Jackson Topine set to land contract lifeline after dropping case against Bulldogs

Jackson Topine has dropped his legal case against the Canterbury Bulldogs, bringing an end to a dispute that had lingered over the club for nearly two years and removing a significant distraction ahead of the 2026 season.

The matter is now settled and no longer before the courts, and it's understood per sources that Topine has signed a contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, landing a rugby league lifeline in the process.

This is not just a relief for the Bulldogs. It is a significant moment for the game more broadly. Had the case proceeded to a full hearing, it would have required current and former players along with senior club officials to give evidence during the season.

Several players, some still at the Bulldogs and others now at different clubs, reportedly made it clear they did not want to be compelled to testify. That factor alone created enormous tension around the situation and presented real disruption risks.

From a competition wide perspective, the resolution also avoids a potential legal precedent that could have opened the door for similar actions at other clubs.

Rugby league has long demanded resilience and physical intensity. Media scrutiny in recent seasons, including criticism from figures such as Buzz Rothfield toward the Brisbane Broncos and coach Michael Maguire over so called spew bucket training methods, highlighted how easily club practices can become public battlegrounds.

Former Bulldog Braith Anasta has also spoken in the past about similar standards being embedded in club culture during earlier eras.

There is a clear duty of care to player welfare and mental health, and modern clubs including the Bulldogs have significantly expanded their welfare and psychological support systems. That evolution is real and ongoing across the league.

At the same time, the NRL would not have welcomed a scenario where internal training methods across clubs were tested in open court and used as a benchmark for litigation across the competition.

One of the most overlooked elements in this entire matter was the position of the playing group.

Several players reportedly indicated they had no desire to be drawn into a courtroom process. Some remain at the Bulldogs, others have since moved on, but the reluctance to testify became a serious complication. The season is demanding enough without players being subpoenaed to revisit training sessions and internal standards from years prior.

With the case now resolved, the Bulldogs can fully focus on football without legal uncertainty hovering over the club.

The other major development is the opportunity that has emerged for Topine himself. He is understood to have secured a New South Wales Cup contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, providing him with a genuine pathway to rebuild his career.

South Sydney under Wayne Bennett have increasingly positioned themselves as a club willing to offer second chances and career resets.

Recent additions such as Brandon Smith, David Fifita and Matt Dufty have all arrived on reduced or opportunity-based arrangements as the club reshapes its roster.

Former Bulldogs juniors including William Afualo and Max Afualo, along with Jordi Mazzone, have also moved across, with Mazzone and the Afualo brothers featuring strongly in recent trial fixtures and pushing their cases within the system.

For Topine, the argument is over. He has a contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and a pathway back into the system. Whatever the past two years represented, the next chapter will be decided on the field.

For the Bulldogs, the litigation threat is gone. There will be no cross examinations of training standards mid-season. No current players forced into court. No legal precedent hanging over how clubs demand resilience from their squads.

The matter is finished.

And the game moves on.

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