Sherwin Signs For 5 Years

Bulldogs halfback Brent Sherwin has signed a contract which will keep him at the Canterbury-based club for five more years.

Bulldogs chief executive Steve Mortimer said Sherwin had agreed to a "very lucrative contract".

Sherwin had earlier threatened to quit the club unless he could get a better deal.

Because of salary cap restrictions, the Bulldogs face a monumental task in re-signing a host of other high-profile players who come off contract at the end of this season.

If the club reaches the semi-finals it must pay each player an eight per cent bonus which comes out of next year's $3.25 million salary cap.

Following last year's scandal in which the Bulldogs were stripped of 37 competition points for massive salary cap breaches, the players agreed to an eight per cent pay cut to get below the cap in 2003.

The deal was made on the condition that money is recouped if they make the finals and means the Bulldogs are likely to have a mere $2.9 million to spend on players for 2004.

Mortimer said he was "hopeful" the club would soon re-sign New Zealand international centre Nigel Vagana.