Chad Townsend has met with Canterbury officials in a bid to keep his NRL career alive.
According to a report from The Sydney Morning Herald, the veteran halfback is seeking one final contract after a lengthy career across multiple clubs.
Townsend remains unsigned for 2025 and beyond at the Cowboys and appears unlikely to be retained by the club.
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The 33-year-old has attracted interest from overseas clubs including Catalans, but could also field offers from teams in Australia in need of an experienced playmaker.
Toby Sexton and Drew Hutchison have spent time in the No.7 jumper this year at the Bulldogs, while teenager Mitchell Woods is seen as the long-term halfback at Belmore.
However, a short-term deal for the Cowboys star could be the perfect stop-gap and according to the Herald, general manager of football Phil Gould is a fan of Townsend.
“Having someone like Chad in your club provides another level of guidance and footy IQ to the team,” his manager Gavin Orr said.
“Chad is playing some real quality football this season and achieving PBs at training, which is why he has attracted attention from multiple NRL and Super League clubs.”
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The news of Canterbury’s interest in Townsend comes after Gould was forced to deny Sitili Tupouniua was on his way to the club next year.
The back-rower could become available depending on the Angus Crichton situation at the Roosters, which is expected to be resolved in the coming weeks.
At this stage, Tupouniua remains contracted at Bondi until the end of 2027.
Canterbury’s only signing for next year is prop Tom Amone, who will return to the NRL after a successful stint in the UK.