Just six games into his new job as Bulldogs co-captain, Reed Mahoney is embracing the challenge of filling the leadership void left by the injuries to Josh Addo-Carr and Viliame Kikau.
The Kangaroos flyer and Fijian enforcer face extended periods on the sideline and in their absence it’s 24-year-old Mahoney and 23-year-old Matt Burton who will look to lift the club’s spirits after a demoralising 50-16 loss to the Rabbitohs.
In his sixth season in the NRL and with a century of games already to his name, Mahoney is quickly finding his voice and his running game as part of a new-look Canterbury side looking to break a six-year finals drought. Joining the club in 2023 after 101 matches in the blue and gold of Parramatta, Mahoney was made on-field captain along with Burton, part of a six-man leadership group that also includes Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Max King.
When coach Cameron Ciraldo first floated the idea of the hooker stepping up, Mahoney admitted it took some time for him to feel comfortable in the role, but speaking ahead of Sunday’s showdown with his former club it’s clear he is revelling in it. “I feel like I’ve probably grown up a little bit, there’s definitely a lot more responsibility on me,” Mahoney told the media on Tuesday.
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