THE Bulldogs have made a massive play to break up the Wests Tigers’ ‘big four’, tabling an offer of around $1 million-a-season to lure club captain Aaron Woods, according to Fox Sports’ chief NRL reporter James Hooper.

Woods revealed to NRL 360 a fortnight ago that he was unwilling to commit his future to Concord until a coaching appointment had been made for next season and beyond.

Those comments have been credited for accelerating the sacking of Jason Taylor but despite strong speculation linking Ivan Cleary to the vacant post, Taylor’s successor is yet to be appointed.

Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe has said publicly the club will not be rushed into an appointment to appease the off-contract big four — Woods, James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks — and the Bulldogs have swooped, making a huge offer to steal Woods away.

Round 19

“The other big issue that’s bubbling underneath the surface in relation to (the Bulldogs’) playing roster is that I believe they’ve made a huge play for the Wests Tigers captain Aaron Woods,” Hooper told NRL Tonight.

Aaron Woods and the Wests Tigers have had a tough couple of weeks. Source: News Corp Australia

“I heard just before we came to air that it’s a four-year deal. It could be as much as $1 million-a-season which is huge money.

“You’d have to think that’s going to be very hard for Aaron Woods to knock back.”

Woods has played his whole 128-game career at the Tigers and took over the captaincy from Robbie Farah at the start of last season.

He is close friends with all of Tedesco, Moses and Brooks and is managed by the same player agent, Isaac Moses.

Losing Woods would be a disaster for the Tigers in yet another season when the club is struggling for good news stories.

However, the Origin star has previously said he views his next deal as the biggest contract of his career, which is why he was so keen to have clarity on the Tigers’ coaching situation.

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover examine Jason Taylor’s sacking at the Wests Tigers and how it impacts the club and its roster going forward.

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“You want to know who’s in control for the future,” Woods told NRL 360 two weeks ago.

“For myself as well it’s a big contract, I’m 26 now and hopefully it will be a long-term contract.

“You want to know the club is in good hands so you don’t want to commit to somewhere that you don’t know what’s happening.

“You want to know what the club are looking forward to.

“My manager (Isaac Moses) is dealing with it at the moment, I haven’t really spoken to the club.

“When I sit down with Isaac and we talk about it definitely because we want to know if the club’s going to re-sign JT or if they’re going to look in a different direction.

“I haven’t sat down and spoken to Isaac heavily yet ... but it would definitely be a topic of discussion.”

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LOZ WOULD BE HARSH ON JOHNSON

It’s business as usual at the Warriors, with a team packed full of talent failing to deliver despite a pre-season filled with promise.

Kieran Foran is still yet to make his debut and plenty are willing to hold their fire on judging the Warriors until the premiership half is in the mix but the signs aren’t looking good and NSW coach Laurie Daley says it's time for a serious shake-up.

“With Shaun Johnson, sometimes I think you might have to do something different with Shaun to get the best out of him,” Daley said on NRL 360.

“I’d look at doing something differently with him — you could play him elsewhere, start him off the bench, not select him...

“He is the most influential player in that team when they’ve got the ball. He hasn’t reached his talent yet and something needs to happen with Shaun to take his game to the next level.

“I think sometimes players need a bit of a reality check.”

CLEARY A DONE DEAL

Ivan Cleary will be the Wests Tigers’ new head coach, according to Fox Sports chief NRL reporter James Hooper.

And he could be in charge as early as this week.

“Negotiations are ongoing, it’s just wrapped up in a little bit of red tape at the moment,” Hooper told NRL Tonight.

“They’ve got a football committee appointed, they’ll then make a recommendation to the board.

“It could happen as early as this week, if not, then absolutely Ivan Cleary will be in the seat at Concord next week.”

Meanwhile, the club has signed ex-Queensland Origin forward Chris McQueen.

“It’s a three-year contract, worth around the $1.2 million mark,” Hooper said.

WALLACE IN BLUES MIX

Peter Wallace in action for the Panthers. Source: News Corp Australia

Peter Wallace could return to State of Origin football for the first time since 2009, with NSW coach Laurie Daley admitting he’d consider the 31-year-old for this year’s series.

The veteran, who has found a new lease on life since moving from the halves to hooker, is still behind Robbie Farah in the pecking order, but could be called on if form permits.

“The chat that I had with Robbie was that if he’s playing well and he’s the best hooker, then we’ll select him,” Daley told Fairfax Media.

“If he’s not, we’ll go in another direction. It wouldn’t worry me if I had to go with Peter Wallace. He’d do a really good job.

“We just haven’t got those young hookers pushing them. Peatsy [Nathan Peats] was underneath but he got injured and won’t be back until round eight or nine, so that’s put him back a bit.”

ROUND 10 D-DAY FOR DES?

Fox Sports chief NRL reporter James Hooper reports Canterbury are in no hurry to make a decision on the future of coach Des Hasler.

Board members are set to meet later his week, but nothing will be decided until midway through the season.

“If you read between the lines, Des Hasler is on borrowed time at Belmore,” Hooper told NRL Tonight.

“There’s another board meeting on Thursday.

“Contract negotiations between Des Hasler and CEO Raelene Castle has been dragging on for more than 18 months.

“Bulldogs powerbrokers who I have spoken to have maintained since last October that there will be no decision made in relation to Des’s before, at the earliest, round 10. Possibly even round 12.”

Should the Bulldogs opt to push Hasler out before the end of the season, they could be met with an obstacle.

“This issue is he’s on $1 million a season,” Hooper added.

“The Bulldogs powerbrokers aren’t particularly fond of having to pay that out if they were to terminate Des’s contract.

“However, if he walks away, then there’s no pay out.”

TITANS’ CONCUSSION RESPONSE

Kane Elgey is at the centre of one of the Titans’ alleged concussion breaches. Source: AAP

The Titans have sent the NRL a rigorous defence of their alleged breaches of concussion protocols, putting together an exhaustive 16-page response.

The Gold Coast are fighting $150,000 worth of fines after they were hit with breach notices for the way they dealt with head knocks to Ryan Simpkins, Kane Elgey and Joe Greenwood in their round three clash with the Eels.

Simpkins was the only one of the three to leave the field against Parramatta but he was cleared to return by the Titans medical staff while neither Elgey nor Greenwood left the field.

According to NRL.com, the Titans will contend that Elgey stayed down for fear that he had suffered a broken jaw rather than a concussion and that Greenwood’s apparent imbalance was caused by a poke to the eye and will be anxiously awaiting the NRL’s findings.

“I’ve got absolute confidence in our medical staff,” Titans CEO Graham Annesley said.

“Clearly they’ve got ethical and professional responsibilities that they carry out. There’s no question that the medical staff would not take any decisions that weren’t in the best interests of the players.”

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