Off-contract Manly Sea Eagles forward Caleb Navale has landed on the radar of the Canterbury Bulldogs, with the Belmore-based outfit keen to add to their forward stocks.
Navale is rated as one of the best young forward in the game, and the lock could play a big role for Manly throughout 2027.
One of Fiji's best during the recent Rugby League World Cup, Navale has 12 NRL appearances under his belt, but may be further advanced had he not gone through injury issues.
He played the final three games of 2026 at Manly, all off the bench, but spending big minutes on the park in each, scoring a try against the Newcastle Knights in Round 25, making 160 metres against the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 26, and completing 62 tackles with just 2 missed in Round 27 against the New Zealand Warriors.
ESPN are reporting that the Bulldogs are interested in making a play for Navale, and could well be able to do so under their own salary cap which continues its transformation from year to year.
The Bulldogs have lock as one of their key problems coming in to 2027, with the club having a handful of options, but on the lookout for upgrades given Bailey Hayward is now viewed as a dummy half, and Kurt Mann, who wasn't offered a new deal at the end of 2026, has moved on to the Wests Tigers.
Navale would certainly answer the problems in the number 13 jumper for the Bulldogs, although it's believed Manly are in talks with Navale and desperate to retain him.
Manly's salary cap is tight, and will be worse if they get a deal for Tom Trbojevic over the line, and in a sign they are looking to rejig things, the club have also been linked with letting both Luke Brooks and Jamal Fogarty go in recent times.
