Dolphins inaugural coach Wayne Bennett has revealed the club are in a position to strike on any and all players that become available for the 2023 season.
The NRL's newest club have been steadily building their roster for the 2023 campaign, and now have 21 players on Top 30 deals, to go with a number of development players who would become eligible to play after Round 10, or for upgrades sooner if the club see fit.
The Dolphins have revealed that, unlike most other NRL clubs though who are believed to be battling salary cap pressures, they have plenty of cash free to chase any players who want a change of scenery for 2023.
Bennett has long maintained that the club's recruitment campaign for 2023 isn't a race, with players not off-contract likely to become available throughout the year thanks to changes of heart and mindset at other clubs.
While the Dolphins weren't given permission to negotiate according to various reports, that has been all too familiar in recent times with Reece Walsh moving from the Warriors to the Broncos, and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad from the Raiders to the Warriors for the 2023 campaign despite both players still having a year to run on their deals.
Bennett told club media that they have got their entire roster to date at "good value."
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โWhat we have paid for our players has been good value for them and good value for us,โ Bennett said.
"But we have got a fair bit left in the cap to get those players that we are looking for.
โSo we wonโt have the excuse that we canโt afford that bloke if he is the right bloke.โ
Bennett said the recruitment drive was about building a successful club for the future, not just in 2023, which he believes they have done with the likes of Isaiya Katoa, Jack Bostock, Harrison Graham, Mason Tague and Michael Roberts part of the club.
โIโm pretty happy with where we are at,โ said Bennett.
โWe still have good options out there โ we just have to make the right decisions.
โWe want to have a competitive team next year, but at the same time we want to have a string of players coming through over the next four or five years here that will be wonderful players for us.โ
The Dolphins will enter the competition in 2023.
