It's the rumour that refuses to go away - St George Illawarra Dragons half Jayden Sullivan will be at the Canterbury Bulldogs come the start of the 2024 season.
Sullivan is signed with the Dragons until at least the end of the 2025 season, and would need permission from the club to negotiate with any rival club before November 1 next year.
The young halfback, who has spent time at five-eighth during the first half of this season in a combination with disgruntled captain Ben Hunt, made a release request late last year after Hunt re-signed with the Dragons through to the end of 2025.
That deal appears less and less likely by the day of being in tact at the end, although the Dragons have confirmed they won't be releasing Hunt after the captainis own release request anytime soon.
The club had the same blunt answer for Sullivan when he asked for a release last year, and while that request was eventually dropped, News Corp are reporting that Sullivan will be in a halves combination with Matt Burton next year.
They also report that Kyle Flanagan will go the opposite way, linking up with the Dragons and his father Shane, who will take over as head coach in Wollongong from the start of the 2024 season.
That comes despite a report in The Sydney Morning Herald just last week that the Dragons have emphatically ruled out a pursuit of the younger Flanagan, who is off-contract with the Bulldogs at the end of the year and currently has no NRL deal lined up.
Ultimately, he could end up having to explore options in the English Super League if the Dragons stick to their guns with Sullivan and Talatau Amone, or indeed refuse to release Hunt, who seems all but assured of moving to the Gold Coast Titans with the club releasing Toby Sexton last week to free up salary cap.
That would then move Sullivan into the number seven jersey - his preferred position - if he is still at the club while also linking him up with former SG Ball premiership-winning halves partner Amone.
