Penrith assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo will leave the club at the end of the season after officially signing as coach of Canterbury from next season.
The development comes after Bulldogs General Manager of Football Phil Gould told 2GB yesterday he had “no idea” where things were at in terms of the head coaching position.
Canterbury confirmed Ciraldo’s appointment via a short statement this afternoon.
Panthers CEO Matt Cameron said the club supported Ciraldo’s decision.
“On behalf of all at Panthers, we would like to congratulate Cameron for his appointment as an NRL head coach,” he said.
“Although we’re saddened to see Cameron depart the club at the end of the season, we’re thrilled to see him progress to the next chapter of his NRL coaching career.
“A highly-respected member of the coaching staff, Cameron has played his part in making our club a source of community pride, and was influential in providing an environment for players to thrive.
“We wish Cameron, his wife Kim and their children all the best in the next chapter of their lives, but we are excited for him to finish the season at Panthers.”
Nine News reporter Danny Weidler told 2GB’s Continuous Call Team that the deal was officially approved this morning.
“The Board had a Zoom meeting today where it was all approved,” he said.
“Phil Gould has been wanting this happen for some time but it had to be right. Cameron Ciraldo is a very thorough individual and he would have gone through everything at the Bulldogs.
“This is a massive coup for Phil Gould. He deserves a huge amount of praise for making this happen.”
Ciraldo’s departure means Penrith will be looking for two new coaches to assist Ivan Cleary next season, with Andrew Webster also leaving to join the Warriors.
Ciraldo will continue to work with the Panthers until the end of the year.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.