What’s the Buzz: Manly coach Des Hasler wants to sign Kieran Foran
NEW coach Des Hasler wants to get his 2011 premiership-winning five-eighth Kieran Foran back home to Manly. But how will the salary cap-hit Sea Eagles find the money?
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DES Hasler wants to get his 2011 premiership-winning five-eighth Kieran Foran back home to the Sea Eagles.
It’s just a matter of finding the money.
Manly don’t have a penny to spend in their 2019 salary cap, which is $400,000 less than rival clubs as a penalty for being sprung last year rorting third-party agreements.
Foran is on more than $1 million a season at the Bulldogs for another two years. He joined Canterbury specifically to play under Hasler, who was sacked before he got there.
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The Sunday Telegraph understands the Bulldogs would release Foran and even contribute significantly to his salary if he wants to join Manly, leaving Hasler to find about $500,000.
A good player would have to leave to free up that amount of money. Or, they could do a swap.
For example, the Bulldogs are desperate for a centre and might offer Foran for Dylan Walker.
Anything could happen.
You can almost guarantee if it doesn’t happen for 2019, it will the following season when the Sea Eagles will be under the cap again.
Foran’s relationship with Hasler is as tight as any coach-player connection in the NRL.
The Kiwi five-eighth is now 28 and has had a tough few years with injuries. Yet he will start pre-season training in two weeks with a healthy body for the first time in three years.
He’s also got a healthy mind after marrying Karina May last week and talking of “good times ahead’’.
The Sea Eagles have already signed Kane Elgey from the Gold Coast for next season to play alongside Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves.
He is a good player but yet to prove himself a consistent NRL performer.
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