Karl Oloapu, a teenage sensation, is expected to leave the Canterbury Bulldogs to join the Dolphins after recovering from a neck ailment that threatened his future.
After a difficult couple of years, the 19-year-old pivot will be making an emotional homecoming to his hometown.
When Oloapu was thirteen years old, the Broncos signed him from Redcliffe. In 2022, he became the captain of the Australian Schoolboys.
But the following year he had a massive fallout with the Broncos, declaring “I will never play for Brisbane as long as I live” and requesting a release.
He was given the freedom and signed with the Bulldogs after a weeks-long standoff that resulted in the Players Association mediating the situation. He played seven games in his NRL debut in 2023.
At the end of the season, Oloapu suffered a bulging disc in his neck, which put an end to his promising career.
There were fears his playing days were over but he underwent delicate surgery and after a long and slow recovery, is confident he can resume playing again after sitting out the entire 2024 season.
The youthful player piqued the Dolphins’ interest, and the two are expected to finalize a long-term agreement in the days ahead.
Oloapu has already returned to Redcliffe and is scheduled to begin training this week with his new team.
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