Canterbury Bulldogs boss Phil Gould has opened up on the lesser-known consequences of Penrith’s NRL dominance, highlighting the ripple effect the Panthers’ success has had across the league.
While Penrith’s remarkable rise to become the NRL’s modern-day powerhouse has brought widespread admiration, former Panthers general manager and current Bulldogs General Manager of Football, Phil “Gus” Gould, believes there’s a deeper impact that often goes unnoticed.
Speaking on Six Tackles with Gus, the veteran administrator explained how Penrith’s golden era—three straight premierships and counting—has had unintended consequences, particularly for clubs like Canterbury who are rebuilding from the ground up.
“Everyone wants to emulate Penrith. The way they develop talent, the systems they’ve built, the style of football they play—it’s become the blueprint,” Gould said.
“But what people don’t see is how it’s impacted player movement, coaching hires, even junior recruitment strategies right across the competition.”
According to Gould, one of the biggest shifts is in the value placed on players emerging from the Penrith system. Even fringe or reserve-grade Panthers players are now hot property, commanding attention and inflated value on the open market due to the club’s reputation for excellence.
“If you’re a young player who’s been in Penrith’s system—even if you haven’t cracked the first grade—you’re going to get opportunities elsewhere because of the Panthers’ brand,” he added.
“And for clubs like ours that are trying to rebuild, it makes competition for talent even more intense.”
Gould, who helped lay the foundations for Penrith’s current success during his tenure there, also pointed to the challenge for developing clubs to create sustainable pathways while resisting the temptation to chase quick fixes.
“What Penrith has done didn’t happen overnight. It took a decade of careful planning, investment in juniors, and a belief in their own process,” he said.
“There’s pressure now for every club to try and copy that success, but you can’t manufacture culture overnight. You have to build it.”
Despite the challenges, Gould remains optimistic about Canterbury’s direction, noting that the Bulldogs are working hard to establish similar foundations.
“We’ve started putting things in place that we hope will pay off long-term. The Panthers have set the standard, and now it’s up to the rest of us to catch up—but we’ve got to do it the right way.”
The Bulldogs have shown steady signs of improvement in 2025 under Cameron Ciraldo, another former Panther, and Gould insists patience and persistence will be key.
“It’s about sticking to the vision and not getting distracted by short-term pressure. If we do that, we’ll build something special here too.”
While Penrith’s winning ways continue to define this NRL era, Gus’s insights serve as a reminder: behind every dynasty lies a broader influence reshaping the game from top to bottom.
