- Joined
- Mar 24, 2019
- Messages
- 16,857
- Reaction score
- 20,312
Gus does like a lie or 2.
Social Media K.O to the Dolphins
- Thread starter Helmut Dog Wizard
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2019
- Messages
- 1,943
- Reaction score
- 6,059
So based on that Gus theory… is Sutton back home in England with family training too?
Disagree..I think AlOmani has a lot of potential and is better than Xerri.
DogandBone
Waterboy
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2024
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 22
You'll have to ask Gus.
Jackson_1994
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2018
- Messages
- 2,631
- Reaction score
- 8,531
Injured Bulldogs Playmaker Karl Oloapu Is Eyeing A Return To Junior Club Redcliffe following Talk With The Dolphins
Via Telegraph Sport
By Travis Meyn and Michael Carayannis
Former Broncos prodigy Karl Oloapu has held secret talks with the Dolphins as the injured Bulldogs playmaker fights to save his NRL career amid cryptic posts from Phil Gould.
Oloapu is living with family in Redcliffe and a chance of joining the Dolphins’ reserve grade team this year if he parts ways with Canterbury.
Oloapu, 19, has not played for the Bulldogs since round 16 of the 2023 NRL season due to a career-threatening neck injury.
There were fears Oloapu may be forced into retirement by the injury, which required spinal surgery.
However the former Brisbane schoolboys sensation is fighting to prolong his career.
With no prospect of an immediate return to the NRL, Oloapu has returned to Queensland to continue his rehabilitation in the hope of being fit enough to play the game again.
He is contracted to the Bulldogs until the end of 2026, but there has been speculation Oloapu could be released from his deal by Canterbury.
That would open the door for him to sign with Redcliffe, prompting preliminary talks between the Dolphins and Oloapu’s camp.
Oloapu was one of Queensland’s most promising prospects, signing with the Broncos as a 13-year-old before a major falling out with Brisbane saw him shift to Canterbury.
The Dolphins targeted Oloapu before their 2023 NRL entry, but were blocked by the Broncos, who refused to release him to their Brisbane rivals.
An ugly spat followed, with Oloapu reportedly declaring: “I will never play for Brisbane as long as I live.”
He was eventually granted a release in January, 2023, after the Bulldogs agreed to pay the Broncos an unprecedented transfer fee in the vicinity of $500,000.
Gould rated Oloapu highly and brought him to Belmore on a four-year contract until the end of 2026.
Oloapu made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs in 2023 and showed promising signs in seven games before being sidelined by the neck issue in June that year. He hasn’t played since.
While the Dolphins NRL arm has distanced itself from reports Oloapu was joining them, a reunion with his junior club Redcliffe is a genuine chance.
Bulldogs football chief Gould further fuelled the speculation with a series of posts on X this week.
“Karl Oloapu? Karl is still working on his recovery from injury … Very slow process for Karl unfortunately…,” he responded to one punter.
“Karl is living with his family in Redcliffe … That’s where they live …” Gould wrote to another.
When probed on why a contracted Bulldogs player was living in Queensland, Gould replied: “It makes perfect sense to us … That’s all that counts … Karl is being well looked after …”
Via Telegraph Sport
By Travis Meyn and Michael Carayannis
Former Broncos prodigy Karl Oloapu has held secret talks with the Dolphins as the injured Bulldogs playmaker fights to save his NRL career amid cryptic posts from Phil Gould.
Oloapu is living with family in Redcliffe and a chance of joining the Dolphins’ reserve grade team this year if he parts ways with Canterbury.
Oloapu, 19, has not played for the Bulldogs since round 16 of the 2023 NRL season due to a career-threatening neck injury.
There were fears Oloapu may be forced into retirement by the injury, which required spinal surgery.
However the former Brisbane schoolboys sensation is fighting to prolong his career.
With no prospect of an immediate return to the NRL, Oloapu has returned to Queensland to continue his rehabilitation in the hope of being fit enough to play the game again.
He is contracted to the Bulldogs until the end of 2026, but there has been speculation Oloapu could be released from his deal by Canterbury.
That would open the door for him to sign with Redcliffe, prompting preliminary talks between the Dolphins and Oloapu’s camp.
Oloapu was one of Queensland’s most promising prospects, signing with the Broncos as a 13-year-old before a major falling out with Brisbane saw him shift to Canterbury.
The Dolphins targeted Oloapu before their 2023 NRL entry, but were blocked by the Broncos, who refused to release him to their Brisbane rivals.
An ugly spat followed, with Oloapu reportedly declaring: “I will never play for Brisbane as long as I live.”
He was eventually granted a release in January, 2023, after the Bulldogs agreed to pay the Broncos an unprecedented transfer fee in the vicinity of $500,000.
Gould rated Oloapu highly and brought him to Belmore on a four-year contract until the end of 2026.
Oloapu made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs in 2023 and showed promising signs in seven games before being sidelined by the neck issue in June that year. He hasn’t played since.
