Loading If you listen to league great Phil Gould, that would be a bargain. He thinks Tom, as brilliant as he is now, is a long way from developing into the player he will be one day. On the open market, a desperate club like the Bulldogs would pay Tom $1.4 million, while Jake could net $1 million. There is a real desire for Jake to be a million-dollar middle player, but that may not happen if he stays put. Bulldogs chief executive Andrew Hill is yet to table a formal offer, but the Trbojevic family is aware that he has expressed a desire to secure the brothers. With Manly lacking in football department staff, it appears coach Des Hasler will do most of the negotiating. The Turbos are loyal, but they will not show the blind faith they once would have.

The sacking of Trent Barrett was their first real introduction to the business of rugby league. Vested interest: Latrell Mitchell's family are keen observers of the money being thrown around in relation to the Trbojevics. Credit:AAP Meanwhile, the Roosters are watching with trepidation as big-money offers are talked about for the Trbojevics. Despite suggestions Latrell Mitchell has signed a new two-season deal with the Roosters, he is still a free agent. His family is watching closely as big numbers get thrown around in relation to the Trbojevics, among others. Mitchell is under pressure to earn big dollars. He will pocket about $700,000 next season, his final year with the club. Mitchell did a great thing recently by buying his mum a new car. She is his greatest supporter and deserves to be spoilt.

Dugan takes $100,000 pay cut to help Sharks Sharks back Josh Dugan is a punching bag for so many critics, but this column has seen plenty of good in the things he does away from the field. There have been rumours in the playing group about a Sharks player taking a six-figure pay cut to help the team with their salary cap. The players have been asking questions about who it is. The player is Dugan and he has deferred $100,000 of his current deal. It’s a very generous gesture, and once it becomes known by his teammates, they are sure to appreciate it. Unsung hero: Josh Dugan has taken a pay cut for the benefit of the Sharks. Credit:NRL Photos

We contacted Dugan for confirmation, but he wasn’t interested in blowing his own trumpet. “I’m just trying to stay quiet and do my job for the team,” he said. The Sharks have been linked to out-of-favour Tigers pivot Josh Reynolds. Rival clubs are being told the Tigers will pay $400,000 of Reynolds’ $800,000 contract next season. At least, that’s the impression the Sharks are under. The Reynolds link to the Sharks is interesting, given Cronulla have cap issues for next year. They are said to be $500,000 or so over the cap at this stage. While they like the idea of signing Reynolds, they say they are in no position to make a play. De Belin may quit Dragons even if found not guilty It might seem hard to believe, but the Jack de Belin situation is getting even messier.

At his media conference during the week, Dragons coach Paul McGregor confirmed our piece last week that de Belin’s legal battle is having a serious impact on the team’s performances. He also said that Todd Greenberg had met with the playing group on Tuesday to talk about de Belin. McGregor revealed he had had a crack at the NRL boss, implying it would have been better if he had made an effort to talk to the players earlier in the year. Long road ahead: There are conflicting reports out of the Dragons about Jack de Belin's satisfaction at the club. Credit:AAP Word out of the de Belin camp is that, even if he is acquitted of the five charges he faces, he may not want to play for the Dragons again. We put that to the club and they say they’d be surprised if he was unhappy at the way the club has treated him. That’s not what Team de Belin is saying.

Loading Rugby's Castle under siege It’s been a hell of a year for Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle as the Israel Folau saga drags on, among a range of issues for the code. Now we hear of a coup being hatched to remove her. It’s driven by a former sponsor of the game. After the year RA has had, you would wonder why anyone would want to run the struggling code.

Kevvie's in the driver's seat We told you weeks ago that Kevin Walters was likely to be the new coach at the Titans. An announcement appears imminent. We’ve been told his company car, a V6 Mercedes ute, was organised during the week. Testing times for ASADA There is plenty of drama in the ranks of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority. No doubt it’s in part related to the fact it is soon to be wiped out and become Sports Integrity Australia.

We’ve been told that ASADA’s three most senior doping control officers have been let go. Athletes who have come to know and trust the officers are said to be less than thrilled and there are questions about the way in which they left. Insiders say those let go are devastated and they are being replaced with casuals. Sins of the father Despite bringing the Sharks their first premiership and being among their greatest coaches, Shane Flanagan is not being treated with much respect by his old club. Officials whisper that they are not that unhappy that Flanagan’s son Kyle is leaving the club because it removes another link between family and club. Which is interesting because there are still staffers with links to Flanagan. Maybe their days are numbered?

Greener pastures: Kyle Flanagan is following his father out the door at the Sharks. Credit:AAP The NRL deregistered Shane indefinitely in December for failing to adhere to the conditions of his suspension in 2014. Kyle re-signed with the Sharks after they contracted Shaun Johnson. But at that time the coach was his father. Clearly there must have been a succession plan in place that involved Kyle taking a place in the halves. It hasn’t happened under new coach John Morris. Kyle made it clear he wanted out of the Sharks and there was not much Morris could do. Taking that into account, there is still surprisingly no tension between the new coach and the old one. The winners in this are the Roosters. They pick up a young half who is a strong contender to replace Cooper Cronk when he retires at the end of the season. Flanagan will have to contend with Lachlan Lam.

Mark my words Loading Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie wasn’t thrilled with our suggestion last week that the commission couldn’t keep a secret. Commissioner Mark Coyne, who quit his post on the commission on Saturday night, said that he was reluctant to report his arrest in Singapore to the ARLC or NRL for fear it would end up in the media and that journalists would descend on the city and jeopardise his case. We asked Coyne to explain his comments. ‘‘Everyone knows there are no secrets in rugby league,’’ he said.

‘‘It is just a fact of how interested people are in the game.’’ Beattie said Coyne was not referring to his fellow commissioners. George Burgess deal done An announcement confirming George Burgess is heading to Wigan is expected in the next 24 hours. His deal is believed to be worth $500,000 a season for three years. There are more babies on the way for the family, too, with twins George and Tom expecting to be dads to baby girls in coming days.

Rabbits for life The Rabbitohs will be supporting DonateLife Week when they play the Sharks next Saturday. Alcatel Mobile has kindly allowed Gift of Life to take its place on the Rabbitohs’ away jersey. It’s a grand gesture, appreciated by Phil Pike, founder and chairman of the Gift of Life Foundation. Pike was a volunteer for the Bunnies when they were booted from the competition in 1999. ‘‘I wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for the selfless family who made the decision to donate their loved one’s organs back in 2004,’’ he said.