NRL market watch: Stephen Crichton signs with Canterbury, but Panther raid not done yet

Canterbury’s Panthers raid isn’t done yet, with the club on the hunt for another premiership-winning star after securing the signature of Stephen Crichton.

Stephen Crichton will leave the Panthers in 2024. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Can Phil Gould complete the quadrella and lure Mitchell Moses to the kennel in 2024?

That is the question Canterbury fans will be asking after the Bulldogs on Saturday finally confirmed the signing of Stephen Crichton on a four-year deal beginning next year.

The 22-year-old Penrith star, who will pocket a reported $825,000 a year, is widely expected to make the fulltime transition from centre to fullback when he arrives at Belmore.

He is the third Panthers player to make the move since Gould was appointed general manager in 2021, following premiership-winning teammates Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau.

The Bulldogs have secured the signature of Stephen Crichton on a four-year deal. Picture: Getty Images.

Tevita Pangai Junior was also part of Penrith’s 2021 title run, while rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo and former coach Trent Barrett were also lured from the foot of the mountains.

It’s understood Canterbury are also in the hunt for another Panthers player in forward Spencer Leniu, who remains unsigned beyond this year.

However the signing of Crichton means Gould has a long-term spine that includes a five-eighth in Burton and hooker in Reed Mahoney.

“The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are pleased to announce that Stephen Crichton has accepted a four-year deal that will see him join the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs from the 2024 season onwards,” the club said in a short statement.

“Out of respect to both Stephen and the Penrith Panthers, the Club will make no further comment until he joins us at the end of the 2023 season.”

Crichton’s impending arrival is yet another critical piece of the Bulldogs rebuild under Gould, continuing a signing spree that has included big names in Mahoney and Josh Addo-Carr.

Burton also re-signed with the club earlier this month on a deal worth an estimated $750,000 a season that starts next year.

Can they complete the quadrella and land Mitchell Moses for 2024? Picture: Getty Images.

His salary, combined with Addo-Carr ($550k), Kikau ($800k), Mahoney ($600k), Pangai Junior ($925k) and Crichton ($825k) means the Dogs will have roughly $4.5m tied up in six players in their roster for the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs currently have just 18 players signed on after this year, with the likes of Jake Averillo, Kyle Flanagan, Luke Thompson all coming off the books.

The NRL recently announced a salary cap of $12.1m for the season, meaning Gould still has plenty of money left for a player of Moses’ calibre.

The Parramatta star has two more seasons remaining on his current deal but has a player option for next year, making him arguably the biggest free agent in the game.

Moses has also been linked with a return to the Wests Tigers, where former teammate Luke Brooks comes off contract at the end of the year.

Another option for Gould may lie in his current fullback in Averillo, who has played 14 of his 54 first grade games in the No.7 jumper.

Crichton has played the majority of his career in the centres, but has capably filled in at fullback in six of his 86 first-grade games through his career, all in 2021.

In those games, he averaged 190m and totalled 15 tackle breaks and three tries.

POSSIBLE BULLDOGS TEAM IN 2024

1. Stephen Crichton

2. Josh Addo-Carr

3. Bronson Xerri

4. Paul Alamoti

5. Jacob Kiraz

6. Matt Burton

7. Jake Averillo*

8. Max King

9. Reed Mahoney

10. Ryan Sutton

11. Viliame Kikau

12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner

13. Tevita Pangai Junior

14. Jackson Topine

15. Andrew Davey

16. Franklin Pele

17. Jacob Preston

THE TWO FACTORS WHICH FORCED CRICHTON OUT OF PENRITH

—Michael Carayannis

Penrith superstar Stephen Crichton will quit the club at the end of the season after breaking the news to his teammates on Monday.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that Crichton told his Panthers teammates at training of his plans to move on at season’s end. It is unclear where the NSW and Samoan representative will play next year but Canterbury are in the box seat to land the 22-year-old.

Crichton will play out this season at the Panthers before leaving the club. The two parties had been locked in talks but were unable to agree on terms.

That will pave the way for Crichton to reunite with Panthers ex-assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo at Canterbury with the prospect of making the switch from centre to fullback.

Jarome Luai, Brian To'o and Stephen Crichton celebrate the Panthers’ 2022 grand final win over Parramatta. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Panthers released a statement on Monday afternoon, confirming that Crichton would be “seeking opportunities elsewhere in 2024”.

“Although Panthers is disappointed by the outcome, the club respects Stephen’s decision, and understands the situation is exacerbated by salary cap pressure based on the club’s recent success,” Panthers rugby league CEO Matt Cameron said.

“The club thanks Stephen for his efforts and is looking forward to seeing him represent the Panthers for the remainder of the 2023 NRL season.”

Crichton said he was committed to finishing the year strongly with the Panthers.

“It was the hardest decision to make, but now my full focus is on the 2023 season and finishing my time at Panthers as strong as I can,” Crichton said.

“It’s going to be tough to leave my teammates, but we will have our chance to make more memories this year. I know my friendships at Panthers won’t finish here but will last forever.”

Crichton has been a revelation since making his NRL debut in 2019. He has been part of Penrith’s two premiership wins playing a key role in both results.

New Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo is believed to be in the box seat to lure Crichton to Belmore. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Crichton made his NSW and Samoan debut this year and was part of the Samoan World Cup side which lost to Australia in the final.

The Panthers prioritised teammates Brian To’o, Liam Martin, Izack Tago and Taylan May in recent months.

The Crichton revelation comes just days after Penrith moved to safeguard their future by re-signing four of their most promising juniors.

The two-time premiers on Friday revealed contract extensions for playmaker Jack Cole, fullback Isaiah Iongi, winger Jesse McLean and second-rower Harrison Hassett.

All four re-signed until the end of the 2025 season.

Queensland junior sensation Iongi is seen as the long-term fullback replacement for Clive Churchill medallist Dylan Edwards.