Matthew Lodge's future at the Manly Sea Eagles is all but over, with the forward set to be on the lookout for his sixth team in the NRL competition.
Uncontracted for next season, his future over the past couple of months has continually been up in the air, and there has yet to be any indication of where he will be, come 2025.
Coming off several injuries including a ruptured ACL and bicep injury, Lodge was promoted to the Top 30 roster earlier this season after signing with the Sea Eagles from the Sydney Roosters on a train-and-trial contract that earned him around $1000 per week.
According to The Courier-Mail, Lodge will leave the Manly Sea Eagles after the two parties failed to agree on a new contract.
It is understood that the club offered him a two-year contract worth $150,000 a season, but the front-rower is unlikely to agree on the terms and will instead look for a home elsewhere.
Previously linked with a move to the Newcastle Knights due to his family connection with recruitment officer Peter O'Sullivan, these reports ended up being shut down.
He has also been shopped around to clubs in the Super League competition but no team has yet to confirm an interest in his services as he looks to find a long-term contract to continue his rugby league career.
"Best-case scenario someone believes in me and does a couple-of-year deal," he told AAP recently in regards to his future.
"But it's probably hard here, because since I got to Manly it's been an unlucky run.
"It's up in the air (where I end up) because I am not signed and the club (Manly) was talking about trying to make some room. I love it here. (But) at the end of the day people have got to understand I have four kids and have to pay the bills.
"I had a team in juniors and I played there my whole life. But this is different, it puts food on the table for the family and we put our bodies through a lot."
