Hodkinson

[DUFFMAN]

He is expected to sign with the Bulldogs during the week for $800,000 over 3 seasons. Manly cant match the offer and said its too good an offer for him to decline. They are still hopeful he will stay at Manly for a less.


Offer Hodkinson a decent contract and sign Whare to replace Matai ........ That free up a few $$$

 

[Cletus]

That's a lot of money for a young player. I hope he stays, he'll be hard to replace at the moment. Has Foran actually signed with us?

 

[fLIP]

I find hodkinson is 1/3 the player when foran is out. it might change in the long run but i suspect the bulldogs will find out the hard way that hodko is one of those blokes who works as a pair in the halves.

Ben roberts just wont cut it im affraid.

Where does this leave us with a halfback though? Cronk?

Please god not Orford or Monaghan.

 

[Dan]

Can't blame him but giving up possibly one of the great halves combinations I have seen in manly colours. Not best individually but great together

 

[missing_something]

Apparently Cherry-Evans it's starting to go ahead leaps and bounds in the QLD cup after a slow start, might be worth tying him up long term now and giving him a shot next year.

TH would be silly to pass up the 800k, we should have blooded him last year and tied him up long term rather than letting Orford play busted half the season.

 

[ManlyBacker]

That is a massive amount to be tempted by for a 21 (almost 22) yo. I'll bet it is highly back-ended and rightly so.

He served a terrific apprenticeship with the SCSE but you sense he has a way to go to convince everyone that he can continue on to become a great HB based on the last two weeks. Still, I believe he most likely will.

I am sure that if Manly believe he will come up to the mark then that is the sort of deal we should be tempting both him and Foran with, though Foran seems more likely to justify it. 800k would see something like 200k in 2011, 270k 2012 and 330+k in 2013. That is still a huge commitment to make but when planning for the future you just have to make those decisions.

 

[ManlyBacker]

CANTERBURY are planning to take an $800,000 gamble by signing a rookie who has played just nine first-grade games.  After missing out on Parramatta halves Kris Keating and Daniel Mortimer, the Bulldogs have opened their chequebook in a bid to snare Manly's City Origin halfback Trent Hodkinson.

Disappointed Manly officials have all but conceded the 21-year-old will sign with the Dogs this week.

The Bulldogs have dangled the huge carrot in front of Hodkinson in the wake of prop Ben Hannant's move back to Brisbane.

The Sunday Telegraph has also learned that the Bulldogs are poised to free up more room in the salary cap, with veteran fullback Luke Patten considering a move to the UK Super League.

But signing Hodkinson to a three-year deal is the club's priority, with the former Parramatta junior regarded as the club's long-term replacement for NSW halfback Brett Kimmorley.

Hodkinson has been a revelation alongside young Kiwi Kieran Foran this season as Manly have covered for the loss of grand final-winning No 7 Matt Orford.

"We've identified him as a player of interest (and) I can confirm we've been in negotiations with his manager for a period of time," Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said. Hodkinson has said he wants to stay at Brookvale following his sudden rise to prominence this season under coach Des Hasler.

But even Hasler can recognises an offer that's too good to refuse.

Despite offering the promising No 7 a four-year deal, the Sea Eagles can't match the money offered by the Bulldogs.The Bulldogs have every intention to extend Kimmorley's career by a further season.

Should they lure Hodkinson to the club, they would boast a plethora of halves, including Ben Roberts and Ben Barba.

With a decision on Patten's future expected within two weeks, the club's interest in Canberra fullback Josh Dugan is set to spike.

The Bulldogs see Dugan as the perfect replacement for Patten.

 

[Cameron]

the money is great
but

at manly hes the no 1 halfback
if he signs with the dogs hes got 12 months of playing behind kimmorley

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

plethora of halves, including Ben Roberts and Ben Barba.

would hardly call that that

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Hodkinson has been excellent. His chief qualities at this stage appear to be excellent defence, a very good kicking game, and a calmness under pressure -very few errors. These are tremendous qualities in a halfback. However there is no guarantee he has the ability to go to the next level and currently he is no world beater.

I am prepared to give our recruitment team credit for knowing what all the options are and making the best offer appropriate to our needs. Having said that, obviously it would be a bit disappointing to lose him and if it happens I hope it's after he helps us to another GF.

 

[ads]

How the hell are we letting this happen? If we spend the next three years flailing about with no halfback we'll no who's fault it is. Our recruitment staff who didn't get his name on paper early and quickly.

If cherry-Evans comes in and is brilliant I'll take it back

 

[Guest]

Zorba just metiooned that manly are still hopeful of keeping Hodkinson but admit it will be difficult.  Maybe the extra $300k on the salary cap next year for all clubs will help.

 

[swoop]

Zorba just metiooned that manly are still hopeful of keeping Hodkinson but admit it will be difficult.  Maybe the extra $300k on the salary cap next year for all clubs will help.

It would be a shame if he left, yesterdays talk of Orford returning wouldn't of helped.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

How the hell are we letting this happen? If we spend the next three years flailing about with no halfback we'll no who's fault it is. Our recruitment staff who didn't get his name on paper early and quickly.

If cherry-Evans comes in and is brilliant I'll take it back

Who says we are letting it happen ? Our only option to compete with that sort of money is by cheating the cap

 

[Garts]

As much as I like Matai I would sacrifice him for Hodko, good halves are hard to find. 

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

But Matai is almost impossible to find.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

As much as I like Matai I would sacrifice him for Hodko, good halves are hard to find. 

Guess it depends how big we want to pay to keep a bloke on potential, because where ever he ends up he will be on massive overs for where he is at in his career. Robson and Mortimer both looked the goods last year and both are struggling currently

For the money the Dogs are paying, you really want a dominant halfback, something we haven't seen from trent yet, is a big risk.

I hope he stays though, but if he doesn't, hope Cherry lifts to the mark

 

[Guest]

But Matai is almost impossible to find.

Not really.  Just look for trouble and Mattai won't be far away.

 

[Moops]

Whare is going to be 3x the player that Matai is...

 

[Fluffy]

Zorba just metiooned that manly are still hopeful of keeping Hodkinson but admit it will be difficult.  Maybe the extra $300k on the salary cap next year for all clubs will help.

I suspect the extra money will certain mean that trent wont sign this week