Source :- THE AGE NEWS
A meeting between Canterbury supremo Phil Gould and Sam Verrills has sparked speculation the out-of favour Gold Coast hooker could be on the way to Belmore.
Verrills, off contract at the end of the season, has fallen out of favour at the Titans. The former premiership-winning Roosters dummy half was dropped to the interchange bench against his former club last week, before being overlooked for Sunday’s Magic Round clash against Newcastle at Suncorp Stadium.
Titans coach Josh Hannay has instead opted for Oliver Pascoe in the No.9 jersey, with former Panthers rake Luke Sommerton named on the bench.
Gould’s meeting with Verrills and his agent in Brisbane – which has been circulated on social media on Saturday – comes at a time when many critics have questioned whether the Bulldogs’ spine is gelling.
The decision last year to part with hooker Reed Mahoney, who is in good form for the Cowboys, in favour of Bailey Hayward has been questioned by fans and critics. Earlier this week, Bulldogs officials met with Warriors halfback Luke Metcalf after he had been given permission to negotiate with other clubs.
Canterbury ultimately opted not to offer Metcalf a contract and he subsequently signed a three-year deal with St George Illawarra from next season. However, those meetings appear to be an acknowledgement that the spine isn’t working, a point underscored by Friday night’s 38-16 loss to Cronulla.
The latest defeat leaves the Bulldogs in 13th spot on the ladder and in danger of missing the finals. At the corresponding point last season – with Mahoney and halfback Toby Sexton in the team – the blue and whites were leading the competition.
The slow start to the season will also put further scrutiny on the Lachlan Galvin-Matt Burton halves combination, which has so far failed to fire consistently.
At this point, Verrills has not asked the Titans for a release. On a deal reportedly worth $600,000, it’s unclear whether the club would be prepared to release him immediately if he sought a fresh start.
The Titans have a high opinion of Pascoe, Sommerton and youngster Jai Bilish, who has come through the Palm Beach Currumbin State High School system and this year signed a contract extension keeping him at the club through to 2030.
