Canterbury Bulldogs' prop Luke Thompson is reportedly being shopped around as the club look to free up salary cap space.
It's little secret the Bulldogs are on a recruitment drive. Having finally moved past the haunting salary cap situation of year's past, they have already brought in a swathe of players for 2022.
The rumours aren't slowing down either, with more potentially on the way, but already the club have added Matt Dufty, Josh Addo-Carr, Brent Naden, Matt Burton, Tevita Pangai Junior and Paul Vaughan as they attempt to turn the club around.
But now Trent Barrett and new director of football Phil Gould are reportedly looking to get Luke Thompson off the books.
A bidding war upon his signing in Australia means he is on an inflated value, and while he has been solid in the middle third, it's believed Canterbury officials see the contract as overvalued.
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The Australian's Brent Read told Triple M Radio that he has been given permission to seek a move.
โItโs come out that heโs been given permission to negotiate,โ The Australianโs Brent Read told Triple Mโs Rush Hour with MG.
โHe hasnโt really hit the heights has he? He was at the centre of a huge bidding war between the Warriors and the Bulldogs when he was first coming to Australia and he got a huge pay packet as a result of that... weโre talking $800,000 to $900,000, heโs on huge dollars."
Read mentioned that it appears there is interest from two clubs, being the Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys.
The Tigers' situation is an intriguing one, the club looking for a big star to turn their fortunes around after being left at the negotiation table by plenty of stars already this season, including Canterbury recruit Pangai Junior.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, are looking for a second forward leader to pair up with the overwhelmed Jason Taumalolo. Both clubs also missed out on Dale Finucane, who ended up electing to head to the Cronulla Sharks from 2022.
โThereโs the Wests Tigers, who are one of the clubs interested in him, and Iโm hearing a whisper that the Cowboys are watching very closely as well and they will assess over the weekend whether they will make a move for Luke Thompson," Read said.
"For the Cowboys it will come down to money and how much Canterbury are willing to chip in to supplement a deal but the Cowboys missed out on Dale Finucane so theyโve got some money up their sleeve and are looking for a player of that sort of quality and Luke Thompson would arguably fit that bill.โ
