The Minns Labor government, together with players and coaches from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs NRL club, today marked the start of construction on the club’s $51 million Centre of Excellence at Belmore Oval with a sod-turning ceremony.
The project reflects the important role sport plays in bringing communities together, creating opportunities for young people, and strengthening the neighbourhoods that support their local teams.
The new centre will be a state-of-the-art home for the club’s NRL and NRLW teams and serve as a training base for the club’s junior pathways athletes.
The facility will include a gymnasium and training areas, medical and aquatic rehabilitation facilities, meeting rooms, office space, and changerooms for both elite players and users of the adjacent Peter Moore Fields.
The NSW Government has contributed $40 million to the project, originally granted by the former government in 2023.
The Centre of Excellence is scheduled for completion by January 2027.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said: “Everyone knows 2026 is the year of the dogs.”
“It’s great to see construction underway on the Belmore Centre of Excellence. This is an important project for the Bulldogs and for the wider community,” Minns added.
“Some of the Bulldogs’ greatest names like Terry Lamb, George Peponis, Hazem El-Masri and Jacob Kiraz have come through their development pathways. The club has a long history of developing local talent, and this facility will help support that work into the future.
“What stands out is that this centre will benefit both the Bulldogs’ elite squads and the broader community who use these fields and facilities.”
Member for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis, said: “The Bulldogs remain a celebrated symbol of success and a source of great pride for the people of southwest Sydney.”
“This Centre of Excellence is not just an investment in elite sport but in our multicultural community and our young athletes,” Ms Cotsis added.
“This is amazing news for our community, and this new facility ensures future generations of players, fans, and families will continue to be part of something special right here in our backyard.
“Once completed, this Centre will create a significant legacy that will benefit both the club and the wider community.”
Bulldogs CEO Aaron Warburton said: “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting new era for our Club.”
“This moment has been years in the making – the vision, the planning, the collaboration and the enormous amount of hard work behind the scenes has led us to finally breaking ground on a home that will elevate every part of the Bulldogs’ football program,” Warburton added.
