Canterbury's inability to offload out-of-favour forward Lloyd Perrett is the reason the club breached the salary cap this year.

The Bulldogs have self-reported to the NRL after overspending on their 2016 roster, although mystery has surrounded the particulars of the breach. Fairfax Media has been told the blue and whites had budgeted on shifting Perrett, the younger brother of teammate and former Kiwi international Sam Perrett, to a rival side.

Perrett was considered one of the game's most promising props when he made his NRL debut in 2014. After making 15 first-grade appearances in his rookie season the Bulldogs re-signed him on a four-year deal worth about $400,000 per season. However, injury and the strong form of his teammates has conspired against the Junior Kangaroos enforcer and he made just 14 NRL appearances in 2015. That number dropped to just two in 2016 as he was unable to consistently break into a pack containing the likes of James Graham, Dave Klemmer, Aiden Tolman and Sam Kasiano.

The Gold Coast were interested in taking Perrett off Canterbury's hands during the previous pre-season in a move that appeared beneficial to both clubs. The Titans initially agreed to match and ultimately better the money on offer at the "family club" and they thought they had their man. But despite the promise of regular first-grade football – and the chance to re-link with family in Queensland – Perrett dug in his heels.