Josh Dugan, former NRL player, returns to rugby league with Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup after retiring in 2021.
Former NSW Origin and Australian representative Josh Dugan has made a stunning comeback to rugby league via the Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup.
Dugan, 36, played 215 NRL games for Canberra, St George Illawarra and Cronulla from 2009 until 2021, and was a teammate of current Pride coach Sam Williams during their time at the Raiders from 2011-13.
He last played an NRL game in round 11 of the 2021 season for Cronulla, retiring from the top flight league after parting ways with the Sharks.
Dugan was most recently signed with the Ivanhoe Knights in the FNQ Rugby League from 2023-25, serving as a player-coach for the 2024 and 2025 seasons and playing in their 2024 grand final loss.
It had previously been announced he had stepped away from the sport altogether after struggling through a local footy campaign marred by injury in 2025.