Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould has blasted a News Corp report claiming the club had tried to offload halfback Kyle Flanagan and failed.
“Canterbury are set to pay Kyle Flanagan almost $500,000 to play reserve grade as the club has failed to offload the unwanted halfback,” the Daily Telegraph reported.
“The Bulldogs have been unable to find a club willing to take Flanagan off its hands and will have to keep him at the club on a reported salary of $450,000.
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“Flanagan’s kicking game could eventually get him back into the top grade.
“Flanagan is at long odds to start the season in the NRL.”
Gould retweeted a Fox League article based on and linking to the Daily Telegraph report, slamming the claim.
“This report is totally incorrect,” Gould wrote on Twitter.
“Kyle Flanagan has never been offered to other clubs. Kyle has never been asked to seek another club. As for starting the year in reserve grade, Kyle is one of four NRL-quality halfbacks on our roster. We haven’t played a trial game yet.”
Flanagan joined the Bulldogs on a three-year deal ahead of the 2021 NRL season after being cut from the Roosters before the end of his contract.
The former Rooster and Shark was benched during the Bulldogs’ ninth-round clash with the Dragons and broke down in tears in a press conference while discussing his demotion.
Flanagan only played another four top-grade games after being punted from the team, starting at halfback or five-eighth.
Prized recruit Matt Burton and youngster Jake Averillo are expected to start in the halves for the Bulldogs in the opening round of the 2022 season.
The Bulldogs are a proud club with a rich history stretching back to 1935, but they haven’t played finals footy since 2016.
Canterbury have been very active in the transfer market in recent times, securing Burton, Josh Addo-Carr, Brent Naden, Matt Dufty, Paul Vaughan, Tevita Pangai Junior, Josh Cook, Max King and Braidon Burns.
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