The Canterbury Bulldogs have still been heavily involved in the transfer market despite making six signings for the 2022 NRL season, however, this time it look as though they will look to tidy up their salary cap.
While the Bulldogs have previously had enormous salary cap problems to deal with thanks to heavily back-ended deals during the Des Hasler reign at the club, this time the belt is being squeezed by multiple signings.
All of Matt Dufty, Josh Addo-Carr, Brent Naden, Matt Burton, Paul Vaughan and Tevita Pangai Junior will join the club for 2022, while there is also speculation they want to add the experienced Mitchell Pearce for 2023, and David Klemmer potentially as early as 2022 given he is currently not a first-choice starter at the Newcastle Knights.
The Australian's Brent Read told Triple M RadioM that new general manager of football Phil Gould is looking to clean up the club's salary cap, although the Luke Thompson move away from the club now appears off.
"The Bulldogs off-season has already started really. We saw the Luke Thompson reports last week, but Gus (Phil Gould) is already looking to reshape that roster. He has got is feet under the desk and has recognised that perhaps they need to move some players to fix up their salary cap," Read said.
"Luke Thompson was the first guy that became available. It looks as though he is staying, that may change in the next week or two depending on what happens."
Thompson had been reportedly been on the shopping list at both the Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys, however, the Bulldogs are reportedly unwilling to fund his contract to play elsewhere.
It means someone else may have to leave the club, according to Read, who raised Corey Allan and Nick Cotric as possible options.
"That means someone else is probably going to have to go. When that happens, and when you're in the situation their in, it's biggish names. It's not guys 25 to 30 on the salary cap roster," Read said.
"Carnage is about to unfold. That might be a tad extreme, but we are going to see some prominent names in the news in the next few weeks."
"Obviously the highest-paid players are guys like Thompson, Josh Jackson. They won't be moving Jackson. He is the heart and soul of the place. You've got guys like Nick Cotric who hasn't really kicked on since he joined them. Corey Allan is someone who signed a good contract and hasn't really got a look in."
Read also mentioned Adam Elliott could be an option, although that was before his current off-field incident, which the NRL are investigating after he was allegedly thrown out of a Gold Coast establishment on Saturday when drinking with teammates.
