Transfer Market: Trent Barrett eyes Scott Drinkwater in Bulldogs overhaul
Trent Barrett is making a statement at Canterbury, putting a broom through the battling Bulldogs as he targets a North Queensland star.
Travis Meyn
and
Peter Badel
Canterbury coach Trent Barrett has put a broom through Belmore, with 16 players facing uncertain NRL futures as the Bulldogs weigh up a bid for Cowboys livewire Scott Drinkwater.
The Sunday Mail understands a host of Bulldogs players are facing the axe at the battling NRL club as Barrett sets about rebuilding Belmore.
The Bulldogs have 16 players out of their top 30 squad off-contract this year – including ex-Origin stars Dylan Napa and Will Hopoate – and a host have already been told their futures lie elsewhere.
The Sunday Mail has been told at least one Canterbury player believes the instability in the squad’s ranks has contributed to the Bulldogs’ shocking start to 2021.
The Bulldogs are the only team without a win this year heading into Sunday’s Round 6 clash with the Cowboys at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Barrett is making huge changes to the club and the former Kangaroos five-eighth has his eye on the skilful Drinkwater.
Drinkwater produced one of his best performances of the season in North Queensland’s drought-breaking win against Wests Tigers last weekend.
The Cowboys are in talks to re-sign Drinkwater, but he has received interest from multiple rivals, according to manager Chris Orr.
“I have been in negotiations with the Cowboys for a few weeks and ‘Drinky’ is a player they wish to keep,” Orr said.
“Four clubs have expressed interest in ‘Drinky’, including a few from Sydney, but his preference is to stay at the Cowboys if we can work something out.
“He was very good against the Tigers last week so Drinky showed he can be a good option for the Cowboys in the halves, especially if he links with a game manager at halfback.
“Every team needs a balance within their halves combination. One needs to be a game manager and the other an X-factor and Drinky brings the X-factor to the team.”
The Cowboys have also had a poor start to the season, but are set to welcome back captain Jason Taumalolo from a broken hand for the Bulldogs game.
North Queensland is in the mix to sign disgruntled South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds following the injury-forced retirement of Michael Morgan.
The Cowboys have struggled to find a halfback since Johnathan Thurston‘s retirement in 2018 and Reynolds could be the answer to their problems.
Drinkwater, 23, isn’t interested in a shift to the No. 7 jersey and said he wanted to become a more consistent player.
“Maybe not with the seven on my back, I’m more of a six,” he said.
“I’m not really a dominant seven. I’d rather play six and be a second-phase player and play more eyes up and roam around.
“I need to be consistent. There is a big difference between my worst and best game. I need to produce seven-out-of-ten games every week.
“For me to be able to play some good footy and show some good attack we need to hold on to the ball so we’re fresh and not fatigued.
“The more we can hold the ball, the better it is for our spine players to get involved and take on tired, lazy defenders.”
The Cowboys got the monkey off their back against the Tigers in what was coach Todd Payten’s first win at the helm of North Queensland.
The Bulldogs present a golden opportunity for the Cowboys to make it back-to-back victories.
“We are confident after a good win,” Drinkwater said.
“They’re going to come up here all guns blazing. They’re 0-5 to start the season.
“We were 0-4 last week and had a lot to play for so we’re expecting an energetic Bulldogs team.”
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