Canterbury have sensationally sacked four key staffers in one of the biggest clean-outs in the history of the ‘'family club'’.

Team manager Andrew Farrar, general manager of football Gareth Holmes, recruitment boss Warren McDonnell and pathways performance manager Andrew Patmore are all big-name casualties in a restructure of the Bulldogs. The quartet were informed of the news as the team was preparing to go up against its former coach, Manly's Des Hasler, at Brookvale on Saturday night.

Extension: Bulldogs coach Dean Pay has been given an extra 12 months, but time is up for some of his football staff. Credit:ninevms

The job of rebuilding the Bulldogs would be the perfect fit for former Panthers supremo Phil Gould, however Canterbury insist they have not made contact him.

The sackings come just weeks after Gould’s eight-year stint at Penrith ended, where he was charged with turning around the Panthers.