CANTERBURY playmaker Josh Reynolds could be looking for a new home for 2018 and one rival club has already expressed some interest.

Meanwhile, experienced Warriors forward Ben Matulino could be on his way out of the club and the latest on Gareth Widdop’s playing future.

REYNOLDS’ POSSIBLE LIFELINE

Canterbury fan favourite Josh Reynolds is desperate to stay at Canterbury and talks with the club about a contract extension are still ongoing.

Round 19

But should the Bulldogs decide to go into another direction and not re-sign the five-eighth, Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan admits he’d be interested in picking him up.

Josh Reynolds in action. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Corp Australia

“I’ve known Josh since he was a kid, we’re from the same junior club,” Flanagan told Channel Nine.

“I know his father and his mother so that’s where that interest comes from ... if he’s going to leave the Bulldogs, I’ll talk to him.

“He’s one of those players you look for, and if you need points, you throw the ball in Josh’s hands.”

WIDDOP TO TEST OPEN MARKET

Off-contract St George Illawarra star Gareth Widdop is set to test himself on the open market, according to Channel Seven.

Seven reports the Dragons and Widdop will ramp up contract talks this week, with the England international open to playing fullback as well as five-eighth.

“I’ve just got to make sure I’m playing good football and the contract side of things will take care of itself,” Widdop told media on Wednesday.





OPINIONS DIVIDED ON DUGAN

Staying at the Dragons, debate continues to rage about whether Widdop’s teammate Josh Dugan should move to the centres or stay at fullback.

Dugan wants to play in the No.1 jersey where he hass carved up this season, but Dragons management see him as a centre and have offered him a contract extension based on that position.

Ex-Maroons enforcer Billy Moore believes the Dragons are on the money.

“When I think of a fullback, I think Darius Boyd, I think Matt Moylan,” Moore told NRL 360.

“I don’t think Dugan’s in that category. He’s a great returner of the ball, he can hit a hole, but he’s not a creator or a ballplayer.

“I just think his best role is in the centres.”

But fellow former great Benny Elias disagrees.

“I think fullback ... his impact is just frightening,” Elias told the show.

“He always breaks the first tackle, he’s strong, he’s very elusive.

“You want the first hit up, which is the most important one, to start the roll for your six (tackles) and he just seems to have that knack.

“He always seems to know where to place himself in the right position.”

MATULINO TO LEAVE WARRIORS?

Experienced prop Ben Matulino could be set to leave the Warriors, according to NRL 360 host Paul Kent.

Matulino, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, is one of a number of off-contract forwards at the club including Jacob Lillyman, Charlie Gubb, Ryan Hoffman, Bodene Thompson and Albert Vete.

With star half Shaun Johnson set for a new deal, Kieran Foran off contract and the impending arrival of Tohu Harris next season, the Warriors have some big roster decisions to make.

“They’re having a few retention problems at the Warriors,” Kent said.

“Ben Matulino looks like he’s on his way out of the club.

“It won’t be announced for another month or so.”

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover break down where it’s all gone wrong for the Bulldogs and the roster moves they need to make to become premiership contenders again.

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MAL: LOWE READY FOR ORIGIN

Australia coach Mal Meninga believes North Queensland forward Ethan Lowe deserves a chance at making his Maroons debut ahead of Coen Hess.

Hess has grabbed all the headlines recently with a couple of powerful performances for the Cowboys, but Meninga reckons Lowe deserves first crack.

“I think he deserves it,” Meninga told Queenslanders Only.

“His last couple of years have been exceptionally good. He’s played in a grand final winning team with the Cowboys. I think he’s ready to go.

“He’s been playing No.13 with Jason Taumalolo out so he can play in the middle, on an edge, in the centres as well if something happened.

“He gives us great versatility off the bench.”

DOGS LEGEND SAYS TIME’S UP FOR DES

Courier Mail reporter Peter Badel says Canterbury legend Steve Mortimer wants Des Hasler gone if the Bulldogs lose to the Broncos on Thursday night.

Badel told NRL Tonight that Mortimer said the Dogs should part ways with Hasler as early as next week.

Mortimer will be in the Canterbury changerooms at ANZ Stadium on Thursday to present debutant Matt Frawley his jumper.

Meantime, former premiership winner Ryan Girdler is the latest commentator to agree time is up for Hasler at Belmore.

“He’s had a successful tenure there, Des. I speak in past tense because I think at the end of the year they might go their own ways,” Girdler told NRL Tonight.

“Des has obviously got a roster there at the moment that he’s trying to get the best out of but they just don’t seem to be responding.

“Tactically at the moment I’m really not sure what their plan is and what they’re trying to do.”

ELIAS: CLEARY IS WHAT WE NEED

Balmain legend Benny Elias has backed Ivan Cleary to bring the stability to the Wests Tigers, something the club desperately needs.

The Tigers have sacked Jason Taylor and are believed to be on the verge of announcing Cleary as his replacement.

The former Warriors and Penrith mentor could take over later this week or early next.

“He’s an experienced coach. We need experience, we need some stability, we need some leadership and Ivan brings a lot of that to our club,” Elias told NRL 360.

“Ivan will come with his own mandate. He’ll say: ‘I’ll come to this club with these rules. Stay away, I’ll make the decisions, I get the new staff, I turnover the people I don’t want at the place and these are the people I want to buy’.”

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