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STEVE TURNER and Denan Kemp have been earmarked as potential replacements for Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri, the game's greatest points-scorer who is expected to announce his retirement today from rugby league.
El Masri, 33, is set to end months of speculation by announcing he will hang up the most prolific boots in the game at the end of the season, rather than end his career in the UK.
David Riolo - the manager of Melbourne's Turner, off contract at the end of the season, and the Warriors' Kemp, who has been playing for Auckland in NSW Cup and seems unwanted by Ivan Cleary in the wake of rookie Kevin Locke's displays - has held informal discussions with the Dogs. Turner wants to stay with Melbourne but salary-cap constraints might render that impossible.
It is believed Bulldogs officials will first look to re-sign Daryl Millard but if he decides to leave the club they will target a replacement for El Masri from outside.
Turner and Kemp are at the top of the list when it comes to seasoned first-grade talent, along with Sharks winger Mitch Brown, although the Bulldogs may look to target youngsters with little or no first-grade experience.
They have been buoyed by the form of their other winger Bryson Goodwin, who came to the club with just nine first-grade matches under his belt and is now the NRL's leading try-scorer.
El Masri's announcement today will come just 24 hours after Tonie Carroll came out of retirement to help ease the Broncos' substantial injury toll. Prop Nick Kenny had scans on his knee injury yesterday amid fears he had done significant medial ligament damage, while fullback Karmichael Hunt will also know today the results of scans on his troublesome ankle.
And Cronulla followed their signing of boom Parramatta youngster Albert Kelly with the retention of halfback Scott Porter to a two-year deal.
El Masri, 33, is set to end months of speculation by announcing he will hang up the most prolific boots in the game at the end of the season, rather than end his career in the UK.
David Riolo - the manager of Melbourne's Turner, off contract at the end of the season, and the Warriors' Kemp, who has been playing for Auckland in NSW Cup and seems unwanted by Ivan Cleary in the wake of rookie Kevin Locke's displays - has held informal discussions with the Dogs. Turner wants to stay with Melbourne but salary-cap constraints might render that impossible.
It is believed Bulldogs officials will first look to re-sign Daryl Millard but if he decides to leave the club they will target a replacement for El Masri from outside.
Turner and Kemp are at the top of the list when it comes to seasoned first-grade talent, along with Sharks winger Mitch Brown, although the Bulldogs may look to target youngsters with little or no first-grade experience.
They have been buoyed by the form of their other winger Bryson Goodwin, who came to the club with just nine first-grade matches under his belt and is now the NRL's leading try-scorer.
El Masri's announcement today will come just 24 hours after Tonie Carroll came out of retirement to help ease the Broncos' substantial injury toll. Prop Nick Kenny had scans on his knee injury yesterday amid fears he had done significant medial ligament damage, while fullback Karmichael Hunt will also know today the results of scans on his troublesome ankle.
And Cronulla followed their signing of boom Parramatta youngster Albert Kelly with the retention of halfback Scott Porter to a two-year deal.
