Hopefully it happens imoOliver Gildart and Luke Thompson fuel fire of potential move
By Callum WalkerNovember 29, 2021mode_comment0
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Good friends Oliver Gildart and Luke Thompson have met up in Australia following the former’s move to the Wests Tigers.
The Tigers are the club that Thompson has been linked with, with his good relationship with Gildart fuelling the fire of a potential move.
That’s according to the Sydney Morning Herald’s Danny Weidler, with Thompson’s initial anti-vaccination stance at the Bulldogs as well as his big wage cause for concern and Gildart – Wests’ new recruit from the Wigan Warriors – has been attempting to influence the Englishman’s move to the Tigers.
Thompson went Down Under midway through the 2020 season, joining Canterbury immediately after being granted a move by former side St Helens.
That move prompted Saints legend James Graham to return to his boyhood club in one final hurrah, but Thompson could be set for a move after just one full season – if Gildart has his way.
Canterbury have already offered him to the Tigers, according to the Daily Telegraph, so it would certainly be home comforts for Thompson and Gildart if they were finally able to play for the same professional side – and alongside former Wigan star Jackson Hastings, too.
Will make interesting, another positive if we can pull it off?Hooper article saying we're in for cotric
The Wests Tigers have emerged as a left-field contender to sign ex-NSW and Australian flyer Nick Cotric.
Fox Sports has learned Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire and director of football Tim Sheens met with the Canterbury-Bankstown outside back over the weekend and remain in negotiations to orchestrate an immediate release.
Initially the Canberra Raiders were the early favourites for Cotric to return to the national capital but the Tigers interest is now gaining serious momentum.
Tigers director of football Tim Sheens confirmed the club was in negotiations with Cotric’s agent Sam Ayoub.
“It’s certainly nowhere near being done but we’ve met with the lad and Madge likes what he could add to the roster,” Sheens said.
“We’re not the only club at the table so we’ll just have to let it take its course and see how it plays out.”
Tigers recruitment boss Warren McDonnell has spoken to Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould about the prospect of Cotric switching to Concord.
Cotric, 23, joined Canterbury-Bankstown in November of 2020 and has two years remaining on a deal believed to be worth around $650,000-a-season.
But with the Bulldogs looking to reshape the club’s roster for 2023 and beyond the ex-NSW and Australian winger has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs.
The Canberra Raiders are still in the equation but with the Tigers armed with a $1 million war chest and three spots available in the club’s top 30 for 2022 there’s a view they could blow the Raiders out of the water.
The Tigers are still looking to bolster the club’s outside backs and Sheens confirmed the club likes the appeal of Cotric being able to play in the centres, fullback or wing.
“We’ve obviously got Daine Laurie coming back from injury and the good thing with Nick is he grew up playing fullback, has also played on the wing and can play in the centres,” the Tigers director of football said.
“So from that point of view he could provide us with depth in a number of positions.”
Will make interesting, another positive if we can pull it off?
You would have to think centre? Unfortunately some blokes will be getting tapped shortly?
Either way, it shows no one is sleeping on the job at the club, good to see.
Went from doom and gloom a few weeks back, to maybe some green shoots appearing? Thompson straight in for tamau. Cotric for that potato mamolo. Hope that merkin never gets another game after phoning it in for the season when he left the warriorsWe seem to be making a fair few moves in the market. It's good to see.
Where is captain Tamou? Haven't seen him in any pre-season training pics. Unless, he's due back in DecWent from doom and gloom a few weeks back, to maybe some green shoots appearing? Thompson straight in for tamau. Cotric for that potato mamolo. Hope that merkin never gets another game after phoning it in for the season when he left the warriors
I'd love to think he is calling time and going back to work somewhere in his beloved Panthers club.Where is captain Tamou? Haven't seen him in any pre-season training pics. Unless, he's due back in Dec
He was killing it until he went to the dogs. He has 2 years remaining on his contract so if we can take him off Bulldogs hands (with Dogs chipping in a small amount) then I see no reason why not to grab him. If he shits the bed then he will probably want out of his contract after the first year which is no big dealNot a prolific try scorer or a real meter eater
there’s a reason dogs wanna get rid him
Rhyno old mate . . . . while most of the time you can't see the forest for the eels, I agree with you on this one.Not a prolific try scorer or a real meter eater
there’s a reason dogs wanna get rid him