NRL 2022: Bulldogs meet with Ben Hunt, Roosters sign Jaxson Paulo
The Bulldogs have held a secret meeting with Ben Hunt in the hope of luring the Dragons playmaker to Belmore, while the Roosters have poached a Rabbitoh.
NRL
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Canterbury are considering making a play for St George Illawarra skipper Ben Hunt after a secret meeting between Hunt and the Bulldogs on Friday.
It is understood Hunt and his management met with Bulldogs boss Phil Gould on Friday as Canterbury ponder making an offer to the game’s form player when he hits the market on November 1.
Clubs are able to meet with prospective players before the November 1 deadline but they can not agree to any formal contract.
Hunt’s talks with the Dragons have stalled after the club made him a two year deal worth about $1.45 million.
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That number will grow once the final salary cap figure is known. The cap is expected to be more than $10.5 million but clubs have been instructed to tentatively work on a figure of $9.4 million. That should see Hunt earn more than $800,000 for the last two years of his career with the Dragons inserting a ratchet clause into their deal to indicate that if the cap figure rises so too does his contract.
Any hope of inserting an Anthony Griffin-clause in Hunt’s contract was rejected by the club.
Hunt is on more than $1 million this year at the Dragons and is still contracted for next year.
The Bulldogs remain on the look-out for a marquee half to partner Matt Burton at the club under new coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Current halfback Kyle Flanagan is off-contract at the end of next season as is Burton but the club is hopeful of locking Burton down to a long-term deal before November 1.
Whatever Hunt decides, his deal will have massive ramifications for the Dragons and Canterbury. The Bulldogs are keen on Hunt’s teammate Jayden Sullivan if Hunt does take up St George Illawarra’s extension.
Sullivan is expected to ask for a release if Hunt stays at the club despite being contracted until 2025.
The Bulldogs are building nicely under Gould’s watch for next season. They have already added Viliame Kikau, Reed Mahoney and Ryan Sutton.
Canterbury have also been linked with Titans fullback Jayden Campbell.
ROOSTERS POACH RABBITOHS FLYER
The Sydney Roosters have signed South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Jaxson Paulo for next season.
The deal was done before the young winger had a shocker for the Rabbitohs in the loss to Penrith last week and was subsequently dropped from first grade.
It is a two-year minimum wage deal.
The Roosters have plans to move teenage sensation Joseph Suaalii closer to the action next year and will lose Kevin Naiqama to the English Super League.
Paulo was subjected to online death threats after his performance for Souths in their 26-22 loss to Penrith in their 2021 grand final rematch last Thursday night.
Originally published as NRL 2022: Bulldogs meet with Ben Hunt, Roosters sign Jaxson Paulo
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