NRL 2022: Raymond Faitala-Mariner extends stay at Bulldogs, Knights interested in Luke Brooks
Bulldogs forward Raymond Faitala-Mariner has been rewarded for his perseverance after two operations by securing a contract extension at Canterbury.
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From a career-threatening injury to inking a long-term deal, Canterbury’s Raymond Faitala-Mariner has rewarded for his perseverance after signing a three-year contract extension with the club.
This time last year Faitala-Mariner’s career was at the crossroads. He was struck down by an ongoing foot injury which basically robbed him of the 2021 season.
Unclear if he would play on, he underwent mental torment on his road back to the field with months in a moon boot, two operations and the need to totally rebuild his right leg.
His year was delayed by injury but he has shown glimpses of his best since making his return to the NRL in round 11.
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“I call it my second home,” Faitala-Mariner’s said. “Coming from New Zealand alone as a 22 year old, I didn't have many people to fall back on and to support me. I was fortunate to have boys like Sam Kasiano, Josh Reynolds and Greg Eastwood. Guys that gave me my first experience as to why this club was called the family club.
“To be in a position where I can extend my stay in Belmore for another three years, I can only thank God for giving me the strength and support.”
The 28-year-old will become a decade-long Bulldog by the time he completes his deal.
Here to stay. 💙 pic.twitter.com/3C5dlprmHD
— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) July 22, 2022
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Sydney Roosters playmaker Lachlan Lam has left the club immediately to join English second-tier side Leigh Centurions.
The 24-year-olds release from Bondi Junction cleared the way for him to play for the side coached by his father Adrian as they chase promotion to the UK Super League.
Meanwhile veteran outside back Kevin Naiqama will leave the Roosters at the end of the season to join Super League side Huddersfield.
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NRL heavyweights Phil Gould and Tim Sheens were due to meet for a high-powered lunch on Thursday amid frenzied speculation that Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo is on the verge of joining the Bulldogs.
Rugby league has been rife with rumours for days that Gould has won the fight for Ciraldo, although it is understood his talks with the coveted coach have been so secretive even senior Bulldogs officials have been kept in the dark.
Sources close to the Bulldogs believe Ciraldo has warmed to the idea and talks are advanced to the point that he has been taken through their salary cap position and been given an outline of their recruitment plans.
Ciraldo was spotted having lunch at The Locker Room restaurant at Olympics Park on Wednesday with his manager George Mimis and Bulldogs heavy hitters including powerbroker Craig Laundy, the son of sponsor Arthur Laundy.
There is a school of thought that he is waiting to inform the Panthers players of his plans before he makes the move official — they have been given time off and are due to return to the club on Thursday.
The Panthers insist they are unaware of any potential switch to the Bulldogs. They still have an offer on the table for Ciraldo to extend his stay as an assistant coach and remain optimistic he will sign on the dotted line.
No shortage of people in rugby league insist Ciraldo is Bulldogs-bound and if they are right, it would be a huge coup for Gould and Canterbury.
Ciraldo was also in the sights of the Wests Tigers and his decision to turn them down pre-empted the shock move by the club to appoint Sheens as coach as part of a succession plan that will eventually see Benji Marshall take charge of the joint venture.
Marshall is set to immediately escalate his involvement in the club by having a decisive say in the futures of Tigers stars Luke Brooks, Adam Doueihi and Jackson Hastings as he and Sheens prepare to sit down for contract talks with the trio over the next month.
Sheens confirmed Marshall would be extensively consulted about players whose contracts would carry over into 2025, when the Tigers legend is set to take over the coaching reins from his former long-time mentor.
Brooks, Doueihi and Hastings enter the final year of their existing deals on November 1 and any extension to those contracts would likely seep into Marshall’s first year in charge. It means Marshall will hold significant sway in discussions over whether to keep the players or cut them loose at the end of next year.
Revelations of Marshall’s increased involvement in contract talks come as he steps away from his media duties to focus on his coaching career, and Sheens prepares to have lunch with Gould.
