GROUP NINEBy Les Muirlmuir@dailyadvertiser.com.auCOOTAMUNDRA has just beaten the Country Rugby League registration deadline to sign a dynamic playmaker from Sydney in the mould of New Zealand Test hooker Isaac Luke.In a late move before the cutoff to register players for the season, the Bulldogs swooped to recruit ex-Cronulla and Newtown hooker or halfback Luke Letele.The dashing young player played for the Sharks in the Toyota Cup (under 20) team last year and started the current season in the Jets team in the NSW Cup competition.However, in a bid to broaden his rugby league horizons, Letele sought a clearance to play out of the remainder of the Group Nine premiership with Cootamundra.Newtown official Glen Dwyer is adamant the Bulldogs have snared a prized recruit just in the nick of time.Dwyer believes Letele, who signed with Cootamundra on the stroke of the June 30 deadline, has great potential and skill to match."Luke has a good rugby league background," Dwyer said."He (Letele) is not unlike Isaac Luke with his darting runs and good service from dummy-half."The comparison with the South Sydney excitment-machine definitely puts Letele in the seriously dangerous category, which was probably the reason Cootamundra co-coach Mark Elia was so chirpy yesterday.Elia described the signing of Letele as an unexpected mid-year bonus."It all came out of the blue a bit," Elia said yesterday."Apparently he wasn't getting as much of a go at Newtown as he wanted."The cousin of Cootamundra prop David Letele, the nippy hooker is expected to arrive in the town later this week and could be included in the Bulldogs team to play Tumut at Fisher Park on Saturday."We'll see how he goes at training," Elia said."All going well he'll play on Saturday."Elia said the clash with Tumut could be one of the defining games for the Bulldogs this season."It's going to be tough," he said."We (Cootamundra) got beaten by Brothers before the bye and Tumut beat Brothers on Sunday."We'll have to play our best."Elia said the tightness of the Group Nine premiership was producing intriguing results."It's a great comp," he said."There's not much between any of the teams."