The Manly Sea Eagles have confirmed prop Matt Lodge will be part of the club once again in 2025.
The prop had originally decided to leave the Sea Eagles at the end of 2024 after being offered an NRL minimum wage contract over a two-year period.
At the time, Lodge said he simply wouldn't put his body through the rigours of being a starting prop for the money on offer, but promised he would land an NRL deal for 2025.
He was then linked with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and St George Illawarra Dragons, with the deal at South Sydney falling over, and a train and trial contract at the Dragons believed to have been offered with Lodge ultimately didn't sign.
The prop will instead remain at Manly, starting the year in the NSW Cup on what is believed to be a pathways deal before attempting to force his way into the NRL.
“I know I'll get back to where I want to be and I'm backing my ability.” Lodge said of his decision to remain on the Northern Beaches.
“It wasn't a case of me wanting to leave this club but the offer elsewhere at the time which I thought I was leaving for, was too good to refuse.
“I don't need to go into all the details, but it is what it is and everything always works out in the end.
“I feel I was just hitting my straps at the back end of last season, and I can't wait to rip in again.”
Lodge said the part-time nature of his contract means he will continue to use other sources of income to supplement the money he will make with Manly.
“I'll continue to work three days a week on a building site where I've been for the past six months, and I'll also be preparing for my second pro fight in early March,” he said.
“My four young boys are all Manly fans having grown up here and playing with Mona Vale Raiders.
“They were in tears when I told them I might have to leave but they're very happy now.
“We are really settled on the northern beaches. Family time, and lifestyle, are very important to us.
“Now it's up to me to do the work and fight my way back and to be ready whenever the team needs me.”
Lodge, now 29 years of age, has played 121 NRL games over a career spanning back to 2014 with the Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors, Sydney Roosters and Manly, where he has played 12 games since joining midway through the 2023 campaign.