The messy exit of Reed Mahoney from the Bulldogs last year was emotional and controversial, but now it has the potential to be explosive when he faces his old club this season.

The former Bulldogs captain, who joined North Queensland at the end of 2025 on a three-year deal, ran into his former teammates in a nightclub after last weekend’s matches in Las Vegas. While things started amicably, they didn’t end that way.

Cowboys hooker Reed Mahoney in action against the Knights in Las Vegas.Credit: NRL Imagery

Mahoney made some remarks to winger Marcelo Montoya that fell very flat, not only with Montoya but with the majority of the Bulldogs playing group.

It was brought to the attention of senior people at the club, and while no one from the Bulldogs will publicly say anything, it is an open secret within the team.

This column reached out to Mahoney and he preferred not to comment on the matter.

Mahoney had a lot of public support because of his incredibly brave playing style and willingness to take on the biggest person on the field while at the Dogs. He is credited with bringing some steel to the joint and was an integral part of the Bulldogs rebuild after joining the club in 2023 from Parramatta. He often talked about not being bullied as a player, despite being one of the smallest in the NRL.

Tough Dog: Reed Mahoney had a challenging final season at the Bulldogs in 2025. Credit: Getty Images

But his time at the Bulldogs crumbled when he was dumped to the bench in the back half of last season and ultimately cut loose with a year remaining on his deal. Mahoney says he still doesn’t know why he fell out of favour at Canterbury.

He even publicly questioned his exit, prompting Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo to comment that Mahoney knows how to contact him if he has an issue. Just how open Ciraldo would be to taking that phone call now remains to be seen.

© The Sydney Morning Herald