This is unbelievable, just how can they ?? has the bloke who does the books for the Rorters moved to Bankstown ??
Star
Melbourne Storm forward
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has been linked with a shock move to the
Canterbury Bulldogs.
Asofa-Solomona, who plays predominantly as a middle forward, but also impressed in a forced move to the edge at the back end of 2022 for the Storm, is off-contract at the end of 2023.
The giant prop, who travelled with
Michael Maguire's
New Zealand side for the recent
Rugby League World Cup, has quickly developed into one of the best in the game.
While he was linked to rugby union throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and it's almost certain clubs in the sport will come sniffing around again, the
Melbourne Storm are reportedly confident in hanging onto Asofa-Solomona after the 2023 season.
The Daily Telegraph are reporting that club officials are currently unaware of any other clubs interested in Asofa-Solomona, but the publication are suggesting the Bulldogs will be lining up to have a crack at the star forward.
The Bulldogs are seemingly being linked to just about every off-contract player, with director of football Phil Gould reportedly keen to continue shuffling his salary cap as
Cameron Ciraldo takes over as head coach in what will be his first role away from the
Penrith Panthers, where he has served as an assistant to
Ivan Cleary in the back-to-back premiership-winning side over the last 24 months.
Canterbury have already been heavily linked with big money moves for both
Mitchell Moses and
Stephen Crichton, who are also both off-contract at the end of the 2023 campaign.
It's unclear if making either of those moves would stop them from making the other, or if they could potentially ruin any interest in bringing Asofa-Solomona to Sydney.
The
New Zealand-born prop will need to stand up as a forward leader for the men in purple during 2023 alongside Tui Kamaikamica and
Christian Welch, who returns from injury, with all of
Felise Kaufusi,
Jesse Bromwich,
Kenneath Bromwich and
Brandon Smith - all of whom are representative players - exiting at the end of a 2022 season which finished with the Storm suffering a shock loss in a home elimination final to the
Canberra Raiders.