Canterbury boss Phil Gould was photographed in a meeting with wantaway Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake as he aims to lure the enforcer to the Bulldogs in 2025.
The Daily Telegraph reported Bulldogs General Manager of Football Gould was snapped at the airport meeting with Fonua-Blake and his managers Tyran Smith and Ahmad Merhi on Friday.
The meeting came a day after Fonua-Blake met with Wests Tigers officials, while he is also set to take a meeting with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
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The 28-year-old is seeking a return to Sydney on compassionate grounds in 2025 to be closer to his parents and family who are based in the Harbour City.
Gould admitted earlier in the week that Fonua-Blake was definitely a player of interest for the Bulldogs but he conceded he would be expensive.
“Addin is a quality player,” Gould said on SEN Afternoons with Jimmy Smith.
“I spent a little bit of time with the Warriors during COVID and got to see Addin first-hand – he’s a quality player.
“He’s not cheap, though. I’d imagine there’d be a lot of interest in Addin.”
Gould got to know Fonua-Blake during a brief stint as a consultant for the Warriors during the COVID period and is a big fan of what he brings to a team.
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The Bulldogs desperately need some reinforcements in their pack after losing Tevita Pangai Jr to boxing and Luke Thompson to the Wigan Warriors in the Super League.
Fonua-Blake has three years remaining on his mega deal with the Warriors that has made him one of the highest paid players in the game.
However, Fonua-Blake reached an agreement with the Warriors that 2024 would be his last season in New Zealand before returning to Sydney.
The race for his signature appears to now be down to a three-horse race between the Bulldogs, Tigers and Dragons.
It remains to be seen if the Warriors will have a say in where Fonua-Blake lands or if they want compensation in the form of a player swap.
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The Bulldogs have room in their salary cap after missing out on signing former Roosters premiership winner Sio Siua Taukeiaho due to a failed medical over a foot injury.
Gould is also trying to offload club captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner, who is on around $800,000 a season and was told to stay away from Bulldogs pre-season training.
Fonua-Blake is keen to lock down his future, so he can focus on a premiership tilt in his final season with the Warriors, who made the preliminary final last year.
