Bulldogs eye Dylan Napa as a replacement for Klemmer
Canterbury have drawn up a hit-list of frontrowers led by Sydney Roosters enforcer Dylan Napa as they prepare contingency plans in anticipation of David Klemmer pressing ahead with his quest to walk out on the final two years of his deal with the club.
Klemmer has requested a release citing personal reasons and the expectation is that he will join Newcastle on a four-year deal worth upwards of $4 million in coming weeks.
That will leave the Bulldogs cashed up and eyeing off potential replacements. The most obvious targets are the frontrowers who will hit the market on Thursday — clubs are allowed to approach rival players who enter the final year of their deals from November 1.
A host of frontrowers are among the players coming off contract at the end of 2019, the list topped by Roosters and Queensland hardman Napa. Others open to offers from Thursday include the South Sydney’s Burgess twins and England prop James Graham.
There are also young and emerging options in the form of Brisbane duo Patrick Carrigan and Joe Ofahengaue.
However, Napa shapes as the most like-for-like replacement, albeit without the workload or engine of Klemmer. The 25-year-old is entering his prime years as a frontrower, having helped the Roosters to the premiership only a matter of weeks after returning from suspension for the grand final.
While the Bulldogs would be loath to lose Klemmer, his exit would help ease the club’s salary cap burden and leave them in position to take advantage of the mass movement that is expected to begin when five new coaches begin official duties in coming weeks.
Manly coach Des Hasler has already begun at the Sea Eagles and it is understood a number of players are up for grabs as the two-time premiership winner attempts to clear some room under a cap which is already restricted by financial penalties for cap rorts over the past five years.
Rumours have persisted about the future of Martin Taupau for months while his front-row partners Addin Fonua-Blake and Lloyd Perrett are believed to be up for grabs.
Parramatta prop Kane Evans is also understood to be available after a troubled time since joining the Eels. Aside from Napa, the marquee names among the group are the Burgess twins and their respective futures will be in the hands of incoming coach Wayne Bennett as he prepares to take the reins of Souths.
Bennett has his hands full with the England team but he also has some big decisions to make with the Rabbitohs given the number of players they have coming off contract in a year.
Aside from the Burgess boys, hooker Damien Cook is the other prominent player eligible to talk to rivals from Thursday.
The NSW and Australian hooker is preparing to enter the final year of his contract and is seeking a significant pay rise in line with his representative status, Rabbitohs officials confident that he will sign a fresh deal keeping him at the club.
It is believed young stars Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham are already well down the road towards new deals.
The Burgess brothers are another matter entirely given the Rabbitohs have already invested a significant amount of money in older brother Sam and have been linked with the signing of Tevita Pangai Junior in 12 months time.
Pangai Junior has aligned himself with Bennett and there is every chance he could follow him to Sydney — Bennett has signed from 2020 but the expectation is that he and Souths coach Anthony Seibold will switch positions in time for the upcoming season.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...r/news-story/20f554b3349a012b2441525bdf182b60
