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- BRENT READ
SENIOR SPORTS WRITER
@brentread_7
- 6:29PM NOVEMBER 16, 2020
Canterbury chief executive Andrew Hill has confirmed the club will revive talks with Josh Addo-Carr once the State of Origin series is over and remains optimistic the Bulldogs will heap more misery on the embattled Wests Tigers by securing the signature of Matt Burton.
The Bulldogs were in discussions with Addo-Carr but dropped off the NSW winger when it became apparent he had signed a heads of agreement to join the Tigers in 2021. When Addo-Carr made the decision to remain in Melbourne, thereby voiding the heads of agreement, he became a free agent again and now the Bulldogs are ready to compound the Tigers’ misfortune by swooping for the flyer.
Hill confirmed the club would hold internal discussions and he anticipated talks with Addo-Carr and his management would resume once the Origin series was completed. The Bulldogs and Tigers are also set to lock horns over Burton, who is off contract at the end of 2021 and in the sights of a host of clubs.
The Storm are also believed to be monitoring Burton, although their interest hinges on Jahrome Hughes’ future. Should Hughes decide to leave Melbourne at the end of 2021, the Storm will escalate their interest in Burton.
Should he stay, as expected, the Storm will leave the Tigers and Bulldogs to jostle with Penrith for the services of the 20-year-old.
In the meantime, Hill has confirmed their interest in Addo-Carr, although rumours won’t go away that South Sydney are also keen to add the premiership winner to their backline.
“We had very preliminary conversations early and then it became apparent that there were some decisions Josh needed to make,” Hill said.
“At that stage we dropped off having any conversations until such time that he was in position to confirm what he wanted to do in 2021.
“With Josh confirmed he is staying at Melbourne in 2021, we will have internal discussions and commence talks with Josh for 2022 in due course.”
The Bulldogs are among a host of clubs who have also been offered the chance to sign former Manly centre Albert Hopoate, brother of their fullback-centre Will.
Albert Hopoate was earmarked as one of the game’s rising stars before suffering successive knee surgeries. He played five games for Manly last season but the 19-year-old now finds himself on the open market, the Bulldogs among the clubs offered the chance to sign him.
Their more immediate priority is Burton, although Penrith insist they are keen to extend his existing deal beyond 2021.
The Panthers have their own salary cap problems as they face the challenge of retaining Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and Isaah Yeo. Crichton, in particular, shapes as a challenge given whispers he is ready to back out of a verbal agreement to stay with the Panthers.
THE CIRCUS CONTINUES.......
