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Canterbury Bulldogs stress club won't bust salary cap and claim Aaron Woods, Kieran Foran yet to sign
Adrian Proszenko
Adam Pengilly
3 mins ago
Canterbury are poised to secure the services of Wests Tigers skipper Aaron Woods and New Zealand Warriors playmaker Kieran Foran, although neither have signed a contract as yet
The addition of the marquee men to an already impressive roster has raised questions about how they can fit everyone in without busting the cap.
While Josh Reynolds, Michael Lichaa and Will Hopoate are off contract, their departures alone are unlikely to free up enough space to squeeze in the likely newcomers.
Salary cap auditor Richard Gardham wrote to club chief executives during the week, warning them that the NRL wouldn't be registering contracts unless they are under the indicative salary cap figure of $9.14 million for next year.
Clubs believe the real figure is effectively about $8.7 million for a 30-man squad, raising concerns that most have overestimated for next season and can't comply. The players' union is expected to table a counter to the NRL's initial offer in coming weeks.
Castle provided assurances the club would be within the required spending limits.
"The current uncertainty around the salary cap for 2018 makes the current contracting process more challenging," Castle said.
"The salary cap is hugely important to the competition. The Bulldogs will always ensure that any decisions we are making in relation to recruitment will result in us being in a salary cap-compliant position."
Castle's comments came on the back of Bulldogs coach Des Hasler stressing Woods, who was pictured having coffee with Bulldogs players during the week before the two sides clash on Sunday, and Warriors' five-eighth Foran weren't signed, sealed and delivered.
"I think it's important we get the facts right rather than all the speculation," Hasler said. "No contracts have been signed. There is no agreement with those players. I'm sorry to say they haven't signed here and there's no contracts.
"There have been some discussions with their management. So far [those talks] have been fairly positive. There's no contracts signed [though]."
Hasler also joked the Bulldogs' main attraction for Woods and Foran would be "the colours of us, blue and white" and said speculating about other potential destinations for the Australian prop – such as Newcastle – was how "we create fake news".
But there will be some serious number crunching inside Bulldogs HQ when Woods and Foran pen deals and Hasler was in no mood to ponder how many players he would need to let go in the salary cap squeeze.
"That's an intuitive question," Hasler said. "At this point in time, I think it's counter-intuitive, counterproductive that line of thinking and that line of questioning because at the moment there is no agreement in place. Why go to that space?
"It's all speculation. It just goes round and round."
But Hasler was a little more forthcoming on the on-field threat posed by the Tigers, who have been beaten down and dragged through the gutter off the field in the first two months of the season.
Hasler reasoned the Tigers always trouble the Bulldogs, who have won nine of their past 11 clashes against the joint venture. But Hasler is still expecting "the unknown" on Sunday.
"I think Ivan [Cleary] is well aware [how big his job is], but [the Tigers] have a really experienced person and a very level-headed person and a very good person, which is what you need going forward," Hasler said.
"They are a very classy outfit. They've got some very classy players. Young [Luke] Brooks is back and they've really tested players throughout the year so it won't be easy."
Adrian Proszenko
Adam Pengilly
3 mins ago
Canterbury are poised to secure the services of Wests Tigers skipper Aaron Woods and New Zealand Warriors playmaker Kieran Foran, although neither have signed a contract as yet
The addition of the marquee men to an already impressive roster has raised questions about how they can fit everyone in without busting the cap.
While Josh Reynolds, Michael Lichaa and Will Hopoate are off contract, their departures alone are unlikely to free up enough space to squeeze in the likely newcomers.
Salary cap auditor Richard Gardham wrote to club chief executives during the week, warning them that the NRL wouldn't be registering contracts unless they are under the indicative salary cap figure of $9.14 million for next year.
Clubs believe the real figure is effectively about $8.7 million for a 30-man squad, raising concerns that most have overestimated for next season and can't comply. The players' union is expected to table a counter to the NRL's initial offer in coming weeks.
Castle provided assurances the club would be within the required spending limits.
"The current uncertainty around the salary cap for 2018 makes the current contracting process more challenging," Castle said.
"The salary cap is hugely important to the competition. The Bulldogs will always ensure that any decisions we are making in relation to recruitment will result in us being in a salary cap-compliant position."
Castle's comments came on the back of Bulldogs coach Des Hasler stressing Woods, who was pictured having coffee with Bulldogs players during the week before the two sides clash on Sunday, and Warriors' five-eighth Foran weren't signed, sealed and delivered.
"I think it's important we get the facts right rather than all the speculation," Hasler said. "No contracts have been signed. There is no agreement with those players. I'm sorry to say they haven't signed here and there's no contracts.
"There have been some discussions with their management. So far [those talks] have been fairly positive. There's no contracts signed [though]."
Hasler also joked the Bulldogs' main attraction for Woods and Foran would be "the colours of us, blue and white" and said speculating about other potential destinations for the Australian prop – such as Newcastle – was how "we create fake news".
But there will be some serious number crunching inside Bulldogs HQ when Woods and Foran pen deals and Hasler was in no mood to ponder how many players he would need to let go in the salary cap squeeze.
"That's an intuitive question," Hasler said. "At this point in time, I think it's counter-intuitive, counterproductive that line of thinking and that line of questioning because at the moment there is no agreement in place. Why go to that space?
"It's all speculation. It just goes round and round."
But Hasler was a little more forthcoming on the on-field threat posed by the Tigers, who have been beaten down and dragged through the gutter off the field in the first two months of the season.
Hasler reasoned the Tigers always trouble the Bulldogs, who have won nine of their past 11 clashes against the joint venture. But Hasler is still expecting "the unknown" on Sunday.
"I think Ivan [Cleary] is well aware [how big his job is], but [the Tigers] have a really experienced person and a very level-headed person and a very good person, which is what you need going forward," Hasler said.
"They are a very classy outfit. They've got some very classy players. Young [Luke] Brooks is back and they've really tested players throughout the year so it won't be easy."
