The Newcastle Knights have reportedly made a decision on the potential recruitment of front-rower Matthew Lodge after rumours emerged linking him with a move to the club for next season.
Lodge, who recently returned from a bicep injury, remains without a contract for next season, and there has yet to be any indication that he will remain at the Northern Beaches with the Manly Sea Eagles.
Coming off a ruptured ACL injury in his right knee, 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.
Linked with a move to the Newcastle Knights earlier in the week, it is being reported by The Newcastle Herald's Barry Toohey that there is "no chance" Lodge will make the move to Newcastle for next season.
The news surrounding Lodge's future comes after he was linked with a potential move to the club. He also shares the same manager as Adam O'Brien, and his father-in-law is the club's recruitment boss, Peter O'Sullivan.
"Depending on what happens with some movements there [Newcastle Knights], we might see Matt Lodge potentially join Newcastle," The Herald's Adrian Proszenko said earlier this week on SEN 1170 Crunch Time.
"Manly would like to keep him and they're open to maybe giving him another season next year but if there's another club that's prepared to offer him a couple of years then that could be something he wants to do.
"Obviously that place is getting shaken up with Peter O'Sullivan heading up there and doing the recruitment for them."
As the Knights pull out of the race for Lodge's services, it is understood that the Manly Sea Eagles have shown an interest in keeping home on the books beyond the season in the past, but it's unknown if this is still the case.
He also met with St George Illawarra Dragons coach Shane Flanagan at the start of July as the club continue to rebuild their roster under the premiership-winning head coach.
A potential move to the Dragons would make it the sixth NRL team he has played for since his debut for the Wests Tigers in 2014. He has previously had stints at the Brisbane Broncos, New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters
It would also be the eighth club he has been involved in, having been a member of the Under-20s teams at the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm.
Shane Flanagan has made it no secret that the Dragons are in the market for a front-rower for next season and have continually been linked Parramatta Eels and NSW Blues prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard.