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Canterbury Bulldogs halfback Moses Mbye unfazed by rumours he's on the outer at Belmore
Adam Pengilly
Moses Mbye won't seek clarity from Bulldogs coach Des Hasler and chief executive Raelene Castle about his future despite the only member of Canterbury's spine under contract beyond this year being shopped to rival NRL clubs.
A measured Mbye said if he was to be told he was on the outer at Belmore – despite being in the first of a four-year, multimillion-dollar deal at the Bulldogs – then it could be "unsettling" as Canterbury try to amass a salary cap war chest for a roster revamp.
Fairfax Media revealed Mbye has been quietly offered to other clubs as the Bulldogs draw up a recruitment hit-list including Aaron Woods, James Tedesco and Kieran Foran to turn the family club's premiership fortunes around.
But a composed Mbye, 23, said he hadn't spoken to the Bulldogs' top brass about his future with the side eyeing a fourth straight win against the struggling Tigers on Sunday.
"All I know at the moment is I've got a contract here and haven't been spoken to on that sort of level yet," Mbye said. "There's been nothing to question yet.
"To be honest I didn't read [the report], I just got told about it. That's the only place I've heard it being mentioned. Until it's been mentioned here ... that's the only time you would question it. Until then there's no questions to be asked.
"If you read into it too much it can be a shock, but if you haven't had a chat to the hierarchy at the club [then it's not]. If that conversation eventuated then you would probably be a little bit shocked."
Mbye's fortunes have wavered vastly since he emerged as one of the game's hottest young prospects, virtually forcing the Bulldogs to offload former State of Origin halfback Trent Hodkinson to accommodate him.
But as the Bulldogs laboured through the second half of last year there has been talk of a major squad overhaul which has had Mbye, skipper James Graham, Greg Eastwood and even the Morris twins rumoured to be the players potentially moved on to clear the decks.
"You sign a high-quality player obviously someone has to go," Josh Morris said. "There have been no discussions with my manager and I haven't had a tap on the shoulder.
"I think the only way of going about it is by playing good football and showing your worth by going out there and performing each week. If you're playing good football then those rumours don't surface I guess.
"[But] I think this is definitely the worst we have seen [the player market speculation] in my time. I don't remember so many good players coming off [contract] at the same time and clubs chase so hard. The salary cap solution hasn't helped. That's why there is the mad rush. There is just that uncertainty.
"Every player has to do what is best for them and if a club is throwing big money at them they have to take it."
The Bulldogs also have a raft of their key playmakers unsigned beyond 2017 including Mbye's halves partner Josh Reynolds, fullback Will Hopoate and hooker Michael Lichaa – the latter two at least facing an uphill battle to be in blue and white in 2018.
But while the frenzied market creates a distraction the Bulldogs have turned their fortunes around on the field with Mbye splitting time between halfback and hooker as Hasler has cannily added rookie Matt Frawley into the mix.
"Eighteen months ago I was playing halfback here, was going well and earned myself a new deal and I feel like I'm still going pretty well," Mbye said. "I'm in a good spot.
"[The rumours] can be unsettling, but it's not unsettling until something eventuates from it. If I was to get spoken to by either our CEO or coach about it then it could become a problem, but at the moment no one has spoken about it. It hasn't really become an issue yet.
"Unless [my manager] gets the call or I get the call then I guess we'll have some questions to ask
Adam Pengilly
Moses Mbye won't seek clarity from Bulldogs coach Des Hasler and chief executive Raelene Castle about his future despite the only member of Canterbury's spine under contract beyond this year being shopped to rival NRL clubs.
A measured Mbye said if he was to be told he was on the outer at Belmore – despite being in the first of a four-year, multimillion-dollar deal at the Bulldogs – then it could be "unsettling" as Canterbury try to amass a salary cap war chest for a roster revamp.
Fairfax Media revealed Mbye has been quietly offered to other clubs as the Bulldogs draw up a recruitment hit-list including Aaron Woods, James Tedesco and Kieran Foran to turn the family club's premiership fortunes around.
But a composed Mbye, 23, said he hadn't spoken to the Bulldogs' top brass about his future with the side eyeing a fourth straight win against the struggling Tigers on Sunday.
"All I know at the moment is I've got a contract here and haven't been spoken to on that sort of level yet," Mbye said. "There's been nothing to question yet.
"To be honest I didn't read [the report], I just got told about it. That's the only place I've heard it being mentioned. Until it's been mentioned here ... that's the only time you would question it. Until then there's no questions to be asked.
"If you read into it too much it can be a shock, but if you haven't had a chat to the hierarchy at the club [then it's not]. If that conversation eventuated then you would probably be a little bit shocked."
Mbye's fortunes have wavered vastly since he emerged as one of the game's hottest young prospects, virtually forcing the Bulldogs to offload former State of Origin halfback Trent Hodkinson to accommodate him.
But as the Bulldogs laboured through the second half of last year there has been talk of a major squad overhaul which has had Mbye, skipper James Graham, Greg Eastwood and even the Morris twins rumoured to be the players potentially moved on to clear the decks.
"You sign a high-quality player obviously someone has to go," Josh Morris said. "There have been no discussions with my manager and I haven't had a tap on the shoulder.
"I think the only way of going about it is by playing good football and showing your worth by going out there and performing each week. If you're playing good football then those rumours don't surface I guess.
"[But] I think this is definitely the worst we have seen [the player market speculation] in my time. I don't remember so many good players coming off [contract] at the same time and clubs chase so hard. The salary cap solution hasn't helped. That's why there is the mad rush. There is just that uncertainty.
"Every player has to do what is best for them and if a club is throwing big money at them they have to take it."
The Bulldogs also have a raft of their key playmakers unsigned beyond 2017 including Mbye's halves partner Josh Reynolds, fullback Will Hopoate and hooker Michael Lichaa – the latter two at least facing an uphill battle to be in blue and white in 2018.
But while the frenzied market creates a distraction the Bulldogs have turned their fortunes around on the field with Mbye splitting time between halfback and hooker as Hasler has cannily added rookie Matt Frawley into the mix.
"Eighteen months ago I was playing halfback here, was going well and earned myself a new deal and I feel like I'm still going pretty well," Mbye said. "I'm in a good spot.
"[The rumours] can be unsettling, but it's not unsettling until something eventuates from it. If I was to get spoken to by either our CEO or coach about it then it could become a problem, but at the moment no one has spoken about it. It hasn't really become an issue yet.
"Unless [my manager] gets the call or I get the call then I guess we'll have some questions to ask
