Could artificial intelligence change rugby league forever?
What makes the Bulldogs' AI adoption particularly intriguing is Driussi's other role as CEO of Quantium, an Australian artificial intelligence and advanced analytics company. The firm works with major Australian companies, such as Woolworths, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and Qantas.
The connection provides the Bulldogs access to world-class AI expertise that would typically cost NRL clubs millions of dollars to develop themselves. While Driussi is careful not to discuss any formal arrangements, the potential for knowledge transfer is obvious.
The 'Family Club' previously revealed it used AI to identify Jacob Preston during his recruitment from the Roosters' pathways system, suggesting the technology has been instrumental in some of their personnel decisions.
AI's influence on sport was one of the topics discussed at the NRL's Business of Sport Conference in Las Vegas at the University of Nevada, just before this year's season-opening matches at Allegiant Stadium. The headline speakers were Driussi and Paul Devlin, the latter the global strategy leader for betting, gaming and sports technology at Amazon Web Services.
Devlin, who has held high-performance roles at the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney, Parramatta and Melbourne Storm, said AI would transform the sporting landscape.
'We see AI as absolutely revolutionary, and we think it will impact every area of business in the future,' Devlin says.
'So everybody should be experimenting with it right now, so that was kind of the key message that came out of that NRL event ... AI is going to improve every area of business, but it is really clear on the insight generation from the data side of it in a sport like rugby league on talent identification, load monitoring, safety of the games through simulations, as well as the fan side of sport as well.'
Several NRL clubs are already dabbling with AI. One leading head coach, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect the club's intellectual property, said that AI had the potential to help analysts wade through reams of data to come up with a couple of key takeaways when preparing for an opponent.
'That's where I see the next step in world sport, how AI can save you time in identifying those trends so you're not wasting time doing it yourself,' the coach says.
'The advantage you get is saving man-hours, so you actually spend less time on computers and more with the players.
'You can see the information that's relevant; missed tackles is the most outdated stat because there's no context to it. And completion rates; seven of the top-10 completing teams didn't make the finals last year.'
Here's a practical example of how AI is being used. One club found the best way to beat the Storm is to limit their time in possession. If you can restrict them to less than 23 minutes and 25 seconds with the football – they average 26 minutes and 36 seconds – you have an almost 100 per cent chance of winning. Not easy to do in reality, but it's useful information.
While most NRL teams focus heavily on pre-contact metres – the distance gained before first defensive contact – to build momentum, a different focus is required to beat Canberra. AI found the Raiders were uniquely driven by post-contact metres, those tough yards gained after contact. Limit those metres, and you can stop the Green Machine.
Canterbury's embracing of AI reflects a broader transformation sweeping through professional sport worldwide. American sports leagues are leading the charge, with the NFL processing more than 500 million data points per season through its Digital Athlete system, reducing player injuries by 700 missed games since 2023. Major League Baseball has implemented AI for pitching analysis and injury prevention, while the NBA uses machine learning for player load management and game strategy optimisation.
English Premier League clubs are using AI for recruitment: Brighton's system identified Moises Caicedo before his eventual £115 million ($240 million) transfer from them to Chelsea, while Liverpool's partnership with Google DeepMind has produced tactical analysis tools that club experts prefer over traditional methods 90 per cent of the time.
The secrecy surrounding Canterbury's AI implementation is understandable given the competitive implications; NRL clubs are notoriously protective of innovations that might provide advantages.
The technological investment aligns with the Bulldogs' recent restructure. The blue and whites are constructing a $50 million centre of excellence at Belmore and have significantly expanded their pathways programs, including taking over the Fiji Silktails program.
'We're building for long-term success,' Driussi says. 'That means investing in the best people, the best facilities and the best technology available to us.'
Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton confirmed the club's commitment to innovation.
'We're always looking at ways to improve our operations and give our players and staff the best possible tools to succeed,' Warburton says. 'Technology is certainly part of that equation.'
Loading
The club's return to finals football last year, after missing the post-season for eight seasons, has been attributed to improved recruitment, player development and coaching. However, the role of AI in this transformation remains largely hidden.
Given the global AI sports market is tipped to grow from $1.2 billion to nearly $30 billion by 2032, getting in early could be the key to success. Already, rivals are playing catch-up to Canterbury.
For a club that has endured wooden spoons and years of mediocrity, the Bulldogs are marrying old-school values with cutting-edge technology. Whether that translates to premiership glory remains to be seen, but the Bulldogs are betting heavily that the future of rugby league will be shaped by artificial intelligence.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

