NRL news: Phil Gould, Peter Parr knock back key role at Canterbury Bulldogs

The Bulldogs’ bid to bring in some heavyweight reinforcements to help revive the club’s fortunes has hit a major hurdle.

The Bulldogs approached Phil Gould to join the club as a director of football. Picture: Tony Feder/Getty Images

Long-serving Cowboys official Peter Parr twice knocked back Canterbury before the club offered Phil Gould the general manager of football job.

Gould rejected the Bulldogs’ approach, first revealed in The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, to remain with the New Zealand Warriors.

It can be revealed Canterbury twice unsuccessfully tried to entice Parr, who instead chose to remain a Cowboys director and the current NSW State of Origin football manager.

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Having won four from 32 games over the past year and a half, Canterbury is desperately chasing a high-profile candidate.

“We are speaking with a number of really high calibre candidates. Gus is currently under contract at the Warriors and he has politely declined the opportunity,” Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton said.

Bulldogs did approach me some weeks ago regarding a possible role with the club. I informed Bulldog Chairman John Khoury early last week that I could not accept the very kind offer. I’m very committed to my role with @NZWarriors and the long term vision we share. Thank you.

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) June 2, 2021

“We respect that. They were preliminary discussions with Phil Gould. That’s as far as the conversations progressed.”

Gould, a consultant with the Warriors, confirmed that he had been approached.

The Channel 9 commentator discussed the Bulldogs bid with Warriors coach Nathan Brown, club CEO Cameron George and club owner, Mark Robinson.

Phil Gould is a consultant for the Warriors but has been unable to travel to New Zealand.

Bulldogs chairman John Khoury spoke to Gould about the job offer as late as last week.

Gould’s role at the Bulldogs would have been as a general manager or director of football.

The club is cashed up with the backing of its Leagues Club and the corporate support of the Laundy family.

It is a position that hasn’t been filled at Belmore since the sacking of club legend Steve Price at the beginning of the year.

Some influential figures were against the club chasing Gould, who played at Belmore between 1983 and 1985 and coached the club to a premiership in 1988.

Gould had previously been linked to a role at Canterbury during Lynn Anderson’s tenure as chairperson.

That possible approach fell away due to a frosty relationship between Gould and Chris Anderson, Lynn’s husband and a Bulldogs legend.

Gould tweeted: “Bulldogs did approach me some weeks ago regarding a possible role with the club. I informed Bulldog Chairman John Khoury early last week that I could not accept the very kind offer. I’m very committed to my role with @NZWarriors and the long term vision we share. Thank you.”

Much was made of the appointment of legendary All Blacks coach Steve Hansen last year as a high-performance consultant.

However, because of Covid, his input has been restricted to Zoom meetings.

The Bulldogs have struggled since Trent Barrett took charge. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Barrett was desperately keen for Gould to come on board.

The pair are close friends and have often spoken about working together.

Seemingly enjoying his role at the Warriors, Gould later tweeted: “The @NZWarriors have formed a not-for-profit community foundation that will enable the club to expand its current footprint and develop new initiatives across New Zealand with the assistance of a partnership framework.”

The Bulldogs are also searching for a GM for Commercial and a head of Partnerships.

Originally published as NRL news: Phil Gould, Peter Parr knock back key role at Canterbury Bulldogs