LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
Former Canterbury Bulldogs playmaker Karl Oloapu has made an impressive return to rugby league after spending over 750 days sidelined due to a serious neck injury.
Oloapu, who was released by the Bulldogs at the beginning of 2025, stepped back onto the field for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Brisbane Rugby League (BRL) A-Grade premiership. He played alongside former NRL players Caleb Jackson and Dunamis Lui.
Wearing a white headgear and sporting the No.14 jersey, his comeback was significant, marking the first time he had played in a rugby league match since June 18, 2023, when he competed against the Cronulla Sharks while still with the Bulldogs.
Oloapu was regarded as one of the top young halves during his junior years. He initially signed with the Brisbane Broncos at the age of 13 before making a high-profile move to Belmore.
Sadly, his career with the Bulldogs ended prematurely after he sustained a neck injury, leading to career-threatening spinal surgery that kept him out for the entirety of the 2024 NRL season.
"This has been a challenging period for Karl and his family," Bulldogs GM of Football Phil Gould remarked in a statement regarding Oloapu's release in February this year.