Kurri Kurri captain-coach Mitch Cullen has landed the services of NRL premiership winner and former international Frank-Paul Nu'uausala for the Bulldogs in 2020.
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The 32-year-old forward, who played a combined 233 games across NRL and English Super League as well as 15 Tests for New Zealand, put pen to paper on a one-season deal this week.
Cullen met with Nu'uausala recently and confirmed the high-profile signing for next year's Newcastle Rugby League competition.
"He [Nu'uausala] is an exciting signing," Cullen, approaching his first campaign in charge at Kurri after being appointed in August, said.
"Two hundred and thirty plus games between the Roosters, Canberra and Wigan, 15 internationals and an NRL premiership in 2013 - all that experience will be invaluable.
"To look across on the field and see him there will be a boost for us and he'll add a lot to our forward pack."
Nu'uausala, who lives at Cameron Park and works in a Hunter Valley mine, joins the Bulldogs following a season in Group 21 with the Singleton Greyhounds.
It was his first year out of the professional ranks, having retired at the end of 2018.
Last year Nu'uausala lined up just twice for eventual NRL premiers the Sydney Roosters, the same club he debuted with in 2007 and won a title with in 2013.
He played for Canberra in 2015 and 2016 before plying his trade with English outfit Wigan, claiming a second World Club Challenge prize.
Nu'uausala had been on the verge of joining Newcastle club Western Suburbs in 2018 and had been in talks with other sides for next year.
Cullen met him via a friend's family connections.
Kurri, who narrowly missed the semis in 2019 after falling one game short of the decider 12 months earlier, have lost halfback Jarom Haines to Maitland but in turn Pickers hooker Hayden Grainger returns to the Bulldogs.
Kade Hardy is also set to comeback in 2020 after a season-long injury lay-off.
Elsewhere, incoming Wests coach Todd Lowrie said he was confident of retaining last month's grand final man-of-the-match and 2017 player of the year Ryan Walker.
The Afflick brothers, Jacob and Justin, have left Souths to join former teammates Liam Higgins and Ben Roose at Macquarie. Lakes have picked up Canterbury junior representative Tom Harvey.
Meanwhile, a vote will be held in Sydney on Friday to determine whether or not NSW Rugby League and Country Rugby League merge and work as one governing body.
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