Canterbury football boss Phil Gould has strongly defended Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney, arguing that he is unfairly targeted by rival players, coaches, fans, and the media.
Mahoney will be available for the Bulldogs’ clash with Newcastle at Accor Stadium on Sunday after avoiding suspension, despite being charged twice in last week’s victory over Cronulla. He was cited for a high shot on Toby Rudolf and for diving on Daniel Atkinson as he attempted to secure a loose ball. The latter incident sparked debate over whether Mahoney made contact with Atkinson’s head.
Recognized as one of the hardest-working players in the competition—leading the league in tackles last season by a margin of 128—Mahoney has also gained a reputation for his aggressive play and ability to frustrate opponents.
Speaking on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast, Gould, the Bulldogs’ general manager of football, passionately defended the Queensland-born No.9. When asked by co-host Matthew Thompson why Mahoney was charged for the Atkinson incident, Gould responded, “Because he’s Reed Mahoney … I think he’s one of the most committed and courageous players I’ve ever seen.”
Gould praised Mahoney’s relentless work ethic, calling his contribution “nearly unsurpassed,” and acknowledged that while Mahoney occasionally plays on the edge, he has made significant efforts to improve his discipline.
“Reed Mahoney is targeted by rival coaches, players, fans, and even the media,” Gould said. “They all pressure referees to penalize him, but I think much of it is unfair.”
He added, “Every now and then, he might overstep, but that’s part of competing at the highest level for 80 minutes each week. That doesn’t mean he’s done anything wrong.”
Mahoney was not sin-binned for either incident against the Sharks, though the NRL later stated he was one of four players who should have been sent to the bin in Round 4 for forceful head contact.
Gould also criticized the NRL’s approach to high-contact penalties, referencing a controversial decision in the Warriors’ 24-22 win over the Wests Tigers. He described the penalty against Tigers forward Alex Seyfarth for a high tackle on Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad—which led to the match-winning goal—as “ridiculous.”
Gould further criticized the league’s decision to enforce stricter sin-binning from Round 5, arguing that rugby league is a physical sport where injuries are inevitable.
“Forceful collisions are part of the game,” he said. “Things will go wrong, and people will get hurt, but that doesn’t mean players should be punished, or teams and fans should suffer by losing a player for 10 minutes. A sin bin is a massive disadvantage, and suspensions are not the solution.”
