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FOLLOWING the shock termination of Andrew Fifita’s contract with Canterbury, Wests Tigers fullback James Tedesco has shot to the top of the Bulldogs’ shopping list.
And on Wednesday a couple of very big names were put on the shelves alongside Tedesco with a possible double swoop for Manly’s Stewart brothers reportedly being lined up by their former coach Des Hasler.
Growing frustration from Glenn Stewart over Manly’s inability to table an offer to keep him at Brookvale beyond this season could force him out the door, and his electric brother might very well decide to go with him.
So why wouldn’t Hasler throw his hat in the ring? If Brett Stewart in particular became available, there’s a good argument that he would even be an upgrade on last year’s big name departure Ben Barba.
With Fifita’s four-year Bulldogs deal worth a reported $3.5 million now off the table, the club has freed up a substantial amount of space under the salary cap to recruit a first-class fullback.
According to Matthew Johns, who spoke about the Bulldogs’ dilemna on Triple M, the money’s there for Tedesco if he wants it.
“I believe that the Bulldogs, the money they were spending on Andrew Fifita will go towards Tedesco,” Johns said.
“I think they’ll go after Tedesco big time.”
While Fifta is a frontrower, the Bulldogs have been on the hunt for a new No.1 since releasing Barba from his contract so he could join Brisbane this year.
It is understood the Tigers baulked at Tedesco’s original asking price, and while talks with the young Tiger’s manager Sam Ayoub have progressed to a place where the club was confident of retraining the young star, the Bulldogs may be about to complicate things.
It has been a meteoric rise for the 21-year-old who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in his debut match in 2012.
Tedesco made his City Origin debut after playing just four games in the NRL and has been a standout performer this season.
Another possible target for the Bulldogs is the Stewart brothers’ clubmate Peta Hiku - a regular back-up for the injury prone Brett Stewart.
While Hiku has ties to Hasler from the coach’s time spent at the Sea Eagles, he has proven to be worth more than the position of first-grade understudy.
The 21-year-old is not only able to play fullback but can also play on the wing and in the centres. Hiku spent the majority of pre-season training in the centres where he was being groomed as a replacement for Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai should injury arise throughout the season.
And who could forget about Josh Hoffman?
The Bulldogs went hard for Hoffman when it became clear the Brisbane utility was unhappy not to be considered the Broncos’ number one fullback upon Barba’s arrival.
The Broncos say Hoffman will not be released and has agreed to honour the final two-years of his contract but you can be sure the Bulldogs are keeping an eye on that situation.
New Zealand Warriors fullback Kevin Locke is off contract at the end of the year and with English international Sam Tomkins playing custodian, he could soon find himself at Belmore.
Penrith flyer Josh Mansour is another who the Bulldogs may have their eye on, with the fullback, centre or winger off contract at the end of the season.
The club’s 2012 Rookie of the Year, Mansour was touted as a possible fullback when recruited from South Sydney.
Should the Bulldogs still be on the lookout for a frontrower, Sea Eagles young gun Jake Trbojevic is off contact at the end of the season.
The giant prop made his NRL debut against Penrith in round 26 of last season and is asking for a fraction of the figures quoted in Fifita’s deal.
The end of the Fifita deal will also assist in retaining talented prop Lloyd Perrett.
The Australian Schoolboy joined the Bulldogs fulltime squad this season and has been touted as a future star.
Who should the Bulldogs target with Fifita's money?
James Tedesco
Brett Stewart
Glenn Stewart
Josh Mansour
Josh Hoffman
Peta Hiku
Kevin Locke
Jake Trbojevic
Vote.
And on Wednesday a couple of very big names were put on the shelves alongside Tedesco with a possible double swoop for Manly’s Stewart brothers reportedly being lined up by their former coach Des Hasler.
Growing frustration from Glenn Stewart over Manly’s inability to table an offer to keep him at Brookvale beyond this season could force him out the door, and his electric brother might very well decide to go with him.
So why wouldn’t Hasler throw his hat in the ring? If Brett Stewart in particular became available, there’s a good argument that he would even be an upgrade on last year’s big name departure Ben Barba.
With Fifita’s four-year Bulldogs deal worth a reported $3.5 million now off the table, the club has freed up a substantial amount of space under the salary cap to recruit a first-class fullback.
According to Matthew Johns, who spoke about the Bulldogs’ dilemna on Triple M, the money’s there for Tedesco if he wants it.
“I believe that the Bulldogs, the money they were spending on Andrew Fifita will go towards Tedesco,” Johns said.
“I think they’ll go after Tedesco big time.”
While Fifta is a frontrower, the Bulldogs have been on the hunt for a new No.1 since releasing Barba from his contract so he could join Brisbane this year.
It is understood the Tigers baulked at Tedesco’s original asking price, and while talks with the young Tiger’s manager Sam Ayoub have progressed to a place where the club was confident of retraining the young star, the Bulldogs may be about to complicate things.
It has been a meteoric rise for the 21-year-old who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in his debut match in 2012.
Tedesco made his City Origin debut after playing just four games in the NRL and has been a standout performer this season.
Another possible target for the Bulldogs is the Stewart brothers’ clubmate Peta Hiku - a regular back-up for the injury prone Brett Stewart.
While Hiku has ties to Hasler from the coach’s time spent at the Sea Eagles, he has proven to be worth more than the position of first-grade understudy.
The 21-year-old is not only able to play fullback but can also play on the wing and in the centres. Hiku spent the majority of pre-season training in the centres where he was being groomed as a replacement for Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai should injury arise throughout the season.
And who could forget about Josh Hoffman?
The Bulldogs went hard for Hoffman when it became clear the Brisbane utility was unhappy not to be considered the Broncos’ number one fullback upon Barba’s arrival.
The Broncos say Hoffman will not be released and has agreed to honour the final two-years of his contract but you can be sure the Bulldogs are keeping an eye on that situation.
New Zealand Warriors fullback Kevin Locke is off contract at the end of the year and with English international Sam Tomkins playing custodian, he could soon find himself at Belmore.
Penrith flyer Josh Mansour is another who the Bulldogs may have their eye on, with the fullback, centre or winger off contract at the end of the season.
The club’s 2012 Rookie of the Year, Mansour was touted as a possible fullback when recruited from South Sydney.
Should the Bulldogs still be on the lookout for a frontrower, Sea Eagles young gun Jake Trbojevic is off contact at the end of the season.
The giant prop made his NRL debut against Penrith in round 26 of last season and is asking for a fraction of the figures quoted in Fifita’s deal.
The end of the Fifita deal will also assist in retaining talented prop Lloyd Perrett.
The Australian Schoolboy joined the Bulldogs fulltime squad this season and has been touted as a future star.
Who should the Bulldogs target with Fifita's money?
James Tedesco
Brett Stewart
Glenn Stewart
Josh Mansour
Josh Hoffman
Peta Hiku
Kevin Locke
Jake Trbojevic
Vote.
