Trent Barrett's A-grade shopping list is far from over, with the Bulldogs now setting their sights on Parramatta second-rower Ryan Matterson for the 2022 season, per Wide World of Sports.

Canterbury have bolstered their squad ahead of this season with several key recruits arriving in Belmore in the past few months, while Barrett awaits New South Wales superstar Josh Addo-Carr from Melbourne and Panthers young gun Matt Burton for next year.

Now potentially joining the highly-touted pair is Matterson, who remains off-contract with the Eels at the end of this season whilst having a player-option clause in his contract for next year.

Nick Cotric, Corey Allan, Kyle Flanagan, Jack Hetherington and Corey Waddell have all ventured to Canterbury ahead of the 2021 season, with Barrett looking to have an immediate impact on the club and improve on their 15th-placed finish from last season.

While the former Panthers assistant is well underway with injecting his game style into the new-look Bulldogs, the club recently made an enticing decision that could lure Matterson to Belmore.

Last August it was announced that Canterbury and Mounties signed a two-year joint venture for the NSW Cup side to run as a feeder for the Bulldogs.

Who should currently play for the Mounties? Dean Matterson, the younger brother of Ryan.

Should the Eels star want to reunite with his brother for the first time since 2018, a move to the Bulldogs would land as a move to suit both parties.

The pair last played together during Ryan's tenure with the Roosters, where he has since left Bondi in favour of a 12 month stint at Wests before landing at Parramatta for 2020.

A venture to Canterbury would see the 26-year-old at a fourth club in five years should the Bulldogs land the back-rower for the 2022 season.

Last week Eels football boss Mark O'Neill stated Matterson is a priority signing for the club, as they look to lock away several key names ahead of the new season.

“Ryan has added a lot of value in terms of our leadership, performance and experience,” O’Neill told The Telegraph. 

“And we are looking at an even better year from him this year and beyond.

“He is a local kid who has come back so there is a lot of synergy with that."

5 COMMENTS

  3. In fact, I think his first junior club was the Bankstown Bulls & he was born at Greenacre. So he’s actually going home, if he goes to the Bulldogs.

  4. 1 C Allan
    2 DWZ
    3 W Hopoate
    4 N Cotric
    5 JAC
    6 K Flanagan
    7 M Burton

    8 J Hetherington
    9 JMK
    10 D Napa
    11 RFM
    12 R Matterson
    13 L Thompson

    Suuuurely not a wooden spoon paper team?

  5. That is true, EastOfDivide, fortunately. Barrett is a flop of a coach, and he will fail. He should use their abundance of juniors.

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