The pair agreed to meet to discuss helping out a former teammate but the expectation is that there will be plenty of wheeling and dealing during their time together given the respective state of their rosters.
Canterbury have been linked with Hastings, Brooks and Doueihi in recent months but their plans to tinker with their roster have been slowed by their failure to secure a head coach for next season.
Marshall has already taken an active role in recruitment, having reached out to Parramatta forward Isaiah Papali’i to assuage his concerns about his impending switch of clubs.
He may have his work cut out to do the same with Brooks, whose future has been under a microscope for months amid interest from elsewhere, most notably Newcastle.
The Knights will be watching developments at the Tigers closely given they retain an interest in Brooks, having lost the fight for Anthony Milford to the Dolphins.
Brooks’ contract soars into seven-figure territory next year and the Knights would rely on the Tigers supplementing any deal if he was to join Newcastle next season.
The final decision is likely to rest with Marshall and Brooks. It is believed that Sheens wants Brooks to stay but it may take Marshall to convince the halfback that the Tigers would be the best move for his future given the criticism that has shadowed the No.7 in recent months.
Brooks aside, Doueihi is clearly a priority for the club while Hastings may choose to look elsewhere given he has been moved to lock in recent weeks.
Fullback Daine Laurie also enters the final year of his deal on November 1 and the Tigers need to make a decision on whether to offer him a fresh deal.
Rabbitohs reveal why they let Reynolds walk
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Finally, the motive can be revealed.
South Sydney controversially split with three star players last year to ensure the club freed up enough cash to re-sign three champions – Latrell Mitchell, Damien Cook and Cody Walker.
News Corp can reveal Souths allowed Adam Reynolds (Brisbane), Dane Gagai (Newcastle) and Jaydn Su’A (St George Illawarra) to depart to enable enough salary cap space to retain Mitchell, 25, Cook, 31, and Walker, 32.
The combined contract extensions could be worth about $6 million.
In what was a calculated decision, Souths allowed the three players to leave after last season knowing that negotiations with Mitchell, Cook and Walker would kickstart just 12 months later.
Souths had been criticised for losing Reynolds, Gagai and Su’A – the reasons have now become clear.
The Rabbitohs have opened contract talks with Mitchell, Cook and Walker and believe all three can be retained as a package.
Mitchell, Cook and Walker all come off contract after next season. Privately, Souths have no concerns about being able to fit all three in under the club’s salary cap.
Early contract talks appear to have Mitchell being offered a three-year extension with Cook and Walker an additional two seasons.
If deals can be struck, Mitchell could remain at Redfern until the end of 2026, with Cook and Walker to stay as Rabbitohs until the end of 2025.
The anticipated retention of Mitchell, Cook and Walker gives Souths certainty around the club’s spine for the next three seasons.
News Corp understands there is still a considerable amount of negotiations to be completed before any of the three deals can be formally nailed down.
There could also be some debate over the length of Cook’s extension. He was seeking a new three-year deal.
The club will consider extending Cook and Walker again if the players are performing at an elite level during the final year of their contract in 2025.
Reynolds was offered a new one-year deal but elected to accept a three-season deal with Brisbane.
The money saved through the departure of Reynolds, Gagai and Su’A can now be spent on Mitchell, Cook, Walker and the retention of young halfback Lachlan Ilias.
Mitchell has returned from a hamstring injury in spectacular style. He terrorised Canterbury last Sunday night in a powerful and commanding performance.
Cook played State of Origin again this year while Walker’s form improvement has coincided with Mitchell’s return.
Last month, Cook said he wanted a new three-year deal.
“I want to finish my career here and I feel like I could play until 35 or 36. I’d love three years and I’d call it quits after that just so I could finish with South Sydney,” Cook said.
Some rival clubs have already expressed a preliminary interest in Cook should Souths’ new deal fall through.
Originally published as NRL 2022: Raymond Faitala-Mariner extends stay at Bulldogs, Knights interested in Luke Brooks
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