HE Bulldogs have stepped up their bid to lure Manly's grand final five-eighth Kieran Foran to Belmore next season as Des Hasler continues to unsettle his former club.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told Hasler has opened negotiations to try to convince Foran to exercise a get-out clause at Manly.
As the Sea Eagles begin their premiership defence in the grand final rematch against the Warriors in Auckland today, the Bulldogs may present an equally big threat.
They last week submitted a $2 million offer to extend Foran's contract until the end of 2015 and view the Kiwi Test halfback as a future captain.
But while Manly chief operating officer David Perry has been in discussions with Foran for the past month, Canterbury have also been preparing to make a major sales pitch.
When contacted by The Sunday Telegraph, Bulldogs coach Hasler declined to comment on whether the club had approached Foran, while chief executive Todd Greenberg chose his words carefully.
"We never talk about the retention and recruitment of players publicly and don't intend to change that policy," Greenberg said.
When Hasler left Manly, it activated a get-out clause in Foran's contract and now the Bulldogs are expected to offer Foran, 21, a three-year contract until the end of 2015.
Manly's chief operating officer Perry maintains the premiers view Foran and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans as the future of the club.
"Kieran has given the club every indication that he's very content and satisfied with the environment that he's in and we're optimistic about securing his services until the end of 2015," Perry said.
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"We see him as a future leader in our club."
So is Hasler over-stepping the mark by trying to entice Foran to Belmore, as he did with former Sea Eagles recruitment guru Noel Cleal, sports psychologist John Novak, sports scientist Liz Marin and sprint coach Clayton Kearney?
Not according to ex-Manly captain Max Krilich, who was an outspoken critic of the way Hasler left the Sea Eagles with a playing roster heavy with back-ended contracts.
Krilich said it was now purely business if the Bulldogs were chasing Foran.
"I hope (Foran) stays at Manly because he's an outstanding player, but if Des is after him, I can understand that," Krilich said.
"It's a business and he's got to do the best he can for Canterbury. Des is very good at what he does. He'll probably win the Bulldogs a competition within the next three years."
The Bulldogs will be cashed-up with 11 players off-contract next season, including Kris Keating, David Stagg, Steve Turner, Bryson Goodwin, Dene Halatau, Johnathan Wright, Sam Kasiano, Joel Romelo, Martin Tapau, Luke MacDougall and Michael Lett.
The most significant of the Bulldogs off-contract list is five-eighth Keating, who was dropped to the bench for last night's clash with Penrith.
Hasler instead opted to go with Josh Reynolds in the No. 6 jumper, another indication that the two-time premiership-winning coach is preparing to go all-in for Foran's signature.
The ace up Hasler's sleeve is the close rapport he enjoys with the Kiwi Test halfback after he gave him his first taste of NRL at age 18.
Over the past three years, Hasler helped develop Foran into the best young half in the NRL and the respect they have for one another is mutual.
Manly are aware of their strong relationship and will be doing everything possible to convince Foran to stay.
The Sea Eagles have all but conceded they will lose rookie prop Darcy Lussick, with seven clubs chasing him.
The Roosters are favoured to win Lussick's signature, with Parramatta and the Bulldogs also in the hunt.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/stakes-raised-in-battle-for-manly-superstar-kieran-foran/story-e6frfgbo-1226288160657
Dogs would be paying overs if they offered anymore then that
I also don't see anything about Bulldogs offering Foran anything in that article
The Sunday Telegraph has been told Hasler has opened negotiations to try to convince Foran to exercise a get-out clause at Manly.
As the Sea Eagles begin their premiership defence in the grand final rematch against the Warriors in Auckland today, the Bulldogs may present an equally big threat.
They last week submitted a $2 million offer to extend Foran's contract until the end of 2015 and view the Kiwi Test halfback as a future captain.
But while Manly chief operating officer David Perry has been in discussions with Foran for the past month, Canterbury have also been preparing to make a major sales pitch.
When contacted by The Sunday Telegraph, Bulldogs coach Hasler declined to comment on whether the club had approached Foran, while chief executive Todd Greenberg chose his words carefully.
"We never talk about the retention and recruitment of players publicly and don't intend to change that policy," Greenberg said.
When Hasler left Manly, it activated a get-out clause in Foran's contract and now the Bulldogs are expected to offer Foran, 21, a three-year contract until the end of 2015.
Manly's chief operating officer Perry maintains the premiers view Foran and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans as the future of the club.
"Kieran has given the club every indication that he's very content and satisfied with the environment that he's in and we're optimistic about securing his services until the end of 2015," Perry said.
Cranky Franky: Pritchard on report again
"We see him as a future leader in our club."
So is Hasler over-stepping the mark by trying to entice Foran to Belmore, as he did with former Sea Eagles recruitment guru Noel Cleal, sports psychologist John Novak, sports scientist Liz Marin and sprint coach Clayton Kearney?
Not according to ex-Manly captain Max Krilich, who was an outspoken critic of the way Hasler left the Sea Eagles with a playing roster heavy with back-ended contracts.
Krilich said it was now purely business if the Bulldogs were chasing Foran.
"I hope (Foran) stays at Manly because he's an outstanding player, but if Des is after him, I can understand that," Krilich said.
"It's a business and he's got to do the best he can for Canterbury. Des is very good at what he does. He'll probably win the Bulldogs a competition within the next three years."
The Bulldogs will be cashed-up with 11 players off-contract next season, including Kris Keating, David Stagg, Steve Turner, Bryson Goodwin, Dene Halatau, Johnathan Wright, Sam Kasiano, Joel Romelo, Martin Tapau, Luke MacDougall and Michael Lett.
The most significant of the Bulldogs off-contract list is five-eighth Keating, who was dropped to the bench for last night's clash with Penrith.
Hasler instead opted to go with Josh Reynolds in the No. 6 jumper, another indication that the two-time premiership-winning coach is preparing to go all-in for Foran's signature.
The ace up Hasler's sleeve is the close rapport he enjoys with the Kiwi Test halfback after he gave him his first taste of NRL at age 18.
Over the past three years, Hasler helped develop Foran into the best young half in the NRL and the respect they have for one another is mutual.
Manly are aware of their strong relationship and will be doing everything possible to convince Foran to stay.
The Sea Eagles have all but conceded they will lose rookie prop Darcy Lussick, with seven clubs chasing him.
The Roosters are favoured to win Lussick's signature, with Parramatta and the Bulldogs also in the hunt.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/stakes-raised-in-battle-for-manly-superstar-kieran-foran/story-e6frfgbo-1226288160657
Dogs would be paying overs if they offered anymore then that
I also don't see anything about Bulldogs offering Foran anything in that article