Despite already moving a myriad of magnets across his brief stint back at Belmore, Canterbury GM Phil Gould has claimed that the Dogs will, once again, hit the player market in 2024.
While the likes of Reed Mahoney and Viliame Kikau are still yet to come to the kennel, Gould stressed earlier this week that the pair, along with fellow imports Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai Junior and Josh Addo-Carr, would make up the nucleus of a new breed aiming to reclaim premiership success.
Still, while both Burton and Mahoney will provide the club currently operating with an interim coach (Mick Potter) with some playmaking impetus, the lack of a genuine halfback and fullback pairing is an ill that still requires correcting.
With Gould delineating that under his watch, the Dogs were eyeing 2024 as a season in which the dead-weight would be dropped from the roster, a sizable portion of the club's salary cap should, feasibly, be restored.
And according to the game's eighth immortal, there are only two players Canterbury should be parting with cash for.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Newcastle legend Andrews Johns claimed that if the Bulldogs were serious in breaking back into premiership contention, both Jackson Hastings and Reece Walsh should be on the top of their shopping list.
With the pair both coming out of contract at the cessation of the 2023 season, both the incumbent Tiger and Warrior would fit within the age bracket currently being cultivated at Canterbury.
Should each of the eyecatching options sign on with the Dogs ahead of 2024, Hastings would become the elder statesman inside the circle of attacking options, with the bearded halfback set to turn 28 that season, whilst Walsh (21), Burton (24) and Mahoney (26) will all looking to the ex-Sea Eagle in terms of seniority.
Given Canterbury reportedly has a dearth of options to fill key spine posts coming through their junior ranks, Johns stressed that a need to buy a known quantity such as the in-form Tiger was inching towards becoming non-negotiable.
"You probably look at that and you probably say Jackson Hastings," Johns said.
"He's the one they'll have to go after but to get him out of the Tigers, because there isn't so much depth in the competition at halfback, you probably have to pay $800-$900,000-a-season or even more to get Jackson out of the Tigers."
While spruiking the skillsets of Scott Drinkwater, Daine Laurie and Will Kennedy, Johns was also willing to contend that Walsh was the best option at the back for the Bulldogs' future prospects.
"Reece Walsh would be number one for me, and after him I'd go for Scott Drinkwater," he added.
"He covers fullback but also five-eighth, a really creative player.
"Will Kennedy has got the magic at the back and also Daine Laurie, but if I had to put them in order I'd say Walsh, Latrell and then Daine Laurie and Will Kennedy together But again, you get Reece Walsh you're going to have to pay $800-$900,000."
Though speaking speculatively, and playing with another club's chequebook, it is unlikely that many long-suffering Belmore boys and girls will take too much umbrage to the ingredients on 'Joey's recipe for success.
However, finding $1.8 million a season with a cap with a ceiling of $9.4 million is for 30 players between 2023 and 2027 is another matter entirely.
Add in the fact that luring burgeoning stars to a club more familiar with collecting wooden spoons that contending for comps, and it is clear that the clouds haven't cleared completely west of the city.
