Bulldogs bring Seumanufagai back to NRL, Stephen Crichton to re-sign with Penrith

The Bulldogs, in need of some muscle in the middle, have thrown an NRL lifeline to former Tiger and Shark Ava Seumanufagai.

Stephen Crichton will remain at Penrith until the end of 2023. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Bulldogs have handed Ava Seumanufagai a lifeline by agreeing to sign the former Tigers and Sharks prop for the rest of the season.

Seumanufagai left the NRL after one year with the Sharks in 2018, having played 105 top grade games at the Tigers. He spent the past two seasons playing for Leeds in England and was part of their Challenge Cup win against Salford last year. Seumanufagai was released from the final year of his deal with Leeds to return home for family reasons.

He will provide some much needed depth in the middle of the field for a Canterbury pack who is already dealing with a troublesome casualty ward.

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Former Tiger Ava Seumanufagai is coming back to the NRL to play for the Bulldogs. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Adam Elliott (shoulder), Joe Stimson (shoulder) and Dylan Napa (knee) have slowly returned to pre-season training while Raymond Faitala-Mariner (ankle) has had an interrupted pre-season because of surgery.

The uncertainty surrounding their forward pack was a contributor factor for the Bulldogs’ reluctance to release Napa or any other forward to the Panthers in exchange for half Matt Burton. English international Luke Thompson will also miss the first month after being suspended for biting ex-Panthers skipper James Tamou in the final match of the regular season last year.

Canterbury have been the most active in terms of recruitment but it has largely focused on their backs. Ex-Panther Jack Hetherington and former Manly back-rower Corey Waddell join Seumanufagai in additions to the forward pack.

The club’s new head of recruitment Peter Sharp arrives on Wednesday.

CONTRACT COUPS: PANTHERS’ DOUBLE SIGNING BOOST

Penrith have staved off big-money poaching attempts from seven NRL rivals to secure boom centre Stephen Crichton in a $1.7 million contract coup for the NRL grand finalists.

News Corp can reveal Crichton, the code’s hottest centre prospect alongside Brisbane ace Kotoni Staggs, is staying loyal with the NSW Origin hopeful to remain at Penrith until the end of 2023.

Crichton’s management and the Panthers are in the advanced stages of negotiations with the 20-year-old to formally ink his new Penrith deal next week.

The classy centre is off-contract at season’s end, but Crichton will receive an upgrade to his salary for this season, plus a two-year extension worth around $650,000 a season.

The capture of Crichton’s prized signature is part of a double boost for Penrith, who also confirmed a contract extension for co-captain Isaah Yeo.

Stephen Crichton will remain at Penrith until the end of 2023. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The quick-stepping Crichton had a breakout 2020 campaign, scoring 17 tries from 22 games in Penrith’s charge to the decider, and his sizzling form attracting interest from almost half the NRL premiership.

The Wests Tigers and Bulldogs were particularly keen to snare Crichton, who was added to the extended NSW Origin squad last season after his backline brilliance helped propel Penrith to the NRL decider.

Just a month after Penrith’s grand-final loss to Melbourne, Crichton indicated he was in no rush to sort out his future amid fears he could subject Penrith to a bidding war for his services.

But the Panthers have got their man, with the parties putting finishing touches on the deal with a view to announcing Crichton’s re-signing next week.

Stephen Crichton’s brilliance helped propel Penrith to the NRL decider. Picture: Brett Costello

It is a significant retention boon for the Panthers, who are banking on their slew of young guns headlined by Crichton, Nathan Cleary and Jerome Luai to take Penrith to the club’s third premiership this season.

The lucrative upgrade has installed Crichton among the code’s highest-paid centres alongside Roosters premiership strike weapon Joseph Manu, Tigers’ BJ Leilua, Souths’ Dane Gagai and Canberra skipper Jarrod Croker.

Penrith coach Ivan Cleary recently told News Corp he had no plans to lose Crichton.

“It has been a bit of a process since the grand final but we are almost there,” Cleary said.

“It (managing the roster) has been a challenge for us after a successful year that came as a bit of a surprise, but we are confident that he won’t be going anywhere.”

Meanwhile Yeo, who was on Tuesday announced as co-captain alongside Nathan Cleary, will remain at Penrith until at least the end of the 2024 season after inking a three-year extension.

“I had no intentions of doing anything other than re-signing with Panthers,” Yeo said.

“I love playing for this club. I really couldn’t see myself in another jersey.

“If anyone asked me when I first came to Penrith if I would play first grade, I would have said they were crazy.

“To think I’m here now and this deal is going to take me through to the age of 30 is incredible. It’s been quite a journey and something I’m very proud of.

“Hopefully over the next few years we can bring a premiership to Penrith and I can play my part in that.”