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Dogs haven't signed contracts yet: Hasler

Canterbury coach Des Hasler has denied suggestions the NRL club have finalised deals with Wests Tigers player Aaron Woods and the Warriors' Kieran Foran.

Bulldogs coach Des Hasler
Canterbury coach Des Hasler insists his side is yet to sign either Aaron Woods or Kieran Foran. (AAP)

Canterbury coach Des Hasler insists his side is yet to sign either Aaron Woods or Kieran Foran for the 2018 NRL season.

The off-contract duo have been linked to the Bulldogs in the past week, as part of the player merry-go-round consuming the NRL.

But Hasler said any deals concerning the pair at his club were yet to be finalised and that he was far from certain he would secure both stars with negotiations still ongoing.

"No contracts have been signed, so there is no agreement with those players," Hasler said.

"I'm sorry to say they haven't signed here and there are no contracts here.

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"There have been some discussion with their managements. So far they have been fairly positive but that's all that's been."

Woods had his contract offer pulled by Wests Tigers on Friday after he and fullback James Tedesco failed to meet a club-imposed deadline to have their future resolved.

It has been largely understood that the only other deal on the table was from the Bulldogs, adding further intrigue to the clash between the two clubs at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

But Hasler said he still believed there would be competition from rival clubs for Woods' future.

"I think there is more out there," Hasler said.

"I think Newcastle are very lucrative as well. But we're speculating.

"That's how we create the fake news."

Foran meanwhile is off-contract at the Warriors, and is known to want to head back to Australia to be closer to his children in Sydney.

He was also reported to be across the line with Canterbury, but Warriors managing director Jim Doyle claimed on Friday he had been told by the Bulldogs no deal had been finalised.

Hasler gave Foran his NRL debut at Manly in 2009 and the pair won a premiership together as a player and coach in 2011.

The Bulldogs mentor also stayed in contact with him during his highly-publicised off-field dramas last year, but he said that did not put him in a prize position to secure his signature.

"When he was ill, I think a lot of people who were concerned - so a lot of people would have been supporting Kieran through that time," Hasler said.

If the Bulldogs were to secure their signatures, they would have to ease cap pressure by letting some of their stars go.

Fullback William Hopoate, five-eighth Josh Reynolds and hooker Michael Lichaa are all off contract, while it has been reported that captain James Graham or halfback Moses Mbye could be shopped to rival clubs.

But Hasler wasn't interested in adding to the speculation.

"We have got a game tomorrow," he reminded reporters.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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