After a slow start Curley developed into a reliable defender capable of undertaking any job given him. Early in his career he made the occasional glaring error, but his confidence built up in 1998 and 1999 when he eliminated those type of mistakes. Curley reflected in later years that he had not worked hard enough in his season with Collingwood in 1994. In 1995 he returned home for a year in the WAFL with West Perth, and Footscray thought he was worth a second try in the 1995 national draft. He showed a willingness to run hard out of defence and take on roles around the field that required him to blot out opposition players. By late 1997 he had his hands on a defensive post and held it down for the next three years. He had his best season in 1999 when his solid displays of concentration in defence earned him seventh place in the club's best and fairest award. In 2001 his season was apparently sent off the rails after he was reported and suspended for accidentally running into an umpire. The Bulldogs surprisingly dumped him at the end of the year.