The Bulldogs have emerged as the hot favourites to sign gun centre Kotoni Staggs should he leave Brisbane next season.
The 22-year-old Staggs is the most sought-after centre in the game for 2022, with the Eels, Bulldogs and Titans all expressing interest in his services - and other clubs counting their pennies as well.
Staggs is happy at the Broncos but the Bulldogs are believed to be offering him in the vicinity of $800,000 a season - a sum Brisbane would find hard to match.
The Bulldogs are in the middle of a massive rebuild after several disappointing seasons, with half their squad off-contract for 2022.
Coach Trent Barrett is certain to cull several under-performing players to make room for Staggs, who is in contention for NSW State of Origin selection this year after starring in an under-performing Broncos team last season.
ORIGIN WINGER MAY BE DONE AT KNIGHTS
The Knights have announced that Queensland State of Origin winger Edrick Lee won't be at the club next season, but I'm hearing he may have played his last game for the club.
Currently sidelined with a foot injury, Lee has been sounded out by a couple of clubs and may make the jump early.
The Knights, with a glut of talented young outside backs, won't stand in the 28-year-old's way if he asks for a release.
Lee is a proven try-scorer but injuries have restricted him to just 25 games in his two seasons with the Knights and he has started 2021 badly, damaging his foot at training recently.
DRAGONS YOUNG GUN GOES DOWN INJURED
The Dragons have suffered a blow on the eve of the new season, with boom young halfback Jayden Sullivan tearing his hamstring at training.
Sullivan was an option for new coach Anthony Griffin should Ben Hunt struggle in his return to the No.7 jumper - but he is now expected to be out for at least the first six rounds.
Fans have been crying out for the inclusion of Sullivan, an exciting 19-year-old local junior, for much of the past 12 months.
The former NSW under-18s halfback finally got his chance in round 20 last year against eventual premiers Melbourne and didn't look at all out of his depth.
REFS TO LAUNCH PLAY-THE-BALL BLITZ
Stand by for a blitz on play-the-ball penalties in the opening round of NRL action this weekend.
Referees bosses have warned clubs that sloppy and incorrect play-the-balls will be one of their main areas of interest in the first few weeks of the comp.
With the new rules speeding up the game to never-before-seen levels, the play-the-ball is seen as an area that could give defences vital micro-seconds to regroup.
Attacking players must actually touch the ball with their foot as they roll it behind them, not just go through the motions.
Players have been warned - but more than one front-rower is certain to forget in the heat of battle.
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