Kade Dykes is officially headed to Belmore, with the Bulldogs pulling off a promising signing by securing the Cronulla fullback on a multi-year deal beginning in 2026.
General Manager of Football, Phil Gould, believes the exciting young fullback can find his best football at Belmore.
“We believe that Kade will flourish in the Bulldogs system,” Gould said in the Bulldogs' official announcement.
“He is a bright young man who works hard, and he will fit in nicely with our squad for the 2026 season.”
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The 23-year-old has long been considered one of the Sharks' most exciting junior products but has struggled to consistently break into the NRL squad due to injuries and depth in key positions.
Dykes made his debut in 2022 and has featured sparingly since, with a torn ACL derailing much of his 2023 campaign, and has only managed 9 NSW Cup matches in the past three seasons.
The young fullback is currently on the sidelines for 2025 after rupturing his patella tendon in his knee, adding to his already long list of unfortunate luck with injury.
Dykes also has plenty of ties to the Shire and strong rugby league pedigree — he is the son of Adam Dykes and grandson of John Dykes, both of whom played for the Sharks.
The move is another smart piece of recruitment by the Bulldogs, who have continued to reshape their roster under Cameron Ciraldo with an eye towards both short- and long-term success to become a sustained premiership threat.
Dykes brings versatility, speed and vision, and is capable of playing anywhere in the backline, though he has mostly played fullback, which coincidentally is a spot ex-Shark Connor Tracey now holds at the Bulldogs.
His addition adds depth and competition to a fullback spot that has seen multiple options used over the last couple of seasons, and if healthy, he could certainly push Tracey for the number one jersey next pre-season.
The Sharks, meanwhile, will be disappointed to lose a homegrown talent, but the move is understood to be amicable, with the club unable to guarantee the game time Dykes was seeking.
For Dykes, a change of scenery and a fresh start at a club on the rise could be just what’s needed to kickstart his career and deliver on the promise he showed in his early appearances.