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THE ENTIRE Bulldogs NRL squad has been put on the open market with a $1 million salary cap crisis forcing the club to put a “For Sale’’ sign on every contracted player.
The Sunday Telegraph has learned Bulldogs chairman Ray Dibb and Chief Executive Officer Raylene Castle have been personally calling rivals clubs and player agents in a desperate bid to off-load contracted players.
Josh Morris and Brett Morris, Aiden Tolman, James Graham, Moses Mbye are not the only players to have been told that they are free to break their Bulldogs deals with the club to consider releasing any player with a contract.
“They are all on the market,’’ said a leading player manager.
“It is not just the guys that have been mentioned. No one has been told they won’t be at the club next year but they are all aware that they are free to explore options elsewhere.’’
Dogs officials have even been shopping around Mbye without informing him or his manager or getting their consent.
The Brisbane-born halfback is on a four-year, $3 million dollar deal at Canterbury, which doesn’t expire until the end of the 2020 season has been offered to multiple rival clubs.
It’s understood Mbye’s manager Simon Mammino has approached Bulldogs officials about shopping around his client and they denied it.
Already $1 million dollars over next year’s proposed salary cap figure of $9.2 million, the Bulldogs will be forced to consider releasing any player capable of attracting a fine saving offer from a rival club.
That means even the likes of Josh Jackson and David Klemmer could end up at another club next year.
And the uncertainty over the future of the entire club has contributed to the Bulldogs remarkable second half of the season collapse.
“It is not that we are not trying to win,’’ a Bulldogs player said.
“The boys are all desperate to win and putting in everything. But that uncertainty does affect us. No one has been told that we are not wanted but we read the stories and hear about it. And that makes you try harder if anything and that can make things go wrong.’’
The Bulldogs have had little interest from rival clubs with few showing interest in the unprecedented August shopping list.
It is understood out of favour forward Eastwood has held discussion with the Panthers about a switch next year in a move that would see the Bulldogs payout most of his $700,000 a year deal.
Under fire coach Des Hasler denied the contract speculation had contributed to the team’s horror run before his side were thumped by South Sydney.
“The players are very professional and they understand what it’s about,’’ Hasler said.
“I don’t think (the uncertainty) creates any paranoia.’’
The Bulldogs two big name recruits for season 2018 are not expected to be affected by the salary cap situation.
Both Aaron Woods and Kieran Foran expect to be at Belmore at the end of the year.
The Sunday Telegraph has learned Bulldogs chairman Ray Dibb and Chief Executive Officer Raylene Castle have been personally calling rivals clubs and player agents in a desperate bid to off-load contracted players.
Josh Morris and Brett Morris, Aiden Tolman, James Graham, Moses Mbye are not the only players to have been told that they are free to break their Bulldogs deals with the club to consider releasing any player with a contract.
“They are all on the market,’’ said a leading player manager.
“It is not just the guys that have been mentioned. No one has been told they won’t be at the club next year but they are all aware that they are free to explore options elsewhere.’’
Dogs officials have even been shopping around Mbye without informing him or his manager or getting their consent.
The Brisbane-born halfback is on a four-year, $3 million dollar deal at Canterbury, which doesn’t expire until the end of the 2020 season has been offered to multiple rival clubs.
It’s understood Mbye’s manager Simon Mammino has approached Bulldogs officials about shopping around his client and they denied it.
Already $1 million dollars over next year’s proposed salary cap figure of $9.2 million, the Bulldogs will be forced to consider releasing any player capable of attracting a fine saving offer from a rival club.
That means even the likes of Josh Jackson and David Klemmer could end up at another club next year.
And the uncertainty over the future of the entire club has contributed to the Bulldogs remarkable second half of the season collapse.
“It is not that we are not trying to win,’’ a Bulldogs player said.
“The boys are all desperate to win and putting in everything. But that uncertainty does affect us. No one has been told that we are not wanted but we read the stories and hear about it. And that makes you try harder if anything and that can make things go wrong.’’
The Bulldogs have had little interest from rival clubs with few showing interest in the unprecedented August shopping list.
It is understood out of favour forward Eastwood has held discussion with the Panthers about a switch next year in a move that would see the Bulldogs payout most of his $700,000 a year deal.
Under fire coach Des Hasler denied the contract speculation had contributed to the team’s horror run before his side were thumped by South Sydney.
“The players are very professional and they understand what it’s about,’’ Hasler said.
“I don’t think (the uncertainty) creates any paranoia.’’
The Bulldogs two big name recruits for season 2018 are not expected to be affected by the salary cap situation.
Both Aaron Woods and Kieran Foran expect to be at Belmore at the end of the year.
