Canterbury Bulldogs director of football Phil Gould has suggested there will be no confirmation from the club on a slate of rumoured new signings until after the NRL Grand Final.
Canterbury, who finished a miserable 2023 season in 15th spot on the table after promising plenty in the off-season, have been linked to a host of names in recent days.
That came after director of football Phil Gould promised as many as seven or eight new signings in the coming weeks ahead of the club's 2024 pre-season kicking off in November.
However, responding to a Twitter question, Gould said the club were waiting for the season to end first.
We will talk more about these things after the Grand Final. Let this season end. Patience. We will all know soon enough. https://t.co/ZYBWcKn3HR
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) September 16, 2023
"We will talk more about these things after the Grand Final. Let this season end. Patience. We will all know soon enough," Gould wrote.
2024, which will be the second season in charge for head coach Cameron Ciraldo, will present a new chance for the Belmore-based outfit to turn things around, with confirmation already that Stephen Crichton, Bronson Xerri, Blake Taaffe and Jaeman Salmon will join.
It comes with the Bulldogs on a mass cleanout yet again, with a host of players already confirming they will head elsewhere for the 2024 season.
Bulldogs 2024 Player Movements
| 2024 Gains Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers, 2027), Jaeman Salmon (Penrith Panthers, 2025), Blake Taaffe (South Sydney Rabbitohs, 2025), Bronson Xerri (2025) |
| 2024 Losses Paul Alamoti (Penrith Panthers), Jake Averillo (The Dolphins), Fa'amanu Brown (released), Brandon Clarke (released), Andrew Davey (Parramatta Eels), Kyle Flanagan (St George Illawarra Dragons), Jayden Okunbor (Hull FC), Tevita Pangai Junior (retired), Franklin Pele (Hull FC), Josh Reynolds (retired) |
| Re-Signed Matt Burton (2027), Chris Patolo (2024), Jacob Preston (2027) |
| Off Contract 2023 Braidon Burns, Declan Casey, Samuel Hughes, Joseph O'Neill, Malachi Retchford, Luke Thompson, Judda Turahui, Corey Waddell |
It's not the first time in recent seasons that the Bulldogs' list of departures has appeared as such, as the club continues to fight for a way off the bottom of the table.
While most suggestions have been that the Bulldogs should be adding more to their forward stocks, at this stage they have only been linked to Alex Seyfarth in that department, although the most recent report suggested he will stay with the Tigers in 2024.
It's believed more utilities - Kurt Mann from the Newcastle Knights and Drew Hutchison from the Sydney Roosters - will be the next signings for the Bulldogs.
