Luke Metcalf is all but certain to leave the Warriors at season’s end, and two clubs have emerged as the early favourites for the gun playmaker’s signature.
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The Bulldogs and Dragons are said to be interested in Metcalf, who has been given permission by the Warriors to test the market in the wake of the club’s re-signing of the resurgent Tanah Boyd.
Metcalf wants to play seven but it seems he won’t be able to do that at the Warriors anymore with Boyd at the club.
Several teams around the league do need a halfback though.
The Dragons are one such club and they’re expected to make a play at Metcalf.
“They’re interested. I can confirm that,” The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio reported.
Another is the Bulldogs, who after a tough start to the season, are still facing questions about their halves and whether Lachlan Galvin is the long-term solution at seven.
Given the Bulldogs’ stature as a club and the pulling power of GM Phil Gould, Riccio believes the Dogs are the current favourites to land Metcalf.
“I believe they are genuinely interested. Are they are genuine chance? I’d have them as the favourites at the moment,” Riccio said.
“This is the beauty of Phil Gould. This is why Phil Gould is so important for Cameron Ciraldo. He can do all the wheeling and dealing in the background.
“This is A1 Gus. Go and get Metcalf and tap the heads along the way.”
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NRL360 host Braith Anasta then referenced Galvin when he replied with: “but they have a halfback”.
“No they haven’t,” foxsports.com.au’s Paul Crawley replied.
“They need one to reach their potential with this current roster.”
Crawley then stated that if the Bulldogs manage to land Metcalf, that would lead to “other problems” at the club, notably what to do with five-eighth Matt Burton.
“If Galvin moves to six, does Burton go to the centres and can the Dogs afford to carry Metcalf’s $800k on top of Burton’s $800k,” Crawley said.
“It’s highly likely if Metcalf (leaves Warriors), if the Dogs are an option, he’ll go there.”
Burton’s form has been plain at best this season.
There have been flashes, but in a team down on form, Burton’s play has suffered.
It led Crawley to opine that if he was partnered with a genuine halfback, he’d be among the better five-eighths in the comp.
“If he was playing with a genuine seven, we’d be seeing the best of Matt Burton and at this stage, what we’ve seen from Galvin so far and what we know Burton has the potential to do, I would say Burton is still a better six from what I’ve seen from Galvin.
“His best football is better than where Galvin is at at the moment.”
Back to Metcalf, based on the frosty press release the club put out today and the fact he wasn’t named in the squad to face Brisbane at Magic Round, the playmaker’s relationship with the Warriors appears rocky at best.
Despite this, the Warriors aren’t yet prepared to let Metcalf leave midway through this season.
“My conversations today suggest it’s highly unlikely. If you put yourselves in the shoes of the Warriors, they firmly believe they can win a premiership this year,” Riccio said.
“He’s not in the top 22 of the NRL squad nor is he listed in NSW Cup.
“My enqiries suggest that it’s a case of Luke, go sort your future out. This is a big decision, sort it out.
“I reckon personally that the Warriors are thinking, ‘what if he gets injured while he’s in this phase of negotiations’. Does that impact Luke’s potential future but also too, it could leave the club rehabbing a player that doesn’t want to be there.”
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