sport, local-sport,

St George Illawarra have been dealt an off-season blow with recruitment chief Peter Mulholland to depart the club to take up a position with Canberra next season. The future of one of the game’s most astute recruitment gurus had been subject to speculation following the conclusion of the 2015 NRL season but Mulholland moved to quash rumours in an address to Dragons members in September, telling Dragons TV: ‘‘There’s speculation about player movements about staff movements and a lot of it’s rumour and innuendo and it’s no different in my role. ‘‘There’s been a bit movement in recruitment managers in the last six weeks and my name’s come up for it but I’m not going anywhere.’’ Mulholland, who has previously held roles with the Panthers, Bulldogs and Knights, had been charged with the long-term restructure after coach Paul McGregor inherited a roster in salary cap strife in September last year. However, Mulholland tendered his resignation to the club this week after the opportunity to replace long-serving Raiders recruitment chief David Hamilton arose in the last week. ‘‘After much thought and discussion with my family it is with a heavy heart that I have tendered my resignation," Mulholland said on Thursday. ‘‘An opportunity from Canberra was very recently put to me, I have property down that way and this decision is what is best for me and my family. ‘‘The Dragons NRL Squad is finalised all bar a couple of spots for the next two years, we have turned over close to 20 players in the past 12 months and the squads have good depth, something that has been missing in recent years. “The club is well positioned and set-up for the future with good structures and people.’’ Mulholland will finish with the Dragons in November and a replacement will be determined when McGregor returns from an overseas later this month. With Ben Haran already employed as recruitment manager and most of the 2016 roster already sewn up, the club may not need to seek an immediate replacement and could look for a longer term replacement over a period of months.

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