Bulldogs axe former Origin star as Phil Gould cleans house
The 2021 wooden spooners are making plenty of room on the roster with nine players to play their final games for the club.
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Star prop Dylan Napa and Lachlan Lewis head a lengthy list of players departing the Bulldogs after this weekend’s final round of the regular season.
The club confirmed in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that nine players will be leaving. That’s on top of Super League bound Will Hopoate, Nick Meaney who’s heading to the Storm and Roosters recruit Renouf Atoni.
Notably, in that list was Napa and Lachlan Lewis.
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Napa joined the Bulldogs in 2019 on a deal worth over $600,000 per season. He was not offered a new contract beyond this season — and was not named in coach Trent Barrett’s 17 for Sunday’s clash with the Tigers.
The 28-year-old hasn’t landed a new club yet however he has been linked to the Broncos.
Lewis came up through the lower grades at the Bulldogs before making his debut in 2018. He played 43 games for the club and could have added a couple more to his tally if it wasn’t for a recent off-field incident that forced the club to stand him down for the finals games.
Lewis is being investigated by the NRL’s Integrity Unit after allegedly trying to sell club property on eBay.
It’s understood Lewis is yet to attract serious interest from rival clubs, while it was reported on Tuesday that the NRL may not even register any new contract.
Also leaving the Bulldogs is Sione Katoa, Dean Britt, Chris Smith, Bradley Deitz, Falakiko Manu, James Roumanos and Watson Heleta.
Deitz and Manu both made their NRL debut in the blue and white jersey this year.
Interestingly, Adam Elliott was not on the list. The 26-year-old is contracted until the end of 2023 but there were rumours the club was considering tearing up his contract after he was caught kissing NRLW star Millie Boyle in the toilets of a restaurant.
The Bulldogs did however release a statement last Friday confirming that Elliott was served a breach notice and has five days to respond.
Bulldogs CEO Aaron Warburton wished all of the departing players well ahead of their next chapters.
“I’d like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Bulldogs, to thank all of the players that are departing at the end of this season, for their efforts during their time at Belmore,” he said via a club statement.
“Every player is a part of Bulldogs’ history and will always be welcomed back to the club.
“We now wish each of them, and their family, all the best for the future.”
Originally published as Bulldogs axe former Origin star as Phil Gould cleans house
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