After rupturing his ACL in the right knee last season, all seemed to be over for Matt Lodge, with the forward unlikely to be on the receiving end of another NRL contract.
However, the reported (immediate) departure of Sean Keppie to the South Sydney Rabbitohs has opened the door for Lodge to continue his rugby league career in the NRL.
Keppie is currently contracted with the Rabbitohs until the end of the 2026 season; however, the Sea Eagles are set to release him from his deal to accommodate free space in their salary cap.
Despite spending the majority of next season on the sideline, recovering from an ACL tear, Manly officials have hinted that Lodge will still be offered a new contract with the club.
Lodge joined the club from the Sydney Roosters as a mid-season recruit, signing a train-and-trial deal worth $1000 per week - a salary not worth his value.
Now, as of Sunday, News Corp has reported that Matt Lodge is set to be promoted to the Manly Sea Eagles Top 30 roster after previously being on a train-and-trial contract at the club.
This comes after the Sea Eagles reportedly promised him a place on the Top 30 roster but were waiting to find free salary cap space and free roster spots available.
“Matt has fitted in extremely well since joining the club and he's been great for our younger players,” Manly Chief Executive Tony Mestrov told The Sydney Morning Herald previously.
“He's shown enough in the few games he's played with us and this injury won't sway our thinking when looking at our roster for next year.”
It is also understood that the Manly Sea Eagles are hoping to lock down Haumole Olakau'atu on a long-term deal as soon as possible after he has been linked to a range of other teams, including the Wests Tigers.
In the past, News Corp has suggested that the deal will be a seven-year contract worth around $6 million - or just short of $900,000 per season and the negotiations have been confirmed by Manly chairman Tony Mestrov, who is desperate to keep his star forward, and Olakau'atu's agent Mario Tartak.
Olakau'atu is already on contract for the next two seasons at the Manly, but it's believed the new deal will kick off from the start of 2024, representing an upgrade for the next two years before the new five-year deal starts.
It would keep the second-rower locked in at the club until the end of 2030.
At Manly, he has scored ten tries in 24 games this year, adding 11 line breaks, 13 offloads and stacks of tackle breaks while also improving his defence constantly.
A force at the worst of times, Olakau'atu's performances have regularly made those around him look stronger, and the 24-year-old was well in discussions for the New South Wales side leading into the State of Origin series before being overlooked in a controversial call from coach Brad Fittler.