🔥 Gündem Canterbury Bulldogs COVID-19 Outbreak: Latest on Missing Players and Match Impac

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs rugby league team has recently been significantly impacted by a COVID-19 outbreak, with multiple players missing training and games in the lead-up to crucial matches in August 2026 ¹²⁴.

COVID-19 Outbreak Details

• Number of Players Affected: At one point, ten Bulldogs NRL squad members missed training due to COVID-19 ²⁹. While initial reports indicated ten players, later updates specified five players contracted the virus ⁴⁷¹⁰.
• Key Player Impacts: Star back-rower Jacob Preston was among those affected, spending two days in hospital on a drip, although it's unclear if this was directly due to COVID-19 or another illness ⁴⁶⁸. Winger Jacob Kiraz also secretly battled COVID-19 ⁴.
• Training Disruptions: The outbreak led to a "skeleton crew" at training sessions, compounding the team's challenges ⁶. Coach Cameron Ciraldo acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that multiple players were affected ⁸.
• Timing: The outbreak occurred just days before a vital clash against Penrith, a must-win game for the Bulldogs' finals hopes ¹². Despite these challenges, the team managed to secure a crucial victory against St George Illawarra ⁶⁷.

Broader Context and Challenges

The COVID-19 outbreak was part of a series of misfortunes for the Bulldogs, which also included injuries and a family tragedy affecting Matt Burton ⁶. These issues collectively created a difficult week for the team as they fought to keep their slim finals hopes alive ⁴⁶⁷.

The club has been working to manage the situation, with players being kept away from training to prevent further spread ²⁹. Despite the significant disruptions, the Bulldogs have shown resilience, with their coach revealing the extent of the crisis after a key win ⁸.