The Manly Sea Eagles are reportedly ready to offer Ronald Volkman a rugby league lifeline.
The former Sydney Roosters junior who made his NRL debut for the New Zealand Warriors in 2022 has managed five games in the top grade.
Leaving the Warriors via an early release at the end of 2023, Volkman joined the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The man once touted as one of the best talents in the game missed the entire 2024 season on the back of an injury, and given the injury struck before he was able to have his contract officially registered with the Red V, he went through the campaign without a deal.
Given the injury was picked up before he signed, the Warriors paid for medical expenses, but now the 22-year-old is looking for a way back into first-grade.
It was recently reported that three clubs - the Manly Sea Eagles, Dolphins and Cronulla Sharks - were all monitoring the situation regarding the young half and weighing up the idea of making a play for 2025.
News Corp are now reporting that the Manly Sea Eagles and Volkman are close to agreeing to a deal for next season, with the young half set to relocate to the Northern Beaches of Sydney and become part of Anthony Seibold's squad.
While the deal would likely be a base salary contract, it could see Volkman resume a place in a club's Top 30, where he would become an important part of Manly's halves depth, and a potential long-term succession plan for Daly Cherry-Evans.
Cherry-Evans will again be joined by Luke Brooks - who is on a long-term deal at Manly after his move from the Wests Tigers - in 2025 as Manly's halves combination, while the club also have Jake Arthur on the books as an option in the halves.