Without a contract at the moment for next season, utility back Blake Taaffe has reportedly agreed to a new contract which will not only see him depart the Canterbury Bulldogs or the NRL.
One of five members of the Bulldogs squad that are off-contract at the end of the season, Taaffe has only made two first-grade appearances this season, predominantly being used in the NSW Cup before going down with injury.
Failing to cement a regular spot in the club’s NRL line-up since he arrived from the South Sydney Rabbitohs, he has continually been used as an 18th or 19th man and only made 12 NRL appearances for the club.
Failing to find a new deal with the Bulldogs, Taaffe has decided to leave the NRL competition after agreeing to a three-year contract to join the Castleford Tigers in the Super League, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The move to Castleford comes following a two-season stint with the Canterbury Bulldogs in which he was poised to be their long-term fullback at the time but lost his position to Connor Tracey who hasn’t looked back and made the No.1 jersey his own.
In May, he revealed to Zero Tackle that although his ideal decision was to remain at Belmore, he understood that rugby league is a business and his tenure in the Blue and White was coming to a close.
“I’d love to stay around here. What the club’s done in the past few years and the people that have brought into it, it’s awesome,” Taaffe told Zero Tackle.
“I’ve got a good relationship with the boys here and the staff. I’d love to stay, but just depends on what happens.
“Rugby league’s a crazy game and at the end of the day it’s a business and whatever happens, happens.”