News.com.au
7 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Gilmour Space Technologies launches rocket ship in Australian first
The first Australian-built rocket has been launched from Australian soil before crashing back to Earth. About 8.30am on Wednesday, Gilmour Space Technologies made history when its first orbital rocket, Eris, launched from Bowen in North Queensland. It recorded 14 seconds of flight before crashing back to the ground, a move that was intended by the team. Speaking to the The Courier-Mail, co-founder and chief executive officer Adam Gilmour said he was 'happy' with the test flight result. The rocket had been sitting at the spaceport for more than a year, with numerous attempts to launch made in early 2025. However, previous test flight attempts were postponed due to external factors, including strong winds and technical issues. 'The rocket wasn't designed to (sit in one spot), and we wanted to get off the pad at minimum,' he told the outlet. 'We had all four engines fire off nicely, we avoided the pad, the rocket is off the pad now and no visible damage to the pad.' Mr Gilmour said since the rocket avoided landing on the pad, the company would likely be able to launch a second test flight in about six months. Online, the Gilmour Space Technologies crew said the test flight was a 'big step for (Australian) launch capability'. 'Team safe, data in hand, eyes on TestFlight 2,' the post read. Mr Gilmour said it was 'almost unheard of' for a private company to launch a rocket ship to orbit the first time around. 'What's important is that every second of flight will deliver valuable data that will improve our rocket's reliability and performance for future launches,' he said.

News.com.au
32 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Mitch Owen's ODI nod as Jake Fraser-McGurk axed
Australian white-ball captain Mitch Marsh labelled new batting weapon Mitch Owen a 'ripping kid' as he earnt an ODI squad call-up for the Top End series against South Africa, with Jake Fraser-McGurk's single West Indian failure enough for him to be axed. Owen, who made a half-century in his T20 international debut in Jamaica, is in both the ODI and T20 squads for the series and has put himself in the frame for a T20 World Cup spot next year. The ODI retirements of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell opened the door for Owen to join the 50-over squad, with Test discard Marnus Labuschagne also earning an international recall and Travis Head is back after skipping the T20s in the West Indies. Both Test captain Pat Cummins and 100-Test quick Mitchell Starc won't play as they save themselves for the Ashes, but Josh Hazlewood has been included in both squads. Cameron Green, named man of the series in Australia's history-making 5-0 T20 sweep of the Windies, will also play both the ODIs and T20s as he continues to build batting form after a significant period sidelined following career-saving back surgery. 'As we build towards the T20 World Cup, the flexibility and depth shown in the West Indies, outside of the obvious results, has been a huge positive,' Australian selection chief George Bailey said. 'The flexibility within the batting order and ability of bowlers to bowl in different stages of the innings were particularly pleasing to see. 'Mitch Owen and Matt Kuhnemann making their respective debuts and the preparation and work done by Nathan Ellis to allow him to play all five matches were highlights.' Australia has 14 more matches over the next six months to prepare for next year's T20 World Cup in India, starting with the three against South Africa next month. But Fraser-McGurk faces a battle to regain his spot, axed again making just two runs opening the batting in the first T20 in the West Indies after a surprise recall given his struggles in the IPL and Major League cricket T20 tournaments. Marsh, said the emergence of players in the West Indies added depth to the squad at the right time and lauded Owen for his debut series performance. 'I thought Mitch was fantastic,' Marsh said. 'He's a ripping kid, took on the challenge, didn't seem overawed by the occasion of playing international cricket and seems like a pretty calm figure. 'And as for Cam, I think the biggest thing for me is just him enjoying his cricket, played with a big smile on his face this series and he was awesome, played some really critical roles for us with the bat and was awesome in the field.' Australian T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa Australian ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

News.com.au
37 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Australia to ban under-16s from YouTube
Australia will use landmark social media laws to ban children under 16 from video-streaming site YouTube, a top minister said Wednesday stressing the need to shield them from "predatory algorithms". Communications Minister Anika Wells said four-in-ten Australian children had reported viewing harmful content on YouTube, one of the most visited websites in the world. "We want kids to know who they are before platforms assume who they are," Wells said in a statement. "There's a place for social media, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children." Australia announced last year it was drafting laws that will ban children from social media sites such as Facebook, TikTok and Instagram until they turn 16. The government had previously indicated YouTube would be exempt, given its widespread use in classrooms. "Young people under the age of 16 will not be able to have accounts on YouTube," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters on Wednesday. "They will also not be able to have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X among other platforms. "We want Australian parents and families to know that we have got their back." Albanese said the age limit may not be implemented perfectly -- much like existing restrictions on alcohol -- but it was still the right thing to do. - Not 'social media' - A spokesman for YouTube said Wednesday's announcement was a jarring U-turn from the government. "Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens," the company said in a statement. "It's not social media." On paper, the ban is one of the strictest in the world. But the current legislation offers almost no details on how the rules will be enforced -- prompting concern among experts that it will simply be a symbolic piece of unenforceable legislation. It is due to come into effect on December 10. Social media giants -- which face fines of up to Aus$49.5 million (US$32 million) for failing to comply -- have described the laws as "vague", "problematic" and "rushed". TikTok has accused the government of ignoring mental health, online safety and youth experts who had opposed the ban. Meta -- owner of Facebook and Instagram -- has warned that the ban could place "an onerous burden on parents and teens". The legislation has been closely monitored by other countries, with many weighing whether to implement similar bans.