Sep 16th, 2019

Sep 16th, 2019

The Bulldogs have ramped up their recruitment drive for next season by signing promising Penrith hooker Sione Katoa.

With star hooker Apisai Koroisau joining the Panthers for next season, Katoa decided he had no future at the club and the Bulldogs have snapped up the up the 24-year-old.

Hooker has been a major problem for the Bulldogs in recent years, with Michael Lichaa struggling at dummy-half.

Benji Marshall's brother Jeremy Marshall-King, a specialist five-eighth, played well at hooker in the Bulldogs' late-season revival but the club decided it needed an experienced No.9. Katoa, a Tongan international, fits the bill nicely.

Sione Katoa. (Getty)

Ironically, the Bulldogs were well in the hunt for Koroisau but lost out at the last minute to the Panthers.

Lichaa is not expected to be re-signed by the club.

The Bulldogs have also signed Dean Britt (South Sydney) and Joe Stimson (Melbourne) and are chasing Canberra centre Joey Leilua.