Siosuia Taukeiaho has yet to secure a release from Super League giants Catalans with his planned return to the NRL with the Bulldogs also contingent on the club opening up a roster spot before the 2024 season.
Having made a significant splash in the player market with a slew of signings, Taukeiaho had been identified as a key plank in the Bulldogs’ forward rebuild, but his switch has hit a hurdle and is yet to be formalised as Cameron Ciraldo’s squad begins pre-season training this week.
It had been widely reported Taukeiaho had signed a two-year deal with Canterbury, but club sources speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing talks said the veteran prop has still not secured an official release from the Catalans and is yet to put pen to paper.
It has left his immediate future in limbo as the former Roosters premiership-winner eyes a return to Australia for family reasons.
Despite announcing more than three months ago they were going to release Taukeiaho from the remainder of his Super League deal, Catalans have yet to rubber stamp the move, leaving his NRL return in the balance.
Catalans owner Bernard Guasch even admitted in August the club wouldn’t stand in Taukeiaho’s way of resuming his NRL career, saying: “We’ve had a discussion with Siua and we understand his decision to return to Australia.”
Former Roosters forward Siosuia Taukeiaho.
Former Roosters forward Siosuia Taukeiaho.CREDIT:GETTY
Complicating matters is the fact the Bulldogs have already filled all 30 spots on their official roster for next season after the recent captures of Josh Curran, Kurt Mann, Drew Hutchison, Jake Turpin and Poasa Faamausili.
Faamausili is an NRL experienced forward who has only been signed to a development deal, while another player who made an impression at NRL level in 2023, Harrison Edwards, is also on a second-tier deal.
It means the Bulldogs desperately need to create a vacancy on their roster to accommodate the potential arrival of Taukeiaho, who has spoken about a desire for another shot at the NRL despite turning 32 before the start of next season and being restricted to just nine matches for Catalans, including the 10-2 grand final loss to Wigan.
Canterbury general manager Phil Gould met club captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner and his manager on Saturday to discuss the forward’s future after he was advised he could stay away from a return to pre-season training.
Faitala-Mariner has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs despite having two years left on his deal with the Bulldogs, and Gould said Canterbury is “rightfully unimpressed” a picture of the meeting inside Canterbury League Club was leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Gould said: “Leagues Club CCTV has recorded the person responsible. He has now been identified. I am told that he is a professional photographer. I have an image of him, and we also have his name.
“Again, these things never worry me. But I just wonder why a professional photographer happened to be at that particular venue, at that time of day, in a very quiet lounge of the club, and prepared to take the photo that he did?”
The Bulldogs have been the most active club in the player market for next year with Stephen Crichton, Blake Taaffe, Jaeman Salmon and Bronson Xerri also joining the club
