NRL Rumour Mill Thread (Spoilers)

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Josh Mansour MAY go back to the rabbits
Dogs rumoured with half a dozen fullbacks, Tedesco, Locke, Fishasi, Hoffman and Dragons NYC Fullback Matt Dufty...
 
Cool, because they would tell us if they were cheating

Bulldogs spending spree all within the salary cap, say bossDateMarch 19, 2014


Canterbury CEO Raelene Castle says the club can re-sign captain Michael Ennis and still remain under the salary cap without shedding any star players.



The Bulldogs have announced a slew of signings and re-signings, most notably the addition of Cronulla prop Andrew Fifita on a four-year contract. The NSW and Australian forward's deal is reportedly worth $850,000 per season, a figure which would make him the highest-paid prop in rugby league history.
New deal: Bulldogs centre Josh Morris. Photo: Getty Images

On Wednesday NSW three-quarter Josh Morris signed a new four-year deal and they have also re-signed English international James Graham on a four-year deal reportedly worth $2.8 million. Centre Tim Lafai has also committed to the club.
Advertisement The spending spree has some rival clubs privately questioning how the Bulldogs remain under the cap.
"I can certainly put those [concerns] to bed," Castle said.
No salary cap dramas: Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle. Photo: Louise Kennerley

"There is a lot of speculation about Fifita which is just not accurate, the numbers [reported] are not accurate and are overstated.
"It's a complex business, salary caps, but our number one requirement is to be cap-compliant and that's not an issue.
"It's a juggling [act] - there are four spreadsheets for each year over the next four years, so it's a complex jigsaw puzzle how you build that up. We've got a great cap person in [chief financial officer] Vince Costa, who has done it for a long time. He maximises our cap and makes sure we're [compliant]. He gives me a lot of comfort with the numbers. We know everything is OK."
Big money: Andrew Fifita. Photo: Getty Images

There has been speculation the "family club" will need to offload players in order to remain under the cap. However, Castle said Ennis could be re-signed without having to squeeze anybody out.
"If there were other new signings, if we were to find another fullback for example from under a rock, we might have to make some other decisions," she said.
"We're at the final stages of negotiations with [Ennis]. It will give us such a strong backbone, one that other clubs will look at and go 'they've got a roster to be argued with'. That's what we want."
Castle declined to comment on speculation that rising Cronulla hooker Michael Lichaa would shift to Belmore next year. However, the release of Ben Barba to Brisbane on compassionate grounds has freed up some funds to lock in their current stars. The former Netball New Zealand boss wouldn't rule out releasing contracted stars if they were to find a marquee fullback replacement.
"We've used [Barba's] money on Fifita, so if we do come across that marquee fullback then there will be some other choices we have to make about our playing roster," she said.
"But that's the nature of running a good roster and always thinking about what next year and the year after and the year after [will look like]. Des [Hasler] is the real master at that, he's been in this game for a long time and works his roster as hard as anyone does."
The Bulldogs became the first NRL club to be penalised for systemic breaches of the salary cap in 2002 after revelations in Fairfax Media, resulting in a $500,000 fine and the stripping of 37 competition points.
Castle said she understood the scepticism regarding Canterbury's roster management but was adamant all dealings were above board.
"It's a complex business, there are marquee player agreements and third party agreements," she said.
"If you make sure you're maximising all of your commercial opportunities - and I think there's a level of maturity in the Bulldogs' commercial team and back office - that allows us to push all of those opportunities as hard as we can."
The Bulldogs have made assembling a formidable pack a clear focus of their retention and recruitment strategy. Fifita will join a pack also boasting Sam Kasiano, Greg Eastwood, Frank Pritchard, Aiden Tolman, Tony Williams, Dave Klemmer, James Graham, Dale Finucane and Josh Jackson. It's a throwback to the sides dubbed the "Dogs of War" which enjoyed so much success in the 1980s.
"I said to someone 'do we need another front rower?'. Then Crusher Cleal [recruitment manager Noel Cleal] said to me that when [former official] Peter Moore was here he said 'If you think you have enough front rowers, sign another one.'
"That is where the Bulldogs have historically come from, making sure we have a really good pack.
"You've also got to sign what's in front of you. You can wait and wait for that rockstar fullback to come along but he might not. So you need a strategy that allows you to do that if that happens, but equally have a forward pack that's going to [be strong] and Des has certainly got that at the moment."
The Bulldogs have been linked to off-contract Wests Tigers fullback James Tedesco and Warriors back Glen Fisiiahi but Castle said there had been no discussions with either player. She also said there had been no approaches from contracted players asking for a release.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz2wS6wdgvw
 
We just signed Dave Smith too, So no chance we will ever get caught,
Cmon guys just read the dogs roster and weep! Still doesnt mean we will win a premiership, But if we do, Ill be ready for all of your whining!
 
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