Sydney Roosters' prop Matt Lodge is no chance of being at Bondi in 2024, but the chance of him remaining in the Sydney area isn't over.
A hard-hitting prop, Lodge will be squeezed out of the Roosters with salary cap pressure the driving force.
That follows the club's decisions to sign Spencer Leniu, and retain Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for what will likely be one final season into 2023.
The news that he would be pushed out has been confirmed, but it's now being reported by The Daily Telegraph that the off-contract prop has held a meeting with Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
The Bulldogs, who have been on a spending spree in recent seasons, still aren't done and are looking to add more weight and power to their engine room in 2024 as they push to play finals football for the first time in years.
That dream isn't over yet for the Bulldogs this season, but it's believed the club have identified a number of key areas where they still aren't happy with the squad which will welcome Bronson Xerri and Stephen Crichton into the fold for 2024.
It's understood there is no guarantee of an offer for Lodge from the Bulldogs, with the club still weighing up their own needs and salary cap position, but a meeting will go to show exactly where the Bulldogs are on the recruitment front.
Lodge joined the Roosters in the middle of last season following a release from the New Zealand Warriors, and spent most of the summer on a train and trial deal before a salary cap figure was finally confirmed allowing the Roosters to sign him into the Top 30 on a one-year deal.
The Bulldogs, who are already managing a tricky situation in the backs with both Paul Alamoti and Jake Averillo exploring their options, only have Luke Thompson and Corey Waddell out of their forward pack off-contract at the end of the year.
