beastwood89
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Thank you.Canberra are under siege from cashed-up Canterbury after the Bulldogs expressed an interest in signing Nick Cotric to strengthen their outside backs next season.
Cotric, off contract at the end of the season, has been haggling over a new deal with the Raiders, leaving him vulnerable to approaches from rivals.
Those fears have now been realised after the Bulldogs contacted Cotric’s camp this week to express their interest in signing the 21-year-old, raising the prospect that he could join Raiders teammate John Bateman at Belmore in 2021.
The Bulldogs are believed to have tabled a three-year-offer for Bateman as the Canberra forward weighs up whether to stay in the NRL or return to England, where he has family and a deal on the table from Super League giants Wigan.
The Bulldogs have money to spend and a burning desire to use it. They have been linked with a host of players and their ranks will be strengthened next week when English forward Luke Thompson comes out of quarantine and drives from Melbourne to Sydney to join his teammates.
Thompson will add strength and stamina to the forward pack. Cotric has been targeted as a surefire way to add class and quality to the Raiders backline – it is understood he wants to play centre and Canterbury are willing to consider him in the position.
Canberra are well stocked at centre thanks to captain Jarrod Croker and Curtis Scott and regard Cotric as a winger.
Scott is coming off a difficult week where he was caught out by Manly and their classy fullback Tom Trbojevic. Canberra coach Ricky Stuart, however, has backed the former Melbourne centre to respond when the Raiders face Parramatta at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday night.
“It will take a little bit of time but it’s not something I’m concerned about,” Stuart said of his side’s defensive problems last week.
“If you see the work the boys put in and see the combinations and cohesion at training, you’d know yourself it’s not far away from the boys clicking.
“I said at the start of the season that it’s going to take a bit of time for a couple of important positions to find a bit of cohesion and rhythm but we’ll get there.
“The boys are putting in their work and George (Williams) and Curtis are both very studious towards what they need to do, they take it very personally and that’s a good thing.”
Of greater concern to Stuart is the way his side is attacking.
“I don’t think we’re attacking very intelligently at the moment,” he said.
“We’ll find our mojo soon there.”
Meanwhile, Gold Coast coach Justin Holbrook has confirmed that former Test prop Shannon Boyd is considering a premature retirement as he grapples with changes to the game.
“He’s been battling injury for a long time,” Holbrook said. “He’s a big boy and the game is getting really quick. So it’s up to Boyd. He is having a think about it at the moment.”
The NRL have capped practice games for fringe players at five per club this season.
More inter-club scrimmages have been organised this weekend after Melbourne and Penrith faced off in a modified game last week.
Clubs have been looking to find ways to give fringe players much needed game time after being forced to gauge their form at training following the scrapping of the second tier NSW and Queensland Cup competitions in March.
Scrimmages will feature NRL referees but will be capped at five per team to ensure clubs don’t receive an unfair advantage by organising more practice games than others.
700k is crazy money for cotric and imo isn’t worth that much.It's going to help us that he hasn't been playing to his top level this season. Raiders will be hesitant to meet in between our offers. If Raiders want to retain Cotric for ~500k and we offer ~700k I think we have a good shot. Also centre more than works for us.
If we want Cotric no other choice unfortunately. We're not in a position to get top players for what they're worth. Cotric will be offered what he's worth to stay at the Raiders.700k is crazy money for cotric and imo isn’t worth that much.
Again imo, Plenty of choice’s if he wants to play centre as the article above state’s, and if the Raiders cannot facilitate that, then surely $550k/$600k and to play in his preferred position should be worth it. But to be honest I’ll prefer JAC for that price, don’t get me wrong cotric is young and a terrific player but imo he doesn’t get involved enough for my likening. $700k is what I would pay for Manu from the chooks.If we want Cotric no other choice unfortunately. We're not in a position to get top players for what they're worth. Cotric will be offered what he's worth to stay at the Raiders.
Manu re-signed with the Roosters for ~550k. I hope we went in for him for ~700k too. I'd much rather Cotric for 700k over JAC. We need a centre much more than a winger. In our team Cotric can help our forwards like DWZ and he can give Reimis some of his own medicine and hog the ball and try and create something himself (a perfect balance with Hopoate being in the side, who's exactly the opposite).Again imo, Plenty of choice’s if he wants to play centre as the article above state’s, and if the Raiders cannot facilitate that, then surely $550k/$600k and to play in his preferred position should be worth it. But to be honest I’ll prefer JAC for that price, don’t get me wrong cotric is young and a terrific player but imo he doesn’t get involved enough for my likening. $700k is what I would pay for Manu from the chooks.
How has he been going recently, I remember a while back he was awesome.Cotric has never played centre. Just need to point this out to the lovers.
personally I'd be going for David Fusilli from the warriors. He's quick and a giant on the wing waters at the warriors. What we need. Punch!
Cotric played nine games at centre last year actually.Cotric has never played centre. Just need to point this out to the lovers.
personally I'd be going for David Fusilli from the warriors. He's quick and a giant on the wing waters at the warriors. What we need. Punch!
No other good centres off contract. I don't really see an alternative (there is a big gap after Cotric). The other option is to sign a winger, JAC for the same amount anyways.Cotric is obviously a top player we’d all want at the dogs I’m just worried that wing might be his best position and if we are going to pay him 700k to find out if he’s actually a centre
Very true. I watched a handful of those games he played at centre last year and thought he wasn’t as affective at centre as he was on the wing which is why I think Ricky put him back on the wing and bought ScottNo other good centres off contract. I don't really see an alternative (there is a big gap after Cotric). The other option is to sign a winger, JAC for the same amount anyways.