Cameron Ciraldo's admission about Phil Gould after joining Bulldogs

Incoming Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has hailed the Phil Gould effect after shedding light on his highly anticipated move to the Canterbury Bulldogs.

The Penrith Panthers assistant was arguably the most sought-after coach on the market, before he put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Bulldogs, from 2023.

'P***ED OFF': Icon's staggering claim in Cameron Munster-Wayne Bennett furore

THE PLOT THICKENS: New twist in Des Hasler drama as leaked emails emerge

TELLING: Matty Johns makes staggering claim in Ben Hunt drama at Dragons

Ciraldo is often credited as the architect of Penrith's premiership-winning defence and has previously been declared "a head coach in waiting" by current Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary.

He leaves the NRL premiers after enjoying an incredibly successful stint at Penrith that saw the club win back-to-back premierships after qualifying for the last three grand finals.

Ciraldo turned down a huge long-term offer from the Tigers earlier this year and was also being considered for the Warriors head coaching position until the club announced fellow Penrith assistant Andrew Webster as its successor to Nathan Brown.

Following Penrith's second successive NRL premiership triumph, Ciraldo opened up on the reasons why he decided to opt for the Bulldogs over other suitors.

He says the allure of reuniting with Bulldogs general manager of football Gould - who Ciraldo previously worked with at Penrith - was a big factor in the decision.

“I’ve known Gus (Gould) for a long time, he’s been really good for me and done a lot for me throughout my career so to work with him again is exciting and I know that as a young coach he can really help me,” Ciraldo told Channel Nine.

“Because there’s a lot you’ve got to deal with and at different stages I’m going to want to focus on the team first and let him worry about a lot of other peripheral stuff.”

Gould has been instrumental in helping the Bulldogs assemble an impressive roster for 2023, with new additions including grand final rivals, Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney.

The pair will join a talented squad that also includes representative players Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr, as well as destructive forward, Tevita Pangai Jr to name but a few.

'It felt right' for Cameron Ciraldo to join Bulldogs

With Ciraldo on board and an impressive roster taking shape at the club, many experts are expecting the Bulldogs to push for a top-eight finish in 2023.

However, the new coach remains cautious about getting wrapped up in the hype around the Belmore-based club.

“(I’m) just looking forward to day one and getting in there and starting the hard work so that’s all I’m thinking about at the moment,” Ciraldo said.

The Bulldogs are one of the most successful rugby league clubs in Australian history, having won eight premierships.

However, the club has not tasted grand final success since 2004, with Ciraldo keen to bring the glory days back to the proud club.

Ciraldo says the history and tradition of the Bulldogs, coupled with the obvious potential at the club, left him with a sense that it was the ideal coaching role for him.

“I know one reason it just felt right and it felt comfortable and it’s a proud club with a proud history and I see the potential there in the next few years and I wanted to be apart of it,” he added.

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.