Overview

• Canterbury finished third after 27 rounds before losing to Melbourne and then 46-26 to Penrith to exit the finals without a win.
• Ciraldo said he "wouldn't change a thing," pointing to byes, Origin demands and injuries as context for the second-half slide.
• The coach replaced halfback Toby Sexton with mid-season recruit Lachlan Galvin and shifted hooker Reed Mahoney to a bench role in favor of Bailey Hayward.
• Ciraldo praised Galvin and Hayward as two of Canterbury's best against Penrith and projected both as central to the club's plans.
• Off-season moves confirm Mahoney's switch to North Queensland and Sexton's to Catalans, with Hayward locked in on a new deal and Kade Dykes plus Leo Thompson signed for 2026.