Canterbury have re-signed forward Max King on a three-year deal to lock up a vital piece of their engine room until at least the end of the 2027 season.
King, who initially joined the club in 2022, has quickly established himself as a leader at the Dogs with his tireless work-rate and no-nonsense style quickly endearing him to the Belmore faithful.
Max King contract: Why underrated Canterbury prop is so important to the Bulldogs
King made his NRL debut back in 2017 for the Gold Coast Titans and went on to earmark himself as one for the future off the back of 17 appearances, where he averaged 70 running metres and 27 tackles in a struggling side.
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The following season he made just 12 appearances for the Titans before his final campaign on the Glitter Strip came in 2019 and yielded just nine matches.
Looking to re-energise his career, he made the move down to Melbourne to attempt to be yet another Craig Bellamy success story.
However, during his two-year stay at the Storm, King made just six appearances in each season to leave him at a crossroads in the NRL.
Potentially heading into a last chance Down Under, the forward inked a short-term deal with the Bulldogs two years ago.
"When I signed here through Gus (Gould) and 'Baz' (Trent Barrett) - I thought my career was over," King admitted after announcing his re-signing.
Despite featuring in a side which has won just 13 of his 47 games, King has often been one of the side’s best and most consistent players.
His tireless work ethic has again been on show as he has averaged over 100 running metres per game, while tackling anything that moves through the middle of the field.
The 26-year-old has also upped his intensity with his carries to produce more tackle busts, post-contact metres and offloads than he had ever managed before at his previous two clubs.
King is now approaching his 100-game milestone in the comp with almost half of those appearances coming in a Dogs jersey.
"I love this club and I love this place, so I couldn't picture myself anywhere else," King said.
King was due to come off-contract at the end of this season and the Bulldogs had been locked in negotiations to keep one of the most improved players of recent years at the club.
There was reportedly up to three NRL rivals trying to lure King away from Belmore before he inked his new deal, with King declaring good times were on the horizon.
Max King locked in for 2025, 2026 & 2027.🔒 pic.twitter.com/pG9wTILmkf
— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) March 13, 2024
"The time I've been here- it's the best it's been," King said.
"I think the way it's building. It's the best it's been in three years.
"It's easy to say that with words but you can just feel it. I haven't enjoyed footy this much. I've been driving home every day with a smile.
"Obviously, wins and losses will dictate that, but I thought even through the pre-season and getting flogged every day, it was fun.
"It's been tough while I have been here, but I want to see better days and I want to be part of those better days ahead."
King will be joined in the front-row rotation by recent signings Zane Tetevano and Daniel Suluka-Fifita, while the likes of Poasa Faamausili and Liam Knight will also be competing for spots alongside rising talent such as Sam Hughes.