While the Dolphins NRL arm has distanced itself from reports Oloapu was joining them, a reunion with his junior club Redcliffe is a genuine chance.
Bulldogs football chief Gould further fuelled the speculation with a series of posts on X this week.
“Karl Oloapu? Karl is still working on his recovery from injury … Very slow process for Karl unfortunately…,” he responded to one punter.
“Karl is living with his family in Redcliffe … That’s where they live …” Gould wrote to another.
When probed on why a contracted Bulldogs player was living in Queensland, Gould replied: “It makes perfect sense to us … That’s all that counts … Karl is being well looked after …”
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2016
- Messages
- 28,347
- Reaction score
- 33,128
Gus is probably biding his time with Karl. Sitting back and waiting to see what Karl and his Manager are proposing with the Dolphins I guess.
Our Clubs position is clear. We took on the responsibility of doing all the medical staff could do for him and expense of his operation to get him right. We won't be playing him unless all the medical experts sign off on his return to play.
Karl is no doubt nervous about his footy future and needs to be around his family and probably feels if he is to return to footy, that being in Brisbane is his best option, near family, while he tentatively makes the return to contact sport.
Gus and the Club are not as optimistic it seems as Karl is and don't want the responsibility to fall on the club should heavy contact have dire consequences for Karl and I don't blame Gus or the club one bit for being cautious about Karl's footy future.
If he asks for a release to play (anywhere) then it will have been a decision taken out of our club's hands and a decision, and risk, Karl, his family and manager have decided and all responsibility for his on going health taken out of the club's control.
chisdog
Kennel Legend
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2010
- Messages
- 8,784
- Reaction score
- 8,505
If Karl can't play for Canterbury due to his injury AND the insurance company says it won't cover him, then changing clubs won't do anything. The insurance company that looks after Canterbury looks after all clubs. Any doctor saying that Karl is a low risk of injury would have to convince the insurance company to cover him which would be a difficult task. And then what happens if he is severely injured as a result? Bad for Karl, NRL, his club, his doctor, his doctor's insurance company (because he could be sued for negligence) & the NRL insurance company.
Karl would have to find more than 1 doctor to convince the Insurance company of his recovery & have to convince the insurance company's doctors as well.
All of this based on rumours from bored journalists who can't find stories by looking through social media.
Karl would have to find more than 1 doctor to convince the Insurance company of his recovery & have to convince the insurance company's doctors as well.
All of this based on rumours from bored journalists who can't find stories by looking through social media.
TheAlmightyJish
Kennel Participant
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2014
- Messages
- 476
- Reaction score
- 1,105
This is horrendously far off the mark. Xerri will be neck and neck with Critta as the games best centre for the rest of his career. Alamoti will be handy but won't come anywhere near those 2.
billy beane
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2021
- Messages
- 2,151
- Reaction score
- 3,363
Spot on Wendy .....
Rumdogmillionaire
Kennel Established
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2024
- Messages
- 673
- Reaction score
- 751
Still could be
D- voice
Kennel Legend
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2008
- Messages
- 8,825
- Reaction score
- 12,490
I share your opinion as it is the most logical outlook looking into the difficult situation, while some of us are concerned about losing Karl it really is irrelevant, his long term health and safety should be paramount...
The club knows it !!!
bradtalo
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2014
- Messages
- 4,074
- Reaction score
- 6,403
While I agree Karl's health is the number one priority it would be totally unfair if the Dogs pay him hundreds of thousands of dollars while he recovers and after the 500K transfer fee only to see him play for an opposition team as soon as he fully recovers. No way the Dogs should be letting him swap teams unless that team pays a considerable transfer fee, does a player swap or Oloapu hands back some of his pay.
Last edited:
D- voice
Kennel Legend
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2008
- Messages
- 8,825
- Reaction score
- 12,490
You'll find the reason he's now at Radcliff amongest his family is for his mental well being as he fully recovers from injury,
Gus isn't gullible, when Karl is ready to resume playing it will only happen at another club if our club is compensated,
we are a football club not a charity organization,
Let's hope the kid fully recovers, the rest will be taken care of !
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2014
- Messages
- 26,742
- Reaction score
- 28,828
Will happily trade him for Oryn Keely
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2009
- Messages
- 16,082
- Reaction score
- 14,559
Hopefully at worst a three way trade with titans to get pahulu here. Otherwise disappointing.
understand he’s a young kid with a serious health issue that has taken a toll mentally and emotionally for sure as it’s no doubt a massive thing for anyone especially a young athlete that should be living his dream.
family and help and support I get but it’s really shit for the club to help through such a horrible thing and go without showing a sign of love back. That said it could be we don’t want the risk. I don’t know and I doubt any do the whole story though the kid is a prospect and if he is returning to the field (God hope he is able and blessed with a good run of health from here) we should surely get something.
2ndphase
Kennel Addict
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2016
- Messages
- 5,986
- Reaction score
- 14,927
Fake!
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2014
- Messages
- 6,764
- Reaction score
- 9,967