about mental health.
The initiative positioned Young Academics as a sector leader in embedding wellbeing into early childhood education — not as an add-on, but as a vital foundation for growing up strong.
Stadium Sell Out for Sick Kids
Over the Easter long weekend, the Bulldogs proudly joined forces with the AFL, A-League and Venues NSW for the Stadium Sell Out for Sick Kids campaign — an ambitious initiative led by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.
The goal was to virtually fill every seat at Accor Stadium, the SCG and CommBank Stadium — over 160,000 seats in total — representing the 167,000 children cared for annually across the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.
Fans were encouraged to “buy a seat” or even a virtual corporate box, with every donation going toward changing the future for sick kids.
Club legend Josh Reynolds was on hand for the official launch at Accor Stadium, representing the Bulldogs' continued commitment to community causes that matter most.
