Bulldogs GM of football Phil Gould has revealed that Toby Sexton could have been at the club since he was a kid if not for an astonishing blunder that allowed him to walk out when he was still at high school.
Speaking on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast, Gould explained why Canterbury had signed Sexton this week, before letting slip that the 22-year-old halfback had already had a stint at the club as a junior but the Bulldogs had forgotten to trigger an option to extend his deal, allowing him to sign with the Titans.
“He was in fact on contract with the Bulldogs many years ago. He was in the junior development system and they had an option on his services for the final year for a very small amount,” Gould said.
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“Someone forgot to take up the option. He was at Palm Beach Currumbin at the schools up there, so he just stayed with the Gold Coast.”
While that error sounds barely conceivable, Gould laughed it off saying “we all make mistakes,” adding that Sexton never would have been brought back to the club if not for an email that pinged in Gould’s inbox.
“(He) certainly wasn’t on the radar until we got an email from his management saying that he had been given permission to have a look around,” said Gould.
“We got the feeling that maybe the Gold Coast were freeing up some space for another halfback at another club (Ben Hunt)… so I took the opportunity to talk to Toby.
“People give up on halfbacks early and you gotta persevere with them… They are not easy to find and they are pretty expensive if you want the best ones.
“Let’s hope he develops into one of the best ones.”
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Gould said he had been impressed by his early impression of Sexton since meeting him, noting that he had driven from the Gold Coast to Sydney in his own car with his dad and had found himself accommodation without needing to lean on the club.
He has also shown an appetite for learning.
“What we liked about him was that he is a rugby league nerd in his own description,” Gould said.
“The team is obviously struggling after the weekend performance (a 66-0 thumping to the Knights), it is a hard week for him coming in… he will only have two sessions with the team,” said Gould.
“But he was certainly full of beans when he got there yesterday.
“He is ready to go. It is a good opportunity for him.”
The Bulldogs signed Sexton for two seasons plus the remainder of 2023, tying him to Belmore until the end of the 2025 season.
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The 22-year-old has been kept out of first grade for the majority of this season due to the rise of Tanah Boyd, but Six Tackles with Gus host Mat Thompson recalled that he had made “a real splash” during his debut year with the Titans in 2021, applauding the star’s talent and commitment to the game.
Gould added that he sees Sexton as a game manager with a good kicking game, potentially making him a good foil for rising star Matt Burton, who has had to take on the No.7 jersey in recent weeks due to a lack of options at halfback.
Teen star Karl Oluapu also joined the Bulldogs this season and has impressed, but Gould has recently said that he expects the 18-year-old to end up as a lock forward.
The Bulldogs will take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium on Saturday with Sexton in the frame to make his debut after just two training sessions, having been named in the No.7 jersey.
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