Interim Canterbury coach Steve Georgallis hopes to play Corey Harawira-Naera in coming weeks, backing calls from his team for the Kiwi Test forward to stay at Belmore.

Harawira-Naera was due to meet with Canterbury officials on a busy Friday at the Bulldogs, as the parties aimed to air their differences.

News of the clear-the-air meeting came as the Bulldogs were poised to announce the signing of Kangaroos winger Nick Cotric on a three-year deal from Canberra, set to begin next season.

Fellow outside back Jayden Okunbor is also likely to stay on, after he and Harawira-Naera had their NRL de-registrations overturned following a schoolgirl sex scandal.

Harawira-Naera’s future at the club is not quite as clear, with his 10-game ban ending this weekend.

His camp told AAP the player would enter the meetings with an open mind despite frustrations over the way the affair has been handled.

The New Zealand international could also attract big interest elsewhere, given he would be free to play for a rival this year if released by the Bulldogs.

But if Georgallis and Harawira-Naera’s teammates have their way, the Kiwi second-rower and Okunbor will both remain at Canterbury.

“We’ve talked about that as a playing group,” Georgallis said.

“It was a simple thing. I asked the playing group what they thought and they said ‘yes, we want them back’.

“And they asked me what I thought and I said ‘yes I want them back’. I referred that to the board.”

Harawira-Naera’s future could also be impacted by the possibility of Trent Barrett arriving as coach. The 25-year-old previously played under Barrett in under-20s at Penrith.

If he does stay, the Bulldogs will make enquiries as to how soon he can play given he has been living outside of the team’s bubble since March.

Okunbor will almost certainly be able to come back immediately when his ban ends in round 15.

“I don’t know if they have been training and what their fitness levels are,” Georgallis said when asked if he would pick Harawira-Naera against Newcastle next week.

“Like any other club there are injuries. We’ve lost Adam Elliott for the rest of the year and William Hopoate for four-to-six weeks.

“It would be great if they could sort it out if they have any issues with the club and we could get them back as soon as possible.”